Lize-Mari Ras
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EuRA Celebrates Sustainability at their 25th Anniversary Conference. 

EuRA, the European Relocations Association, is a professional non-profit organisation that promotes relocation and other affiliated services. Their aim is to promote their members who offer immigration, relocation,  and relocation services across the world, they provide industry related training, support, networking and advice to all its members.  

EuRA has made it their mission to set the standard for innovation and education by empowering their members to unlock their full potential and become leaders in the Global Mobility Industry. Their members are passionate professionals who actively work towards the betterment of the Global Mobility Industry. The Association and its members adhere to their integral ideals of compassion, integrity, teamwork, sustainability, and diversity. Members of EuRA have praised the organisation, and highly value the connections that they have simply by belonging to the association.  

EuRA is not only esteemed in and of itself for being a well-established association but is also well known for the lively conferences they host annually to promote and assist in building healthy relationships in the Global Mobility Industry. EuRA members take pleasure in attending these conferences as it offers great opportunities and benefits to the members, as is apparent from the comment made by a member in which they stated, ‘’We can see the creation of friendships and strong personal and business relationships simply because we are part of EuRA.’’ These interactions and connections occur on a global scale, with members arriving from every corner of the continent to represent their company, country, and clients. One could not even begin to imagine the degree to which cultures are mixing and substantial information is being shared.  

The purpose of the conference is primarily to outline the highlights of the year that has passed, talk about new trends, benchmark with others in the industry and networking and socialising is a big part of the conference, and everyone who attends certainly has an enjoyable time and leaves the conference with a significantly enhanced knowledge in the field and many business opportunities and new business friends and colleagues.  The most recent conference was held in April of this year in Dublin, Ireland. This year was a special occasion as EuRA proudly celebrated their 25th anniversary at the conference by giving tribute to the membership and throwing a formal gala evening. 

This year, at the annual EuRA conference, one of the symposiums delivered prior to the official conference start was the Sustainability Symposium, it delved into various aspects of sustainable development, and included a corporate representative to give the members a view from a corporate client’s perspective. Many of the 70 registered members who attended the sustainable development symposium on the Tuesday commented on how insightful it was and how important it is for the information that was conveyed at the symposium, to be not only implemented but also to be passed on and shared. The symposium dived into an in-depth meaning of sustainability, the input from a corporate perspective, and what it means to the global mobility sector. Speakers at the symposium maintained the attention of the audience engaging them in various practical workshops so they could take their learnings back to their businesses. The discussion was open-ended and informative and included a workshop structure which allowed the members to fully immerse into practical applications of the sustainable development concepts shared.   

The discussion was centred around meeting the needs of the Global Mobility Industry at present in such a manner that resources are not depleted for future generations, thereby ensuring the longevity of the industry. The notion of sustainability covers three pillars, known as ‘’ESG.’’ These key pillars are Environmental, Social and Governance, and they impact every aspect of life. 

Understanding the impact of sustainability is two-fold. It is constituted by the effect that a business has on the ESG issues, as well as the effect that these ESG issues have on the business. In one of the sessions during the sustainability symposium day they looked at “materiality assessments” as a way for the global mobility silo’s specifically, immigration, destination services, temporary accommodation, etc, can review their impact on the sustainable metrics (ESG) and the impact of these same metrics on their business.  The group got to experience a specific case study by Graebel to help them understand a practical application of a materiality assessment and then each table attempted to review the process in a workshop environment to give some practical exposure.  

It was decided that promoting discussions on this topic is important, as the industry has been facing tremendous pressure as of late, from both clients and governmental regulations, to practice sustainability more efficiently. However, oftentimes, not much thought is given to the fact that doing so has proven to be a lot more costly, and sometimes does not fit the budget of the company. Part of the initiative was also to raise awareness of the fact that corporates sometimes may find it difficult to find the funding to practise sustainability in the ways they would like to, thereby making it extremely hard to achieve and adhere to the requests and regulations.  This highlighted the importance of collaboration between each other and more than that “radical collaboration” finding ways to solve some of these problems may require us stepping out of our comfort zone and thinking differently.  Working with competitors, government departments, NGO’s to uncover how we can potentially find solutions to this rather large complex problem. 

The sustainability symposium equipped members with a template on how to go about achieving sustainability in the workplace by educating them on how to identify and prioritise sustainability issues based on their economic, environmental, and social impacts.  

Overall, the Sustainability Symposium was so successful that attendees not only left feeling excited to get started on their new sustainability journey but even requested mini-virtual symposiums throughout the year so that they may continue to learn and help others to be more mindful of their duty to practice sustainability. It starts with everyone. We cannot change the world, but we can change our habits for the sake of a brighter and healthier future for the next generations.  

The group who put this together for the members are passionate about the topic Magali Horbert, René Stegmann, and Johan de Kam who also facilitated the day and if you want to reach out to them and also follow EuRA’s journey with the Green Coalition.  This is an evolutionary process, and we need you all to help get onto a sustainable journey together.  

If you would like to find out more about the Sustainability Symposiums Conference, or how you can practise sustainability by yourself, in your home, or in your workplace, reach out to us or if you want to read more on how to reduce your carbon foot print while traveling click HERE.  

Lize-Mari Ras

Hope for the Hopeless

As World refugee day approaches, I feel this would be the best time to share one man’s story. It is a story of hope, loss, and perseverance. 

 

“This is a story of how the human spirit can come alive even in the darkest of hours.” – LM Ras

 

This is the story of Saeed Mohamed, a refugee who found not only solace and support from strangers but a newfound purpose in the kindness bestowed upon him by local individuals during his darkest hours. 

 

As refugees flee their homelands in search of safety and stability, they often encounter numerous challenges, navigating unfamiliar territories while grappling with the scars of their past.  

 

Yet, for some, their experience takes an unexpected turn, as the empathy and compassion they receive from locals ignite a fire within them—a desire to give back and offer a helping hand to those who find themselves on a similar path. 

 

This is where stories of hope, resilience and compassion emerge. 

 

It is within this tapestry that we find individuals, who after seeking refuge themselves, go on to make a profound difference in the lives of others.  

 

In this article, we have the privilege of delving into Saeed Mohamed’s remarkable journey. From recounting the challenges that he faced during his own displacement, to the profound impact that the local people had on his life, we will explore how his experiences have shaped his mission to uplift and empower other refugees.  

  

“If we lose hope, we lose our way. When we came here, South Africans gave us a home. Now (I ask myself) what can we do for them?” 

 

Through sharing his story and engaging in acts of compassion, Saeed embodies the transformative cycle of receiving kindness and paying it forward. 

 

Saeed’s Story Begins… 

 

Saeed fled Somalia’s civil war as a 17-year-old back in 1991. In the years since, he has built a successful career as a banker and now considers himself part of a community of Somali businesspeople who found refuge in South Africa.  

 

A group of these businesspeople launched a care and compassion campaign as the national lockdown began in late March, which was designed to help people who were likely to struggle under the strict stay-at-home conditions. 

 

Saeed is at the heart of this operation, fuelled by memories of his flight from Somalia and the kindness he experienced when he arrived in South Africa. 

 

“People gave us food and a place to sleep. I remember this very clearly.” 

 

They started by distributing masks, hand sanitiser and food parcels to residents of informal settlements in Pretoria and Johannesburg, then moved on to other parts of the country. 

Paying It Forward 

It was seeing a disabled child playing in the neighbourhood that inspired Saeed to start the campaign. Like so many families in South Africa, the child’s family relied on a daily wage from small businesses, eventually forced to close under the lockdown rules. 

 

After seeing the child play, Saeed went to a local store and filled up a trolley with food for the child’s family, hoping to alleviate their struggle for a while. But he knew that more was needed. He called for a meeting with his fellow business community and from there, the campaign was born. 

 

South Africa’s lockdown, like others around the world, has been particularly tough on people in informal work. Despite its status as one of the wealthier African nations, around 30 per cent of South Africans are out of regular work. During lockdown, it wasn’t long before the residents of the country’s townships and shack towns began to struggle as well. 

 

Refugees and asylum-seekers needing help to buy food and pay rent completely overwhelmed the toll-free helpline of the UN Refugee Agency in lockdown’s first week.  

 

By the end of May, over 3,000 people had called in, and over 95 per cent of them had lost their source of income and faced hunger or eviction. 

 

The government provides assistance and grants to thousands of individuals and businesses, but other groups, such as asylum-seekers, insufficiently documented refugees, irregular migrants and the homeless are excluded. 

 

Saeed’s campaign targets these groups and has assisted thousands of families in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces. 

 

His friend, Amin, arrived in South Africa as a teenager ten years ago, excelled in school and attended university, thanks to the DAFI scholarship for refugees.  

 

He now runs the biggest of his family’s wholesale outlets in Pretoria, which doubles as one of the five major distribution points for the campaign in the Gauteng province. 

 

On distribution days, Amin and his team head to low-income areas to distribute food parcels, to both South Africans and foreigners, including the homeless. 

 

“I think about how we survived fleeing Somalia, how we survived the war. We are lucky, and now we want to give back.” 

 

Across South Africa, this spirit of generosity is bubbling to the surface, with refugees and South Africans alike standing together in solidarity. 

 

If you would like to read about World Refugee Day, then please click here:

World Refugee Day 2023

Lize-Mari Ras
,

Achieving Wellness in the Workplace from an Intern’s Perspective

 

For any employee starting at a new company, worry about the type of environment they will enter into, and the culture of the company is a natural concern. As a new employee, only being at Relocation Africa for a month thus far, I was pleasantly taken aback at the measures put into place to maintain a healthy work environment.

In the boardroom was an illustration of a blue summer’s sky, covering the entire length of the wall. While on the floor was astroturf grass that immediately made me want to take off my shoes and sit crossed legs while sipping on a juice. I immediately felt calm walking in, and any remnants of nerves completely vanished when I was greeted by all the kind faces. I was invited to help build a two-thousand-piece puzzle that lay sprawled out on the boardroom table, and advised that if ever I felt I needed a break, I could escape into the boardroom to continue building the puzzle. I was swarmed by the invitations that came stringing in; a standing desk I could use if my back ever hurt from sitting at my desk for too long, a garden that I could go and pick herbs or lettuce from whenever I felt like it, a radio that I could adjust and listen to the music I liked, and the thing I loved the most; bottomless coffee at any time of the day!

Needless to say, it didn’t take me very long to become comfortable in such a welcoming environment. When important matters were discussed, I was asked for my opinion, and when I stated it, I was listened to. As a newcomer, I felt heard and seen. I felt like my opinions mattered. I felt like I was valued, and adding value to a great cause.

During my induction, our Human Resource Generalist made it a point to emphasise exactly what her job entails, that the resources at the company are human beings. Human resources are not machines, or tools, or inanimate objects. Employees are people, with lives, problems, priorities, worries, and trauma.

In that moment it all made sense to me. A great company cannot exist without great employees turning its wheels. And in order to have great employees, you not only need to encourage them to BE great, but also remind them that they ARE great.

From the moment I walked into the doors of Relocation Africa to start my first day of work, having just graduated and fresh out of university, I’ve learnt something new every day. And the learning hasn’t stopped since. Even at the end of the days that I feel exhausted after all the work that I had done, I leave the company’s premises looking forward to returning the next morning.

After working here for a month I’ve had the privilege of participating in most of the company’s regular team building activities. I was introduced to a tradition called ‘’Wacky Wednesday,’’ and initially hoped that the Steers we’d get our burgers from would be Halaal…

However, that’s not what Wacky Wednesdays at Relocation Africa is about. Although, this tradition was not at all disappointing when I participated in what Joy Jackson, our HR Generalist, had put together to ensure that everyone in the office takes a break from their work to lift their spirits. Wacky Wednesdays are an opportunity to be fun, crazy, weird, and even insightful and informative. It’s an opportunity for overwhelmed employees to get away from their laptops and share a laugh with the rest of the team.

Similar to Wacky Wednesdays, the company also hosts a monthly Wellness workshop, which typically lasts for an hour and a half. During this time, employees connect, engage, encourage, and educate one another. At my first Wellness Workshop on Wednesday the 26th of April, I witnessed first-hand what can only be described as the reason for Relocation Africa’s 30 years of success.

We hear and read so much about positive working environments, how to create one, how to maintain one, how it increases productivity and all of its other benefits. Yet, I’ve hardly ever come across an employee who hasn’t complained about their job, about how they’re underpaid, about how they’re being exploited, or about the toxic traits of others in the workplace. At this point, I was certain that a positive working environment was an absolute myth. I was unsure that any company actually stuck to their ethics and values. But what I participated in on Wednesday was the personification of a positive working environment.

During the Wellness Workshop I could physically see the moods and attitudes of my colleagues lighting up.

We were asked to describe how we were feeling at the start of the workshop, and then again right at the very end of the workshop, in just one word. I said that I felt fooled at the start because I was confused as to why everyone was throwing an egg around. Apparently, having the egg meant that it’s your turn to talk. I found myself praying that I don’t embarrass myself in the presence of my new colleagues by dropping the egg and making a huge mess, only to discover that the egg was actually made of rubber. In the beginning I felt fooled, and at the end I felt satisfied with all that I had learnt.

One of my colleagues commented; ‘’I came in feeling frustrated and left feeling like my cup had been filled.’’ I personally could relate to the last part, and I am certain the rest of my colleagues can too. I entered the wellness workshop oblivious to how much fun I would have in the minutes that followed. Like everyone else, I grabbed a seat, feeling uneasy about where to sit and what to expect. It’s a strange feeling when your HR Generalist pulls you away from your work to come and have fun.

Despite the reluctancy to start, everyone gradually eased into the activity, being drawn in by the fact that what is being discussed resonates within them. This month’s topic was boundaries, something that everyone has experienced before. The conversation entailed knowing and establishing your own boundaries in order to know when your boundaries have been crossed, what the emotions are that we feel when someone crosses our boundaries, and why we may be more comfortable when we are the ones crossing another individual’s boundaries.

Everyone is guaranteed to learn something at the Wellness Workshops, whether it’s about life, their colleagues or themselves. There is an involuntary introspection that occurs, as its only natural to apply what you have learnt to your own life. This reflection and introspection are exactly the thought processes that Joy encourages.

Joy’s motivation for initiating the Wellness Workshops came out of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. After everyone gradually started returning to the office, trying desperately to get back into the rhythm of a somewhat normal routine after enduring the trauma that the pandemic imposed, Joy noticed that everyone was still in a sombre space and decided to take it upon herself to change that. Joy tries to empower employees through these Wellness Workshops, not only in the workplace, but also in their personal lives.

She has repeatedly mentioned that, ‘’if even just one person can take even just one thing home that benefits them, even if they don’t voice it, the Wellness workshop has served its purpose.’’ She wants to promote self-awareness and encourage employees by providing insight on topics that we all might experience or even be struggling with at some point in our lives, by creating a safe space for us to talk about it.

Not only is conversation about these topics encouraged during these workshops, but it is done so while joking over and sharing chocolates and coffee. My colleagues and I took turns, in pairs, playing a game that involved clearly setting a boundary for your personal space, while the other deliberately crosses that boundary. Both parties are then asked to describe how they felt while enacting the rules of the game, thereby involuntarily being encouraged to do introspection.

I can honestly say that during this game, I learnt a lot about my colleagues and myself.

At the end, I felt happy and grateful to have the privilege to be able to laugh with my colleagues so freely. I felt like I was a part of something greater than myself and I felt eager to tackle my tasks for the day. I felt energetic, like the Wellness Workshop had given me a new zest and sense of enthusiasm to get to my desk and achieve what I had set out to achieve for that day.

On the 26th of April, at the monthly Wellness Workshop, I witnessed laughter resonate through the walls of Relocation Africa, and discovered the secret to their 30 years of success…

It’s in the way they build connections with and treat their team.

 

If you enjoyed this article, click on the link below to read more about the company and culture at Relocation Africa:

What Makes Relocation Africa Different

 

Written and Compiled by:

Joy Jackson (Ideation)

Lize-Mari Ras

Saudika Hendricks

Lize-Mari Ras
,

What Makes Relocation Africa Different?

If the company culture at Relocation Africa could be captured with a single word, we would describe ourselves as a family.

At Relocation Africa, we place emphasis on knowing and genuinely caring for each other on a personal level, having good relationships with each other, and treating one another with respect, compassion, and patience. Sharing a warm and family-like bond at the office, we prioritise creating this same bond with each of our clients. We know that a little bit of warmth and compassion can go a long way, especially in the process of making a life-altering relocation to a new country.

This is why we’ve made connecting and establishing valuable connections, the centre of the way we conduct our business.

We understand that there is an emotionally challenging side when making the decision that will shape the experience and outcome of your relocation. As a matter of fact, Relocation Africa was incorporated because of the compassion that a mother felt for others making these big transitions, a mother who found herself in a similar life-altering situation. This mother, our founder, Rose Maytham, decided to help other families by turning her passion into a business.

In 1993, Rose started Relocation Africa. Today, 30 years later Relocation Africa is not only stronger than ever but also the best relocation service provider on the entire African continent. Rose’s entrepreneurial spirit has been passed onto her daughter, Rene, who has taken over the reins since 2002.

Rene is following in her mother’s footsteps, with all the same passion and dedication. Having grown up and experienced the turmoil of relocating with her mum and sister after being forced to relocate from Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) to South Africa, René happily climbed on board with her mother to steer the business into success. Like mother and daughter, they share the same values, and have implemented these core values into the company as well. These values tie into the sincerity of the objectives with which the company was started, making Relocation Africa destined for success.

This powerful mother and daughter duo has been through and felt the exact emotions that each of the expatriates may feel during their relocation. This is why our company’s purpose is to embrace the unknown, and we encourage all our clients to do the same. You embrace the unknown while we ensure that your destination that you are relocating to is successful and fruitful.

Life happens, and while you could say that Rene’s life plans were completely thrown off course, since she initially saw a career for herself in marketing, we choose to look at it as an act of fate. While her interest in marketing was strong, her passion to help people was overwhelming. It was this passion for the relocation industry that made the transition so easy for Rene, and she hasn’t looked back on her decision since.

However, her love for marketing and other creative modes of business still exists and is evident in the business’ involvement and presence on all forms of media. Relocation Africa has a range of Blogs and Articles on their website to keep clients informed and help them in any way possible, written with the very same objectives that the company was initially started for. Rene also regularly attends conferences, workshops and meetings all over the world, representing the company – her primary passion – and tending to her interests at the same time.

This combination of passion, interests, motivation and dedication from Rene and the rest of the team at Relocation Africa’s head office is the main reason why Relocation Africa is the largest independently run destination service business in the whole of Africa. René and her team prioritise building authentic and lasting relationships with all of their clients and stakeholders as Relocation Africa understands the value that such relationships have for the future of a company in the relocation industry.

As a business who treats each of their staff and stakeholders like family members, we understand that relocating your family is a challenge that comes with a lot of stress and uncertainty, which is why we always keep each client’s unique needs and concerns at the forefront of our service delivery.

Whether you are moving to Europe or Africa the task of relocating will always pose a challenge. There will always be some unexpected hurdles you will have to overcome along the way. Depending on the culture of the country you are relocating from, you may experience more challenges and even a bit of a culture shock as you settle into Africa. It is important to be mindful of the fact that every nation and group of people have different methods of doing things, so experiencing a culture shock may be inevitable.

Cultural differences alone can be remarkably challenging, requiring individuals to make significant adjustments to adapt to the lifestyle, customs, and language of the new environment. However, at Relocation Africa, we make it our mission to prevent potentially overwhelming culture shocks by building our client’s knowledge of their locations and managing their expectations upfront so the chances of encountering unexpected surprises are minimised.

When we educate our clients, we ensure that they are properly informed about the impactful factors, the little things, and even the fun and creative aspects of the new city they will soon call their home. We take the liberty of compiling a list of things each client may need to take heed of, places they might like to visit, sights they should definitely see, and fun things to do for themselves and the whole family. For instance, we may advise our clients of the infrastructural issues in the city they are moving to, such as the problems with the reliability of the electricity supply in South Africa. In the same breath, we also enlighten our clients about the various fun, sporty, leisurely, or relaxing activities that are offered in these same cities, like paragliding from signal hill in Cape Town or swimming amongst the sharks in Durban.

Relocation Africa places emphasis on ensuring that our clients are well familiar with all the amenities available to them and all the challenges they may encounter, we highlight the good and the bad.

While Africa certainly offers many great investment opportunities, it would be ignorant to ignore the challenges that may come with it. We know, however, that the prior usually overshadows the latter as the feedback we get from clients we have previously assisted usually describes their experience as fulfilling and extremely financially rewarding.

So, Why Choose Relocation Africa?

Being around for 30 years certainly bears testament to the strong relationships embedded in the business’s culture. In our 30 years, we’ve grown, we’ve learnt, we’ve overcome obstacles, and we’ve also expanded our business according to the need of our clients. That is what is important to us, and that is what makes our service delivery excellent and reliable. Moreover, our 30 years of experience and knowledge have enabled us to turn your challenging relocation process into a hassle-free experience, allowing you to spend more time on the more important things in life.

By now you would understand that we speak from experience when we say that we know how intimidating and nerve-wracking the process of settling in can be, especially when it comes to relocating your entire life and family across the world to an unknown country. We’ve walked the road before, and by dealing with these cases every day, there is not a problem that may arise during any relocation that we have not yet solved.

We encourage and help our clients to embrace the unknown, all while equipping them with the necessary resources and knowledge to make their relocation easier. We take pride in the personal and supportive relationships that we’ve established with our clients, because we know exactly how reassuring it is to have someone who understands by your side. Our clients have the comfort of knowing that our directors, stakeholders, consultants, and staff are here to accompany them on their journey. Our aim is to create a positive, and welcoming atmosphere, one that encourages conversation and trust.

We achieve this by taking the time to get to know you, to ask you what is important to you, because what’s important to you, is important to us.

To us, our customers are more than just paying customers, our customers are family.

 

If you’re interested in gaining an insider’s perspective on how Relocation Africa puts their principles into action, then please click on the link below:

Achieving Wellness In the Workplace from an Intern’s Perspective

 

Written and Compiled by:

Lize-Mari Ras

Saudika Hendricks