No child should go to school without shoes.
The Attacq Foundation is focused on delivering sustainable and impactful solutions within our core pillars of education, training and community development to enhance the standard of living and improve the well-being of Previously Disadvantaged Persons
South Africa is besieged by poverty and many disadvantaged learners drop out of school annually for no reason other than lacking basic items such as uniform or school shoes. The cold winter mornings have a significant further impact on school attendance. Children in South Africa, along with many other African Countries often go to school either barefoot or without proper footwear, risking injury and infection.
The Attacq Foundation in partnership with Sage Foundation and with the support of Ackerman’s (Mall of Africa ) and the community at large managed to raise 230 school shoes and 100 training shoes for disadvantaged learners at the Phuthumani Primary School in Tembisa and Dr Knak Primary School in Alexandra. Ultimately the aim of the School Shoes4Kids campaign is to restore the dignity and self-esteem of the children and to increase school attendance.
Providing a child with shoes is like providing a child with a passport to walk into a bright future. The gratitude and pride of a child’s face when receiving new school shoes is priceless.
The handover took place on the 5th of March 2021 at each of the two schools. There were smiles all around as the children laced up and buckled their school shoes.
From our Transformation Practitioner Shoky Poto: “On the day of the handover the learners were eager to receive their new pair of shoes so that they can discard their old torn shoes. Being able to see their smile and feel the appreciation from the learners for something as small as a pair of school shoes is the biggest reward. As one of the learners cried I realised that these shoes meant way more, it meant she won’t be bullied or teased by other learners, she can now walk with her head held up high and walk to school without being injured. New school shoes cost a lot of money and some of these families cannot afford them. It warms my heart to know that these learners have one less thing to worry about.”
Phuthumani Primary School Principal Mr Hlatshwayo “We are so grateful for the support of the Attacq Foundation and Sage Foundation. These learners are like our children and it was heartbreaking to witness the suffering caused. We are truly humbled by the on-going support that we as a school and community are receiving”
The Attacq Foundation and the Trustees would like to extend our deepest appreciation to our partners the Sage Foundation, our colleagues and communities and our supporters at Ackermans (Mall of Africa) for providing their time and resources and for making a profound impact on these 230 boys and girls.