Uniforms & Differences is a crowdfunding campaign consists in distributing school uniforms to disadvantaged children in southern Africa to support them in their education.
This year edition is organized in association with the exhibition “FIGURES OF FORTITUDE”
presenting at Galerie Umcebo creations of the South African stylist Thebe Magugu photographed by Aart Verrips and sold to the benefit of the association.
Click here to view the exhibition on line.
Why Southern Africa ?
Designing Hope has a 16 years field experience in three southern african countries.
Southern Africa is indeed one of the HIV & AIDS most affected areas in the world. The situation is improving, especially through better distribution of treatment, but many people died in the last 2 decades, and AIDS orphans are very numerous. This project is dedicated to these vulnerable children.
They are supported by their extended families that often can not afford to properly fund their education. In fact, the school system in Southern Africa is very expensive for families, who must take charge of tuition, books and school uniform, which is mandatory.
Why offering School uniforms ?
These children often wear second hand uniforms that they get from an older brother, sister or cousin, and that is torn, patched or not even repairable at all. Uniform, that is supposed to eliminate social differences among children, has an opposite effect. These children are rejected by others because of their appearance, at an age when children are very tough toward each others.
Thebe Magugu’s exhibition
This exhibition presents South-African fashion designer Thebe Magugu’s collections Photographed by Aart Verrips on scarecrows in south African fields…
All profits of this exhibition will fundraise This year edition of Uniform and Differences.
Thebe Magugu’s involvement in this project is very symbolic and strong.
The designer was very sensitive to this issue, supporting personally children in his hometown of Kimberley.
Photographs that will be exhibited in Paris in the Gallery Umcebo at the occasion of World Aids Day and until the end of December, are also illustrating the Ngo’s actions in many ways, between sewing and sawing…
- The set up in fields illustrate the sustainable agriculture projects developed by the NGO for HIV patients in Southern Africa.
- The poetic and elegant creations of Thebe Magugu photographed by Aart Verrips, are contributing to fund a sewing project benefiting African women.
These women are extremely proud of this prestigious support. - Figures of Fortitude, the name of this series of pictures on scarecrows, illustrates the strength and fragility of Women, such an incredible parallel with the beneficient of this project, HIV affected women, who successfully fought against stigma, overcome critical financial situations to often raise their children alone .
- Finally, Thebe Magugu is joining the long list of international fashion designers who have been supporting Designing Hope since 2003.
Objectifs
2019/2020 Objectives
The objective this year to support 500 children, with a budget of 10,000 euros.
Schools were asked to establish a list of children to help prioritize, with specific needs for each child (items and sizes). Targeted Children are located as follow:
- 250 uniforms will be distributed in 5 schools supported by Designing Hope in Swaziland since 2011.
- 125 will be for Roosboom, a poor township of Kwazulu Natal, in South Africa, where Designing Hope supports a day care home (Half Way House) for orphans.
- 125 will benefit disadvantage children from Kimberley, home town of South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu, supporting this year edition.
The price of a pair of shoes ranges from 10 to 18 euros, skirts from 7 to 10 euros, tunics from 15 to 20 euros, trousers from 6 to 10 euros, shirts from 5 to 9 euros depending on the size and the age of the children.
We will adjust the distribution according to the funds collected at the end of the campaign.
Each children need can be different, and depending on the funds raised, we will offer to the children additional quality shoes, sweaters for girls and boys, because winters are very cold, and support more children during the year, as the need is HUGE! …
A local production which also benefits to a group of HIV-positive women
Designing Hope launched this school uniform distribution project in 2011 within a support group of HIV-positive women in Swaziland who are also beneficiaries of the project.
Designing Hope organized a professional training in sewing for these women, and supplied them with professional sewing machines and patterns for each tunic model.They can supply locally the uniforms in the colors and sizes needed for children identified in each partner school. They have already made more than 2000 uniforms in recent years, and this activity gives them an income and an a valuable professional experience.The average budget needed vary for 15 to 45 euros per child.
We made a point in distributing quality products, especially for shoes, so they can last for the full year.
Timeline of the project
This project will benefit children for 2020’s school year (beginning in January).
Distribution will start end of March 2020, after identifying the needy children, and manufacturing the skirts and shirts.
Rewards offered to the donors will be available after the 20st of December.
Click on the icon bellow to access the fundraising online form:
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