Uniforms and shoes for rural learners, South Africa
Every child deserves to arrive at school ready.
Indlela yeThemba means the path of hope. We give school uniforms and shoes to learners in rural communities whose families cannot afford them, so that what a child wears is never the reason they stay home.
The problem
A missing uniform becomes missing school days.
In many rural households, a full uniform and a pair of school shoes compete with food, transport and electricity. When a family cannot cover them, the child pays for it at school.
Singled out at the gate
Learners without the right clothing can be sent home, teased, or kept away by their own embarrassment.
Long walks on rough ground
Many rural learners walk to school over gravel, mud and veld. Worn or missing shoes make the trip harder and less safe.
A bill that comes back every year
Children outgrow uniforms. Families face the same expense each January, on top of every other cost of keeping a child in school.
Local figures will be published for each partner school once verified with the principal and school governing body. We do not quote national statistics we cannot source.
What we do
One clear starting point, with room to grow.
We begin with the most visible barrier and build outward from the schools and families we serve.
Uniform and shoes
A complete, correctly sized school uniform and a pair of school shoes for each learner we support.
School partnerships
We work through principals and school governing bodies so support reaches the learners who need it most.
Yearly refresh
Replacement shoes and uniform items as children grow, so one gift lasts more than a single year.
Learning support
Stationery, school bags, books and, later, fee support and bursaries for learners moving into high school.
How it works
From a school's request to a child at the gate.
Partner with a school
We agree scope with the principal and the school governing body.
Identify learners
The school helps us select learners using clear, written criteria for need.
Measure and buy
We size each child and buy from reliable suppliers, local where possible.
Hand over
Items are given at school with guardians present, in a dignified way.
Report back
Funders receive a termly summary of learners reached, costs and lessons.
For funders and investors
A simple unit of impact, easy to fund and easy to check.
One learner kitted is a result you can count, cost and verify. That suits corporate social investment, grant makers and individuals who want to see where the money went.
Clear unit cost
Every package has an itemised cost, so you know what one learner or one school costs before you commit.
Transparent spending
A dedicated bank account, termly reporting and independently examined financial statements.
School-led selection
Principals and governing bodies help identify learners, so support reaches real need.
Built to scale
The same process repeats school by school, then ward by ward, as funding allows.
Governance
Built to be accountable from the first rand.
This is where we stand, and we keep it up to date.
Our commitments
- A board of at least three directors
- Independently examined financial statements
- A termly report to every funder
- Child protection rules for every handover
Take the next step