It was an auspicious day for the learners of Ikage and Iphutheng Primary Schools in Alexandra, Johannesburg when rugby star and former Springbok player, Bryan Habana, recently paid them a visit to hand over shiny new My Walk school shoes and share some words of encouragement with them for the future.
Habana’s non-profit organization, The Bryan Habana Foundation, joined the My Walk “Step into Greatness” campaign, by donating 3 000 pairs of new school shoes to the learners at these two schools. My Walk is a social, environmental sustainability, and enterprise and supplier development initiative that is sponsored by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care. The initiative produces fully recyclable high-quality school shoes for pupils through an innovative upcycling project and is delivered in partnership with Southern Basadi, a black woman-owned waste management enterprise that is supported by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care.
The former Springbok rugby player says that the power of education and school sports to help make a child’s dreams a reality should never be underestimated.
“I heard about this powerful initiative when the Netcare CEO, Dr. Richard Friedland, delivered a talk at Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). I was so inspired by this innovation and its impact on society and the environment, I immediately knew that I want to be involved because when children have access to resources; starting with fundamental essentials like school shoes, and the opportunity to develop their skills, this makes life-changing differences for them and their community,” Habana says. “The Habana Foundation aims to inspire young leaders to help create a world where they can feel safe, valued, and empowered.”
“Essential footwear can make such a difference to a child’s daily life and their potential to make the most of the opportunities that education brings, with broader benefits for their communities over time,” adds Delanie Bezuidenhout, general manager of My Walk, a registered public benefit organization (PBO).
My Walk school shoes are made from high-quality recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC), reclaimed from safely used healthcare consumables including drip bags and tubing, at 20 participating Netcare hospitals in Gauteng.
“We cannot thank Bryan enough for coming out to inspire the children with his own journey to success, and I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Bryan Habana Foundation for enabling thousands of children to receive a pair of these durable shoes, to make their educational journey a little easier,” adds Dr Nceba Ndzwayiba, Netcare’s group director human resources and transformation. Dr. Ndzwayiba is also the chairperson of the My Walk Board.
For as little as R35, you too can “Step into Greatness” and donate a pair of school shoes thereby investing in a child’s future.
Step into Greatness – Get involved and sponsor a child’s school shoes
To sponsor a child’s school shoes and make a difference through the My Walk initiative is simple.
1: Choose the amount you want to donate, for example:
- A pair of school shoes for one child – R35
- Five pairs of school shoes for five learners – R175
- Ten pairs of school shoes for 10 learners – R350
To enquire about bulk corporate orders, sponsorships, or donations contact Delanie Bezuidenhout at delanie.bezuidenhout@adcock.com.
2: Deposit your donation into the My Walk 2022 sponsorship bank account (See details below)
Account name: My Walk Made with Soul NPC
Account number: 62848314366
Bank: RMB
Account type: Corporate current account
Branch: 255005 RMB Corporate Banking Johannesburg
Swift code: FIRNZAJJ
Reference: Your Name
Money raised in this way will be used to donate shoes to children through non-profit organizations as part of wider community upliftment initiatives.
“Small steps today can set children on the path to achieving their dreams and ambitions for the future. We hope that by opening this sponsorship drive to the public and other businesses My Walk will be able to touch the lives of more children by gifting them with a pair of shoes encouraging them to ‘Step into Greatness’ and grow the skills that will be crucial to empowering the next generation,” Bezuidenhout concludes.