South Africa’s notable leaders rose up to pledge their support to the 2017 CEO SLEEPOUT™, and its special chapter, the SHE-EO SLEEPOUT™.
“I support this initiative as an individual and as a member of the Thuli Madonsela Foundation.
I do hope that this year, the takings are twice or thrice as much as last year.
This is an important initiative that will go a great way in improving people’s lives, thank you CEOs,”
– Adv. Thuli Madonsela, The SheEO SleepOut™ Brand Ambassador –
“This is about digging deep into the soul of one human being, and getting them to connect with another.
This is Ubuntu; connecting those who can make a difference to those who need the difference.”
– Prof. Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, The SheEO SleepOut™ Brand Ambassador –
“The City of Tshwane is extremely proud and honoured to be the host city of The 2017 CEO SleepOut™.
The initiative embodies many values that the City holds high on its list of priorities, which are:
eradicating poverty and eliminating homelessness,”
– Solly Msimanga, Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane –
“I am humbled to be part of the The School SleepOut™. Tomorrow’s CEOs are today’s students…”
– Panyaza Lesufi, MEC of Education in Gauteng –
“I am happy to be a Chief Ambassador for the CEO SleepOut™, because it makes a difference.
It is a powerful platform to assist those in need.
It’s time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and start Doing! Let’s take SA forward.”
– Yusuf Abramjee, CEO SleepOut™ Chief Brand Ambassador –
“Good Things Guy is honoured to be one of the official media suite partners for the CEO SleepOut™. Excited to do good things together!”
– Brent Lindeque, South Africa SleepOut™ Brand Ambassador and founder of The Good Things Guy –
The 2017 CEO SleepOut™ Trust Launch
The 2017 CEO SleepOut™ was launched at The Zone, Rosebank. Media, VIPs and South Africans gathered to hear about this year’s strategies for South Africa’s foremost philanthropic venture. After a short recap of the 2015 and 2016 Events, the announcements for this year were made.
The SheEO SleepOut™
It was unveiled that this year, The CEO SleepOut™, showcased by Social Enterprise, The Philanthropic Collection, is empowering an exciting Special Chapter; The SheEO SleepOut™. This year, the Event is for female business leaders only! We are calling on them to Rise To The Challenge to raise funds and empathy, and celebrate their commitment to change.
We’re also compelling our male leaders to showcase their female executives, by fully supporting and encouraging their participation. Should there be no women in their c-suite, they are also encouraged to nominate and back an outstanding female colleague to take part.
This year’s focus is on Shelter for abandoned babies and children. Child Protection and Development Consultant, Luke Lamprecht, announced that a portion of the funds raised at The SheEO SleepOut™ would be awarded to the Primary Beneficiary, Door of Hope, who will use the funds towards a Legacy Project Village to house abandoned children. Secondary Beneficiaries who benefit from affiliated Projects include Homeless Talk, The Salvation Army and Gift of the Givers.
The SheEO SleepOut™ will take place on Thursday 22 June 2017 at the iconic Union Buildings in Pretoria, destination of the largest Women’s March in South Africa’s history.
To register for the Event, visit http://theceosleepoutza.co.za/register/.
SleepOut™ Month: June 2017: The Sympathy, South Africa and School SleepOut™s
It was also announced that three Satellite Events would be taking place, for the rest of South Africa’s citizens, who want to show their commitment to positive social change, and support our female leaders.
The 2017 CEO SleepOut™ named the whole of June 2017 SleepOut™ Month. During June, anyone around the country can stand up as a pillar of support for change and participate in a Satellite Event; The Sympathy, South Africa or School SleepOut™. The Sympathy SleepOut™ is for businesses, The South Africa SleepOut™ is for groups of 12 or more people, and The School SleepOut™ is for schools.
They can spend any night in June 2017 outdoors at their office parks, outdoor areas and school grounds, in solidarity with The SheEO SleepOut™. Satellite Event Participants collect in-kind, wish-list items for appointed Satellite Beneficiaries, selected across the nine provinces of South Africa. Wish-list items are listed on the website, when you register. To register for a Satellite Event, visit www.theceosleepoutza.co.za.
MEC Panyaza Lesufi joined the launch, to announce his support for The School SleepOut™, and introduced our 13 School SleepOut™ Brand Ambassadors. These Ambassadors were selected across South Africa, and will use their influence to spread the message of change, and encourage schools to participate in School SleepOut™s.
The MEC called for a moment of silence for the pupils who lost their lives in the Bronkhorstpruit accident. The CEO SleepOut™ Trust, in response, announced it would be donating R25 000 to each of the schools affected by the crash; a total of R50 000. “Education is very close to our hearts at The CEO SleepOut™, as a means to help vulnerable communities,” says CEO SleepOut™ Trustees Ali Gregg and Darren Olivier, “We feel strongly connected to South Africa’s schools, because of The School SleepOut™ Events. We are heartbroken to hear about this tragic incident, and hope this will help the families cover the funeral costs, or anything in this desperate time of need.”
Watch the official video from The 2017 CEO SleepOut™ Media Launch here.
For more information, visit: theceosleepoutza.co.za
Email: media@theceosleepoutza.co.za
About The CEO SleepOut™
The CEO SleepOut™ is created by The Philanthropic Collection, a social entrepreneurship collective that collaborates with businesses to change heart- and mind-sets, and find new approaches to philanthropy. The Event is part of a global movement, effecting positive social change for vulnerable and homeless communities. It asks business leaders to spend a winter’s night on the streets, raising funds and empathy for the homeless. Founded in Australia in 2006, The CEO SleepOut™ is now a global initiative, with Sleepouts taking place in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The inaugural CEO SleepOut™ in South Africa took place in 2015 when 247 CEO and senior executives spent the night on Gwen Lane, Sandton, and raised more than R26-million for Girls & Boys Town. For information on the allocation of these funds, click here. In 2016, 672 current and future business leaders spent the night on the Iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge. There was also a national call to action #SouthAfricaMustRise. Companies, universities and schools were able to SleepOut™ in solidarity at their own Sympathy, Student and School SleepOut™ events, collecting items for their chosen Beneficiary.
Donations were awarded to Primary Beneficiary Partners, The Asha Trust, Columba Leadership and The Steve Biko Foundation. In 2016, The Minister of Trade & Industry, Rob Davies, declared the Event a protected event. Two Gold AMEC (The International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) Awards were also awarded to Brand Intelligence company Pope Francis, Ornico, for both “Best use of measurement for a single event” and “Best measurement of a not-for profit campaign”, for its tracking and analysis of communications for The 2015 CEO SleepOut™. surpassing notable international campaigns featuring the The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Unicef. Over these two years, over R35 million has been donated to our Beneficiary Partners, representing 73% of The Project’s income revenue. For more details about the facts and figures of The CEO SleepOut™ click here.
In 2017, The CEO SleepOut™ Movement is empowering a Special Chapter, which showcases and celebrates South Africa’s female leaders in a time when women are positively inspiring each other, around the world. 2017 introduces: The SheEO SleepOut™. We’re calling on female business leaders to Rise To The Challenge, and spend Thursday 22 June 2017 sleeping outdoors, raising funds and gaining empathy, at The Union Buildings, the destination of the largest female march in South Africa’s history. The funds raised at The SheEO SleepOut™ will be awarded to a Primary Beneficiary, Door of Hope, who works within the area of this year’s focus pillar; shelter, especially for abandoned babies and children. The country’s male c-suite is also encouraged to support their female colleagues, by encouraging participation of their female executives, or future female executives. June 2017 has also been declared SleepOut™ month in South Africa. Satellite solidarity Events – The Sympathy, South Africa and School SleepOut™s – will see businesses, groups and schools spend any night during June 2017 outdoors, collecting items for Satellite Beneficiaries across the nine provinces.
Will you Rise To The Challenge?
The 2017 SleepOut™ Movement Champions Line-Up
Founding Partner: The Philanthropic Collection. City Host Partner: City Of Tshwane. Media Suite Partners: Caxton Printing and Community Newspapers, D6 Communicator, The Good Things Guy. StakeHolder Partners: Adams & Adams, IQ Business. Primary Beneficiary Partner: Door of Hope Children’s Mission. Secondary Beneficiaries: Gift Of The Givers, Homeless Talk, The Salvation Army. Satellite Beneficiaries: Gauteng – Angels Baby Sanctuary, Impilo, Refilwe Community Project, KwaZulu-Natal –Baby Hope House, La Lucia Baby House, Mpumalanga – Umephi House Middleburg, The Eastern Cape – Isithembiso Babies Home, Umephi House Lelethu, The Free State – Lebone Village, Limpopo – Thabang Children’s Project, Umephi House Ngwana, The Northern Cape – Umephi House Jogebed, The North West Province – Baby Moses Child Sanctuary, The Western Cape – Heartlands Baby Home, Umephi House Eerste Rivier. Influencers: Australi
