Hundreds of young girls who face daily challenges in getting an education have received a life changing gift thanks to the collaborative efforts of a community minded nurse and an innovative recycling initiative that turns uncontaminated PVC healthcare waste into shiny, new school shoes.
A total of 1 200 sponsored new pairs of shoes were donated by My Walk – a non-profit organisation supported by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care – to the Sinomusa Sonke Foundation, founded by Sr Zinhle Ndlovu, a young registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at Netcare Kingsway Hospital, Amanzimtoti.
“We recently completed the first half of our drive at a local community hall, where we handed over shoes to the heads of six different primary schools in the Umlazi area during Women’s Month. The principals had helped us to identify 600 female learners in desperate need of shoes,” explains Sr Ndlovu.
“Many of these girls go to school barefoot or wearing shoes that do not fit them and were already living in challenging circumstances before the April floods, when they all experienced a great deal of loss. We look forward to distributing the remaining 600 pairs of shoes to learners in similar situations at other schools in the coming weeks.”
| Pic: Sr Zinhle Ndlovu, a registered nurse working in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at Netcare Kingsway Hospital, Amanzimtoti, showing off a pair of MyWalk school shoes. A total of 1 200 sponsored new pairs of shoes were donated by My Walk – a non-profit organisation supported by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care – to the Sinomusa Sonke Foundation, founded by Sr Ndlovu. |
| Pic: The shiny new My Walk shoes are made from high quality recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC), reclaimed from safe healthcare consumables, including uncontaminated used drip bags and tubing from a number of Netcare hospitals. |
| Pic: The first half of the sponsored My Walk school shoes were handed over to 600 girl learners of six primary schools in the Umlazi area during Women’s Month of August. The girls had been identified as being in desperate need of new, properly fitting shoes by the heads of the primary schools. My Walk is a non-profit organisation supported by Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care. |
Commenting on the My Walk donation, Dr Nceba Ndzwayiba, Netcare’s group director of human resources and transformation said that it had been heart warming to see the response to Sr Ndlovu’s initiative, from within the Netcare Group as well as from members of the community.
“Sr Ndlovu’s commitment to helping others is proof of the real positive difference that one person can make – in this particular case, to the daily educational experience of the leaders of tomorrow. We are most privileged to work alongside such remarkable women as Sr Ndlovu, and others like her, here at Netcare,” he said.
Raised in rural Nkandla, Sr Ndlovu knows all too well what it means to traverse difficult terrain and walk kilometres along rough gravel roads without shoes, simply to get to school. “I know how tough it can be to find the motivation to keep going day after day, often on an empty stomach, but I am living proof that if you persevere you can achieve your goals and one day be able to help uplift others as well,” she says.
“The continued support we have received from the community, my wonderful colleagues at Netcare Kingsway Hospital and other Netcare facilities, demonstrates that if we each do what we can, meaningful change can begin to take place. My most sincere thanks goes to My Walk for this incredible donation – the Sinomusa Sonke Foundation looks forward to working with My Walk in bringing school shoes to many more learners,” she says.
According to Delanie Bezuidenhout, general manager of My Walk, the organisation makes brand new school shoes from high quality recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC), reclaimed from safe healthcare consumables, including uncontaminated used drip bags and tubing from a number of Netcare hospitals.
“In addition to providing learners with much needed shoes that will make their daily educational journey easier, the initiative simultaneously helps to save scarce resources. Once produced these durable and fully recyclable school shoes are produced for just R35 per pair. Individuals and corporate sponsors alike can contribute towards this initiative by buying My Walk shoes, helping young learners to step into greatness.
“We were most glad to donate these 1 200 pairs of shoes – a gift made possible by our generous sponsors – to Sr Ndlovu’s foundation. It is a pleasure to meet and work with a like minded individual such as Sr Ndlovu, who shares a passion for the power of the educational journey and the importance of that which some take for granted – a decent pair of shoes,” concluded Bezuidenhout.
The Sinomusa Sonke Foundation is a registered NPO (2021/162235/08). Individuals interested in assisting with the initiative can visit www.sinomusasonkefoundation.co.za or contact Sr Ndlovu on 072 067 5560. The foundation also accepts donations of preloved clothes and blankets as well as sanitary towels and non-perishable food items, which will be supplied to individuals and families in need. Donations of reading books are highly appreciated as one of Sinomusa Sonke’s aims is to constantly strive to enrich the minds of generations to come.
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 2022 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 on [email protected]
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 organisations as part of wider community upliftment initiatives.
Ends
Notes to editor
Looking for a medical appointment? Netcare appointmed™ will make appointments for YOU with specialists practising at Netcare hospitals, GPs and dentists at Medicross medical and dental centres, and specialists at Akeso mental health facilities. Simply request an appointment online at www.netcare.co.za/Request-a-medical-appointment or phone Netcare appointmed™ on 0860 555 565, Mondays to Fridays between 08:00 and 17:00.
To find out more about the services offered through Netcare hospitals and other of the Group’s facilities, please visit www.netcare.co.za or contact the Netcare customer service centre either by email at [email protected] or phone 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273). Note that the centre operates Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 16:00.
For media enquiries, contact MNA at the contact details listed below.
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Netcare and My Walk
For media enquiries contact: Martina Nicholson, Meggan Saville, Estene Lotriet-Vorster and Clementine Forsthofer
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] [email protected] or [email protected]