Chic Mamas cracks R10m fund-raising mark
Chic Mamas, a non-profit organisation that sells second-hand clothing to support education in poor communities, has celebrated reaching a R10 million fund-raising milestone.
Chic Mamas volunteers, beneficiaries, customers and supporters celebrated this achievement over brunch in Plumstead on Wednesday, February 22.
The concept for Chic Mamas was born out of fashion-exchange parties in 2010, and the first shop opened in Wynberg in 2017. Subsequent stores opened in Hout Bay, Johannesburg and Durban, and all proceeds go to support educational projects in poor communities.
Chic Mamas founder Abigél Sheridan said they had hoped to raise R5000 for their first event and had instead made R22 000.
“The first project we ever delivered was a R200 000 ‘edu trailer’, which was made of a standard renovated shipping container, filled with educational equipment. We lifted that into Sunrise Educare Centre in Vrygrond, and it was just pure joy. That happened exactly 12 years ago.”
Life Matters Foundation, a Chic Mamas beneficiary, says it reached over 1500 under-performing Grade 2 and 3 pupils last year thanks to its donors.
According to executive director Alneré Turck, the foundation runs literacy and numeracy programmes in underprivileged schools in the southern suburbs.
More than a year of learning had been lost to pupils because of the pandemic, and while the country’s education sector might look grim, small organisations could make a difference, said Ms Turck.
“Government should be doing more, but while we wait for them to plan and implement and evaluate, in the meantime, civic society and the NPO sector need to stand up. We may not have the necessary footprint that government has, but we can do our bit for sure.
“Even in light of the massive education crisis we have at the moment, the impact that we can have as a small organisation is actually quite big. It never ceases to amaze me what ordinary people can do with very limited resources, with huge passion and a big heart.
“That is the kind of people we work with at Chic Mamas. Whatever they have, they are giving to others. And not only are they addressing the environmental impact the clothing industry and the textile industry have, they are also using their resources to pour out into others that maybe don't have.”
