Pretoria - Former Springbok wing Bryan Habana was once one of the fastest players on the rugby field and warmed many a rugby fan’s heart with his skills.
These days he is still warming hearts, and this was evident when he handed over school shoes to children in Alexandra township in Joburg.
It was an auspicious day for the learners of Ikage and Iphutheng primary schools in Alexandra, when Habana visited them to hand over shiny new My Walk school shoes and share words of encouragement with them for the future.
Habana’s non-profit organisation, the Bryan Habana Foundation, joined the My Walk “Step into Greatness” campaign by donating 3 000 pairs of new shoes to pupils at the two schools.
My Walk is a social, environmental sustainability enterprise and supplier development initiative sponsored by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care.
The initiative produces fully recyclable high quality school shoes pupils through an innovative up-cycling project delivered in partnership with Southern Basadi, a black women owned waste-management enterprise.
The former rugby star said that the power of education and school sports helping to make a child’s dreams a reality should never be underestimated.
“I heard about this powerful initiative when Netcare chief executive Dr Richard Friedland delivered a talk at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. I was so inspired by this innovation and its impact on society and the environment, that I immediately knew I wanted to be involved.”
Habana said when children have access to resources, starting with essentials like school shoes, and the opportunity to develop their skills, it is a life-changer for them and their community.
Delanie Bezuidenhout, general manager of My Walk said. “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 a big 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.”
My Walk school shoes are made from high quality recycled polyvinyl chloride, reclaimed from safely used healthcare consumables, including drip bags and tubing, at 20 participating Netcare hospitals in Gauteng.
For as little as R35, anyone can “Step into Greatness” and donate a pair of school shoes, investing in a child’s future.
Pretoria News