Masicorp was recently pleased to welcome Will Bennett back to Ukhanyo School. Will is an American businessman and philanthropist who was one of the founding members of Californian clothing company, SOMB, (SHIRT OFF MY BACK). Based in Los Angeles the company are also well known for their ethical trading practices and generously donate a school uniform to a child in schools in Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa for every item they sell.

Will first visited us in March 2014. At Ukhanyo Primary School SOMB have kindly agreed to fund the provision of school track suits to each child , which has also benefitted the Sewing Café – another of Masicorp’s projects in the township. The ladies have been awarded the contract to produce the tracksuits and proudly posed with Will (left) and his girlfriend Rebecca (right – and proudly sporting the SOMB baseball cap).

Later at the school Will saw several children already wearing their tracksuits on what turned out to be a cold and wet spring day. The first batches of tracksuits were made for the younger children. On this visit Will was able to provide a donation of almost USD 3,000 that has helped us to provide tracksuits to the older children – as seen in the photograph below.

SOMB, together with our UK partron Dame Linda Dobbs have helped us to outfit virtually all of the school’s children in the characteristic brown and yellow tracksuits. It is now a common site for visitors to see children kitted out in tracksuits throughout Masiphumelele, not just the school. Many thanks to everyone involved in keeping the children warm throughout this school year.

For more images of SOMB uniform drops at donor schools throughout Africa please see their gallery HERE.