Two hundred learners from Suidheuwels Primary School in South Hills, Johannesburg, will have warm feet this winter thanks to the efforts of a group of volunteers from eBucks, First National Bank's (FNB) rewards programme.

As part of the FirstRand Group's corporate social responsibility programme, the eBucks Volunteers Group works to raise money for various projects that benefit underprivileged people across the country.  In most cases, the FirstRand Group matches every rand raised by the volunteers.

With a special focus on raising money for a winter shoe drive the eBucks Volunteers Group this year partnered with the Bobs for Good Foundation, founded by ex-Springbok Bob Skinstad and his life-long friend John Ruthford.

The foundation aims to give underprivileged children a pair of quality leather school shoes that are locally produced, which they can call their own and wear with pride.  For every pair of shoes sponsored through the foundation – at a cost of R100 per pair – a pair of socks is also donated to accompany the shoes.

According to Jolande Duvenage, eBucks CEO, the eBucks Volunteers Group was looking for a sustainable project that it could adopt for the next three years, where the efforts of the volunteers – and the matched support of the FirstRand Group – could make a tangible and valuable difference.

"The initial target was to raise enough money to sponsor 100 pairs of shoes for the children at Suidheuwels Primary School," Duvenage says.

"However, the need for more shoes was much more apparent as over 190 of the school's learners from grades one to seven are currently either surviving on social grants or are part of the school feeding scheme," Duvenage says.

"Thankfully, the support of employees was overwhelming, and we were able to raise enough money to pay for 200 pairs of shoes, which we are handing over to the children today at their school."

"This is genuinely going to make a difference in the lives of these children," says Frik Visagie, Headmaster of Suidheuwels Primary School.

"For the children whose parents or guardians cannot afford to buy shoes, it's embarrassing to have to come to school and spend time with friends that have polished, comfortable school shoes to wear every day.

"Thanks to the FirstRand Group, eBucks and the Bobs for Good Foundation, the children that are less fortunate than others at the school will have their dignity restored and, more importantly, protection from what looks like is going to be a bitterly cold winter this year."

To further brighten their day, Epson South Africa has also come on board to sponsor the printing of photographs snapped today of each child sporting their brand new school shoes.

According to the Bobs for Good Foundation, there are currently over seven million children who have never owned or worn a pair of school shoes in South Africa.

Many of them either have to walk great distances to reach their schools, or to the transport that will take them to school on a daily basis and during winter this is especially difficult to do barefoot or with broken or worn shoes.

"The Bobs for Good Foundation is proud to have been chosen as the beneficiary of the FirstRand Group's national winter drive. Together we are going to make a huge difference in the lives of so many South African children, and it is my hope that we will be able to continue to make this difference for many winters to come," adds Bobs for Good Foundation founder, Bob Skinstad.

About eBucks:

eBucks, the rewards programme offered by First National Bank (FNB) and RMB Private Bank, is acknowledged as one of South Africa's leading rewards programmes with highly active members spending in excess of 80% of the eBucks earned in any given month.