This project consists in distributing school uniforms for disadvantaged children in Southern Africa (South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe).

Designing Hope has a 13 years field experience in these three 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 very 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.

Therefore 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.

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Our aim is to produce 490 school uniforms with your support!

We divided this crowdfunding into 3 steps, associated to geographical areas covered by the project:

1st step: 9000 euros. distribution of 360 uniforms (30 children by schools, 12 schools supported by Designing Hope since 2011 around Piggs Peak - Swaziland)

2nd step: 11500 euros Distribution of 100 additional uniforms for Roosboom, poor suburb of Ladysmith in South Africa, where Designing Hope supports a day care home (Half Way House) for orphans.

50 will be for these children, and 50 others to children living around the center, that we can not accommodate due to lack of space.

3rd step: 12250 euros Distribution of 30 additional uniforms for a school in Chitungwiza, a suburb of Harare, capital of Zimbabwe.

And if your generosity allows ...

We will use the excess funds to add sweaters for girls and boys, because winters are very cold, and support more children during the year, the need is HUGE! ...

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A local production which also benefits to a group of HIV-positive women

Designing Hope launched this school uniform distribution project in 2011 with 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 1,500 uniforms in recent years, and this activity gives them an income and an a valuable professional experience.

Timeline: 2017 school year (distribution in March 2017)

We launch this fundraiser on Kiss kiss bank bank to dress children for beginning of 2017.

The average budget needed is 25 € per child. This includes tunic and shoes for girls, shirt, tie, trousers and shoes for boys.

Rewards offered to donors are objects with a real meaning, and that are also manufactured in Southern Africa.

This project has a real impact on the lives of these children: it help them regain their dignity and actually encourage them in their studies.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

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Throughout Southern Africa, education is modeled on the English system. Children attending school must all wear the uniform bearing the school's embroidered emblem and respecting the school's specific colors.

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The distribution of these uniforms is very moving for beneficiary children

Uniformes & Différences