Woolworths is doing big things for education in South Africa.

Makobedi Mofokeng

“Education is the key to success” we have all heard that quote at one point of our lives. Education is important and can open many doors of opportunity in any person’s life whether young or old. However merely repeating this quote to a disadvantaged, poverty-stricken 8 year old boy, who does not even have a desk to sit at, might not yield any results.

Woolworths is doing big things for education in South Africa. The Woolworths My School program is one of this country’s biggest fundraising programs. It was originally established in 1997 by a Johannesburg father who wanted an easy and sustainable manner to raise funds for the school his child was attending at the time. Woolworths became the initiatives main partner and then later bought out the entire business. And that was the birth the My School program as we have come to know, love and support today.

This initiative aims at meeting the needs of primary and high schools and their pupils across South Africa, urban or rural, it does not matter. More focus is put on previously disadvantaged schools to uplift them too.

Millions of rands are donated every year and countless children get school uniforms and supplies they would not normally get. The program has a number of partners throughout South Africa, one being the Tutudesk campaign, and together 2000 lap desks were donated to many schools in 2014.

The beautiful thing about the My School initiative is that it is all up to the customers who the beneficiary is. The customers of Woolies decide which school they would like to donate 1% of their purchase to. This 1% will then subsequently help provide school uniforms and textbooks to which ever school of the customer’s choice, throughout South Africa. If one does not have a specific school to donate to, there is an option to donate to the Thuso foundation. The money donated to this foundation also builds and contributes to schools around South Africa.

In order to help a school child in need, all one needs to do is apply for a My School card in any Woolworths store countrywide and then the power is all in your hands.