Many of you will know that over the past year I have worked a lot with Cotton On & Cotton On Kids. At first, I was just excited and honoured to be recognized by and working with a brand I loved so much. But as time went by, I learnt a few more things about this well known and loved international clothing brand – things I wasn’t aware of before, and many of you will probably be learning something new today by reading this too.
A few years ago, I volunteered as a teacher in a creche in our local township. After having taught in a few other private schools, I thought there would be a huge culture shock. Truth is, the months spent in this creche was where I truly found myself – found happiness. This is where my heart was – knowing I could somehow make a small impact on the lives of these kids who came from so little yet came to school daily with such a desire to learn. You’re probably wondering where I’m going with this. Keep reading.
If you live in South Africa, chances are you know and love Cotton On as much as I do. The baby & kids clothing either leaves me wishing I had another baby – or leaves me bankrupt because I buy everything I’d buy for my own baby for friends who have had babies. Their range for adults is always changing, and they’re so good at keeping with the trends. My point is, if you’ve ever shopped there, you’ll recall daydreaming while waiting to pay at the till area, and picking up the various cute, quirky and colourful merch as you approach the counter. The bottles of water, little packs of tissues, hair bands, bracelets, tins of mints, tote bags and cute little badges. You’ve either thought or said out loud to your friend – how cute is this? But I bet you had no idea how much of an impact it would make.
A few weeks ago, I flew up to Durban with the Cotton On Foundation as a Cotton On Ambassador along with a few other SA based influencers, journalists and press. Little did I know what I was in for. It was a two-day fieldtrip with a jam-packed itinerary – their intention being to share with us what they have managed to achieve for the impoverished community of KwaMashu already, which included 1200 educational places in the school that Cotton On Foundation has built – eThekwini Primary School. If you’re following me on Instagram, you would have seen various stories I posted over those two days, but I’m excited to share more with you.
I’ve never felt so overcome with emotion, yet seeing all of these kids thriving in their new school was just about too much for my heart to handle. But what moved me even more was knowing that so many of youare the reason that Cotton On Foundation can do this for these children. Did you even know that when purchasing the Cotton On Foundation merch I mentioned above, the ones that you look at and comment on – 100% of the proceeds from those exact items go to Cotton On Foundation – meaning that it goes towards building schools for these kids. And what excited me and continues to excite me is that we can continue to make the change by making that simple choice to support Cotton On Foundation when shopping at Cotton On stores.
It’s just as easy to pop into Cotton On when you find yourself craving a bottle of water instead of heading into a grocery store. They’re currently at 3 in 5 customers purchasing a Cotton On Foundation product, can you imagine what 5 in 5 would do for our communities?
What really hit home with me while reflecting back on those two days was knowing how important and vital not only good education is, but just education in general. Yet so many kids don’t even have the option. They are born into a world of poverty – living in a community that is faced with violence and unemployment. A world that becomes a vicious cycle if nobody gives them a peak into what their world could potentially be. Providing these children with the opportunity to change this life they have come from – to create a future for themselves with hard work, determination, dedicated teachers and the knowledge of nutrition that they can take home with them, which enables them to have a healthy mind, healthy body and food in their little tummies, as many of them only get this one meal a day which is prepared for them by the Nutrition Mission at their school.
As journalist, Lauren Hartzenberg from Bizcommunity.com explains, “The Foundation is focused on empowering youth through the delivery of quality educational projects that assist in breaking the cycle of poverty. “We know that our responsibility goes far beyond selling clothes. The Foundation was set up to both fundraise and oversee education projects in under-resourced regions,” explains Tara Stretch, South Africa manager of the Cotton On Foundation.” I’d love for you to read her full article here, which will give you a good view into all that the Foundation has done and continues to do: https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/348/197929.html
I loved being shown around the school, seeing all of these children happily learning in their brand new classrooms. The heat and humidity of KwaZulu Natal is something most people comment on, and their previous schooling conditions resulted in them learning beneath the trees in the blazing hot sun. Their new facilities allow them to learn in spacious classrooms. They have also added on 37 new ablution facilities.
The Foundation believes in working with the schools and on their projects over a period of time, and providing them with the knowledge and facilities they require in order to ensure that what they do can be maintained. They don’t just hand over the money and leave. The Foundation fully commit themselves, and provide additional training to the teachers, and members of the community are invited to the Foundation’s education-based Nutrition Mission Programme. They teach the community how to prepare healthy, nutrient packed meals that will keep their families healthy at an affordable cost. It also teaches them about common health problems in their community – something that is so vital for them to be educated on, as so many of their kids are kept home because they are unwell from being malnourished.
The Foundation also promotes a healthy and active lifestyle at the school through the fully equipped playgrounds they have built. These playgrounds are a space that they encourage learners to utilize as a safe space before and after school. A space that the older kids can eat their lunch in and chat, and the younger kids can play in. It encourages the learners to keep active and to just hang out. This will keep them out of trouble, and for many of them, is a better place to spend after school hours at rather than being at home.
I could go on forever, but the message I am trying to get across to you is this – most of us are where we are today, as adults, because of the education we were provided with. I am in no way saying that our lives were perfect – but we can simply read this article because we are educated. We were given an opportunity to learn.
Reading this, you’ll have had a little glimpse into just how much Cotton On Foundation has done for eThekwini Primary School – for KwaMashu as a community. What I haven’t even mentioned is that the Foundation also officially announced Dr JL Dube High School (just a few km away from eThekwini Primary School) as their second school project in South Africa. That means another 1200 children being given a life changing opportunity to be educated in a wonderful schooling environment. All of this can happen because of that bottle of water you chose to buy. That cute tote bag you oohed over. That pack of tissues you bought to add to a gift. It’s so simple to do your part, and to help change the lives of these kids in OUR community. Help them expand past just KZN, they are so hungry to help communities nationwide, and with your help, they will.
If you’d like to know more about the Foundation – feel free to pop me an email at onemodernmom@hotmail.comor ask by commenting on this article. Alternatively, you can read more about their projects here: https://www.cottononfoundation.org
You can also shop these items online now: SHOP NOW!
one modern mom blog 