ESG News South Africa

Converse hands over donation to Surfers Not Street Children

Sneaker and apparel brand Converse has donated R50,000 to the Durban-based public benefit organisation (PBO) Surfers Not Street Children.
Converse hands over donation to Surfers Not Street Children

Made in support of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to educate the youth and pass on beneficial life skills, the donation’s total value of R50,000 was based on a long-term Converse project carried out in retail stores. The brand introduced a line of statement patches that could be applied to one’s wardrobe pieces to customise them. These patches were sold in all Converse stores for R15 and the brand donated R50 to Surfers Not Street Children for every patch sold.

Surfers Not Street Children, in its current format, has been working with street children and children at risk of street connectedness in Durban since 2012. The organisation's multifaceted approach fuses surfing and mentorship alongside psychosocial care, with the goal to empower the children it works with to leave the streets behind for good and become independent and self-sustainable. The staff complement is made up of trained professionals and trained former street children.

The cheque handover event was hosted at the Surf Club South Beach and involved valued members from the organisation. Converse created hampers for each child featuring a range of merchandise including t-shirts and sneakers.

Converse says the lessons learnt through the sport (surfing) communicates a well-rounded set of values that the members of the Surfers Not Street Children organisation carry with them through life.

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