My Walk, a social development, environmental sustainability and enterprise development initiative that reclaims polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from healthcare waste and turns it into shiny new school shoes for children, has been recognised with the Nedbank Green Economy Award for non-profit organisations (NPOs).
“We are deeply honoured to accept this top award in our category at the recent Trialogue Business in Society 2023 Conference,” says Delanie Bezuidenhout, general manager of My Walk, which was established in partnership between Netcare and Adcock Ingram Critical Care.
Since February 2020, My Walk has put quality school shoes on the feet of more than 100 000 children and prevented over 75 252kgs of healthcare waste going to landfill, including drip bags and PVC tubing, reclaimed from 20 participating Netcare hospitals in Gauteng. For each ton of PVC material recycled and repurposed to make My Walk school shoes, some 1.5 tons of greenhouse gasses are prevented from entering the atmosphere.
| My Walk has put quality school shoes on the feet of more than 100 000 children and prevented over 75 252kgs of healthcare waste going to landfill, including drip bags and PVC tubing, reclaimed from 20 participating Netcare hospitals in Gauteng. |
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School shoes continue to be out of reach for many South African school children. As winter approaches, My Walk calls on individuals and organisations to consider investing in putting shoes on a child’s feet for only R35 per pair, the price of a small cappuccino. |
“This award reaffirms that through embracing a circular economy, green solutions such as this can fulfil the material needs of business while simultaneously benefitting society, in this case by supporting education, job creation and enterprise development,” Bezuidenhout says.
“Our mission is to use our sustainable and innovative solution for healthcare waste to ultimately reach every child in South Africa, and in time the continent, that does not have a pair of school shoes,” adds Dr Nceba Ndzwayiba, Netcare’s group director human resources and transformation who is also chairperson of the My Walk Board.
“We would not have reached this point if not for the sponsorships from all the individuals and organisations who support the My Walk initiative. Each donation to put new shoes on children’s feet helps to germinate our country’s potential for inclusive economic growth. From school children in remote rural villages to urban kids, a pair of new school shoes represents a world of possibility that education and knowledge can unlock,” he says.
“We are extremely grateful to our My Walk sponsors and would like to extend our appreciation to them all, including BCX; Bidvest; Bidvest Waltons; Bravo Group; Dr Tshepo Motsepe; Egg Entertainment, FINE For Good and the Bryan Habana Foundation.
“We would also like to acknowledge corporate sponsors which include Investec; Isegen South Africa; Jawitz Properties; Multichoice; RMB; Sasol Polymers; Sun Ace South Africa; Toyota; Transnet and Vela Personnel for their support in making the path to education a little easier for the beneficiaries,” Dr Ndzwayiba says.
“School shoes are sadly out of reach for many of the five million children in quintile one and two schools in South Africa,” says Colin Sheen, managing director of Adcock Ingram Critical Care.
“There is still so much room to make a difference in the lives of these children by removing this practical barrier to education,” he says.
As winter approaches, My Walk calls on individuals and organisations to consider investing in putting shoes on a child’s feet for only R35 per pair, the price of a small cappuccino. “On icy winter mornings, it is especially painful for a child to walk to school barefoot or in inadequate footwear. We would like to invite sponsors to participate in our winter drive at this time of year when school shoes are especially needed,” Bezuidenhout concludes.
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How to get involved
My Walk is a registered public benefit organisation (PBO) and can provide sponsors with an 18A certificate.
One pair of school shoes for a learner costs 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].
Deposit your donation into the My Walk sponsorship bank account (See details below)
Account name: My Walk Made with Soul NPC
Account number: 62848314366
Bank: FNB
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.
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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 Netcare Medicross medical and dental centres, and specialists at Netcare 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 Adcock Ingram Critical Care
For media enquiries contact: Martina Nicholson, Meggan Saville, Estene Lotriet-Vorster, or Clementine Forsthofer
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
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