How MRP Foundation actions the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals every day for building a better future
Image: MRP Foundation
Can you imagine a healthier and happier world? In 2015 the United Nations shared a plan to do just that, outlining 17 Sustainable Development Goals that educate, inspire and encourage communities from around the globe to live a more thoughtful life for the benefit of all. For the past decade MRP Foundation has been tirelessly working to break the cycle of poverty and inequality in South Africa through our education and skills development programmes. We believe in this global mission and encourage everyone to take part.
No Poverty
As the first Sustainable Development Goal, “ending poverty in all its forms everywhere” is crucial to building a sustainable future. Globally, “783 million people live below the international poverty line of US$1.90 a day with a large portion of those from Sub-Saharan Africa”*. We believe access to quality education, as well as participating in a sustainable career, are critical to breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality, which is why the goal of eliminating poverty underpins all our programmes. We’ve witnessed many incredible success stories from our beneficiaries, which you can read here.
Read more about this Sustainable Development Goal here.
Quality Education
The United Nations reports that education is the foundation to breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality. Globally, 57 million primary aged children are not in school with more than half of those children that have not enrolled in school from sub-Saharan Africa.* Access to quality education is one of our major focus areas and our holistic schools programme promotes lifelong learning by supporting schools in low-income communities. Currently active in 98 schools across South Africa, the MRP Foundation Schools Programmes mentors principals, empowers educators and engages with communities and School Governing Bodies in decision-making processes. It also focuses on learner development through initiatives like Physical Education, Creative Arts and an Eco Schools Programme. In 2017 over 1,500 educators were empowered with professional skills and content knowledge and since 2005 over 300,000 learners from 260 schools have benefitted from our Physical Education Programme. We also support 31 Early Childhood Development Centres in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, and 31 Early Childhood Development Centres in QwaQwa, Free State.
Read more about this Sustainable Development Goal here.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Meaningful employment eradicates poverty but South Africa has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. Our skills development programme, Jump Start, aims to assist young job seekers overcome some of the challenges to becoming employable through life skills and on-the-job training. Developed for industry by industry, we partner with Employer Partners to link successful candidates to employment opportunities. Currently, we have seven programmes that jump start careers in the Retail and Supply Chain sectors. From 2007 – 2011 our Entry Level Retail Programme has trained 28,010 youth with 12,714 placed in jobs.
Read more about this Sustainable Development Goal here.
“We are proud to continually play a small part in the bigger picture of helping the United Nations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals to build a better future for our world. The Sustainable Development Goals can appear to be overwhelming but if we collectively join our hearts and hands to partner with like-minded people and organisations around the world, we can achieve so much more.” Karen Wells, Head of MRP Foundation.
We encourage you to also be the change in your community! Find out here.
*All statistics in this article are sourced from the United Nations Sustainable Goals website.
