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This Mother’s Day, put a smile on another woman’s face by making a small donation, or supporting one of the worthwhile causes below. If the recent pandemic has shown us anything, it’s the importance of reaching out to help one another, and that even small actions of kindness can have profound effects.
Help a brand-new mom
THE CAUSE: The Grace Factory.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Believing that no mother should deliver a baby without having the basic baby essentials for herself and her baby during the first few weeks of her new-born baby’s life, this NPO aims to give dignity to needy new moms during this vulnerable time in their life.
WHO BENEFITS: The Grace Factory has helped over 16 000 anxious new mothers and babies, and assisted over 110 children’s homes by providing them with essentials such as clothing, toiletries, and nappies. Their maternity packs are distributed through government hospitals, clinics, social workers and other community partners.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Donate new or gently used baby clothes, vests, socks, and blankets, or use your crafting skills to knit, crochet or sew baby beanies, jerseys, booties or blankets. Blankets may also be cut from fleece blankets. Drop items off at these collection points in SA.
Help a mom help her kids
THE CAUSE: SweepSouth’s Make a Day, Change A Life campaign.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Domestic workers are often single moms battling to make ends meet. Many can’t afford to do small, but necessary things for their kids, like buy them stationery for school. SweepSouth has an ongoing campaign in which they raise funds for a different domestic worker’s special cause each month.
WHO BENEFITS? This month’s beneficiary is widow Sylvia Thusi from Soweto, and funds raised will help buy her kids school bags, uniforms and stationery. Last month, the public’s generosity helped buy an electric wheelchair for a partially paralysed teen, Aphalele Rangula, 14, whose mother, Lindelwa is a domestic worker from Gugulethu. See Make A Day, Change A Life for monthly updates.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Make a donation however big or small to SweepSouth’s Make a Day, Change A Life campaign. See SweepSouth Foundation here for more info, or click here to donate.
Gift a bracelet and support a worthy cause
THE CAUSE: Relate bracelets.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Relate is a 100% not-for-profit social enterprise who donate the majority of bracelet sales revenue to credible causes and social upliftment initiatives.
WHO BENEFITS: Relate’s bracelet makers range from the elderly to refugees and township youth, all of whom earn an income through making the bracelets. Each bracelet is also tied to a specific cause – some are specifically related to humans, such as literacy, malaria and clean drinking water, while others support animals such as elephants, penguins and pangolins, to name but a few. The Relate website features so many worthwhile causes, you’ll want to support them all!
HOW: Buy a beautiful handmade Relate bracelet as a Mother’s Day gift at Relate’s online shop.
Help a mother in need
THE CAUSE: MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Sign up for a MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card – it doesn’t cost a cent. Swipe the card when you shop at Woolworths, Builders, Engen, Loot.co.za, Bidvest Waltons, and more, and a portion of your spend will go to a beneficiary of your choice (you can choose up to three).
WHO BENEFITS: The programme has an impressive list of beneficiaries, from those that support schools to organisations that care for people, animals and the environment. If you’d like to spread some Mother’s Day love and do something for a mother who is less fortunate, Bethany Home and Life Choices both help mothers in need.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Sign up at their website and select your beneficiaries. Then swipe your MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card when you buy, to support them.