An open letter from Karen Wells – Head MRP Foundation
Image: MRP Foundation/ Pierre Tostee
To our fellow South Africans,
Covid-19 has presented unprecedented challenges to individuals and countries alike. We, as a proudly South African youth development foundation and registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), have therefore heeded the call for all South Africans to unite to overcome this global pandemic.
For us, as a foundation, we have had to navigate the best way forward to support our beneficiaries who are part of our Schools and Skills Development Programmes. For our country’s young school learners, this time has been especially difficult.
We have worked in the education space for over a decade, building enduring relationships with schools and educators and districts, and we are aware of the daunting challenges that young learners and educators face daily. That’s why we established the MRP Foundation Schools Programme, to support schools, principals, educators and learners. We also support the Department of Education and their task of ensuring schools are safe. Moving forward, we want to respond to this crisis in a proactive way and ensure that learners from all 98 primary schools in the Schools Programme have access to more than one mask that is locally made, of high quality, and is reusable.
As our funding is allocated for the outworking and delivery of our youth development programmes, we have had to fundraise additional funding to secure masks. Every Rand invested in the MRP Foundation is appreciated and valued through good governance and transparency.
A heartfelt thank you must be said to the Mr Price Group, and their customers, for their unwavering support, as they assist with a portion of our funding. This, together with funding and backing from our donors, has enabled us to continue unlocking tomorrow’s potential in South Africa’s youth in these challenging times.
We are resolute in helping young learners in vulnerable communities and thank all donors and funders who have so graciously and generously supported us through these challenging times. Your goodwill has enabled us to continue delivering our unique whole schools model, and our high impact skills development programme, Jump Start.
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”― Mother Theresa
Karen Wells
Head of MRP Foundation
