Australian global retailer, Cotton On Group is dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives through the Cotton On Foundation. Cotton On Foundation products are sold near the till points throughout the year, which means that if you purchased one of these products then you’ve contributed to raising the equivalent of R1 billion for educational projects across South Africa, Uganda, Thailand and Australia over the past 10 years. These products include the trendy tote bags, tins of mints, printed packs of tissues, and bottled water which can be found in over 1,500 Cotton On Group stores around the world.
The foundation focuses on empowering youth through the delivery of quality educational projects that assist in breaking the cycle of poverty. According to South Africa manager of the Cotton On Foundation, Tara Stretch, “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,”.
Globally, Cotton On Group sells one Foundation item every 2 and a half seconds, with 100% of the proceeds funnelled into the non-profit’s projects. In South Africa specifically, R33.6 million has been raised from the sale of Foundation items in store, all of it going towards educational projects in some of SA’s most at-risk communities. The Foundation’s work is perhaps most praised in the township of KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal. KwaMashu is located just under 20km away from the upmarket resort town of Umhlanga and faces social issues like unemployment, violence and abuse.
Over the last few years, the foundation has been working with eThekwini Primary School, located in KwaMashu, to create an additional 1,280 educational placements. Their latest development includes the addition of 16 new classrooms. While previously the school was only able to cater to students from Grade R to four, the renovation will allow learners to complete their final years of primary school, without having to leave their community, before transitioning to high school. “Quality education is about more than just upgraded facilities. It requires skilled and supporting staff, good nutrition and programmes that empower learners,” Stretch adds.
Late last month the foundation officially announced Dr JL Dube High School as its second South African school project. The high school accommodates over 1,200 children in Grade 8 to 12, but current facilities are overcrowded, rundown and under-resourced. The school will receive extensive upgrades, additional teacher training and access to nutrition and feeding programmes. The Cotton On Group will also be employing selected students from JL Dube High School as casual staff for Durban stores during the upcoming festive season. Stretch explained that both schools were selected as partners because they demonstrated high potential, strong and dedicated staff in leadership, and motivated students, especially considering the limited resources at their disposal.
