“At Handling, we aim to make a difference in all that we do, and want to help our local communities, therefore we are mobilizing resources to support communities nationwide both with shelter, basic food products (rice, maize, sugar), clean bottled water and medical grade hand sanitiser” – Handing Management
Feeding the Future: Our Commitment to Social Responsibility
At Handling, our mission goes beyond business – it’s also about creating a positive impact on the lives of those who need it most. Therefore, we are dedicated to our food distribution initiative, a project that attempts to combat hunger and provide nutrition to people in need.
Every month, our team works in collaboration with organizations such as Caritas Moçambicana, to organize food deliveries to those in need.
Together, we can make a difference — one meal at a time.
In 2019 Tropical Cyclone IDAI was one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. The long-lived storm caused catastrophic damage, and a humanitarian crisis in Mozambique. Events like these have impacts on our business and on the communities we serve. When the communities affected by these disasters need immediate help, we actively contribute to and rally support for relief efforts. Handling did this through donations of several truck loads of rice and building materials to help the affected people cope.
In 2020 the company also endeavoured to offer a substantial amount of assistance to the refugee crisis in Cabo Delgado Province in the North of the country, as well as in many affected areas such as the cities of Quelimane, Gondola and Chimoio. A considerable amount of shelter and food assistance was facilitated for the people needing it whilst working hand in hand with the Caritas Catholic Charity organization. (https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/africa/mozambique/). The total amount offered exceeded 300 tons of food products as well as 750 cover tarpaulins.
Covid-19 Efforts
People throughout Mozambique are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
At Handling we are doing our part to help prevent the further spread of the virus, while also supporting the current needs of our customers, consumers, employees and communities.
We have – and always will – put the health, safety and security of people first. Our approach is grounded in our company’s purpose, which ensures that we continuously strive to make a difference for people in our communities and in our workplaces.
We are constantly monitoring the evolving situation and adapting our efforts and responses.
The safety of Handling employees and that of our clients is our highest priority. Around the cou§ntry, local teams have closely followed guidance from health authorities to protect the health and safety of employees across all our activities.
Distribution facilities continue to operate but have adjusted their ways of working and timetables to protect everyone’s safety and well-being.
Wearing of masks in-store by every single employee and client is compulsory as well as observing queuing regulations that are socially distant and in-line with governmental guidelines.
A social media campaign has also been launched on the company’s Facebook page to help to inform every one of the current rules and regulations, all in the interests of the utmost health and safety.
Since the coronavirus outbreak began, we have implemented many additional cleaning and sanitization routines, focusing on high-touch surfaces in our establishments.
Our delivery drivers do their best to reduce person-to-person interactions on their routes and many of our employees have also implemented split shifts to avoid shift-to-shift contact.
We have reinforced hygiene and exposure guidelines with our employees. If we become aware that an employee is ill or had direct or indirect contact with someone with COVID-19, we will immediately implement our isolation and sanitization protocols and will begin any necessary quarantines, in line with guidance from local health officials. Following recommendations to reduce large gatherings and increase social distancing, several of our employees have also been working remotely.
Ongoing food and PPE donations
Ongoing partnership with Casa da Misericórdia in Michafutene.
Casa da Misericordia is a Catholic mission run by Padre Antonio Peretta in the Michafutene region of Maputo. The mission is focused in rehabilitating ex-inmates released from penitentiary institutions. By empowering them with practical skills such as woodwork, carpentry and electrical training, the mission allows the individuals to re-enter society as productive participants.
In conjunction with one of our core partners CIM (https://www.premierfmcg.com/operations/cim) Handling recently set-up a bakery project at Casa da Misericordia, providing all the necessary materials and training required to run a small commercial training bakery.
The company has also launched a countrywide campaign to donate boxes in bulk of high quality 75% Alcohol content sanitiser to several locations in critical need of it in order to help address the current situation.
Many local Hospitals, prisons and other institutions have received donations from Handling. A notable example is Hospital Central Polana Caniço in Maputo which will in addition to sanitiser, also receive much needed ventilators to help care for critically ill patients.
