Our Technological Initiative
Children during a computer lesson at Cassandra Children’s Home
At Makani, we measure success not just by profits, but by our impact on the society. Our corporate values of superior performance, teamwork and caring for others, extend beyond our offices and into the communities in which we operate.
Ever since the company creed has been made to "protect the interests of our customers, the society, and the environment", Makani has been planning projects to give back to the society which helped build us to what we are now.
At Makani, we believe that technology can help make the world a nicer place to live in. Technology complements our lives by providing easy access to worldwide information and entertainment. This drives us to be committed to narrowing the digital divide between the masses and the less privileged.
Makani Students Fund
In January 2006, Makani launched its first community involvement project, the establishment of the Makani Students Fund. The fund is aimed to formalize our efforts to help the orphanages and special schools, like Cassandra Children's Home and Margaret Lane Special School, just to name a few.
“With all the high-tech gadgets in mainstream schools, we try to help balance these standards in the schools for the less privileged,” said Head of Public Relations Tan Geok Teng. Makani provides financial assistance in purchasing computers and educational CD-Roms for these institutions.
Customers of Makani play a huge role in our charity efforts when they purchase our products, as Makani donates 20% of its monthly profits to the Makani Students Fund.
A regular customer of Makani products, Cedric Goh, comments, “With all the recent scandals of charity organizations, I am glad that I can help these poor children through a company that I trust (Makani)”.
The fund also provides avenues in which our employees can contribute to community causes. We are proud to announce that most of them have chosen to channel 10% of their salaries to the fund each month.
Caring Employees Programme
This March, Makani developed its second community involvement project as an expansion of the first. The Caring Employee Programme was launched, as we recognize the importance of engaging the Makani employees in our community projects.
Based on designated schedules, employees left their laboratories and offices to spend some quality time with the children at the orphanages and special schools. They taught these children essential computer skills, and also spent some time interacting with them over meals.
“I will never forget the smiles on the children’s faces when we leave Cassandra Children’s Home each week. It motivates me to go back to see them again,” CFO Jane Francis Yard comments.
To motivate more employees to explore their spirit of volunteerism, all employees at Makani are eligible for two paid days leave per annum when they volunteer during any of the organized staff trips to these institutions.
“I feel really happy when employees frequently enquire about the next company trip to the schools. It just proves that they have enjoyed the previous trip,” said Tan.
At the end of each year, Makani will be presenting an award to the employee who has spent the most time on volunteerism in the year. This will include volunteerism outside the scope of Makani’s projects.
At Makani, we believe that creating a culture of volunteerism within the corporation itself is of utmost importance. Only with an internal culture of kindness and charity, will Makani continue to grow into a truly good corporate citizen.
