Athabile Mareko Foundation
Northern Cape, South Africa

No learner should miss school  for lack of a pair of school shoes.

School shoes, sanitary towels and stationery for disadvantaged learners

The Athabile Mareko Foundation puts school shoes, sanitary towels and stationery directly into the hands of disadvantaged learners — so that dignity, not poverty, decides who stays in class.

Donate todaySponsor a learner
Athabile Mareko, founder of the Athabile Mareko Foundation, smiling in the school grounds
Athabile Mareko, co-founder of the Athabile Mareko Foundation.

A Young Woman's Vision to Make a Difference

Every great initiative begins with a vision, and the Athabile Mareko Foundation began with the compassionate heart of a young woman who simply wanted to make a difference.

At just 21 years old, Athabile Mareko had a desire to bring hope, dignity and opportunity to children from disadvantaged communities. Seeing the needs of learners from impoverished backgrounds touched her heart. She recognised that many children attend school without some of the basic necessities that others may take for granted — a pair of school shoes, stationery, books or sanitary products.

She believed that no child should feel less valued or be denied the opportunity to learn with dignity because of their circumstances. Athabile wanted to be part of the solution. With the love, encouragement and support of her mother, that compassion grew into a vision, and that vision became the Athabile Mareko Foundation.

Founded in the Northern Cape, the foundation was established with a simple yet powerful purpose: to extend a helping hand to children in need, restore dignity and create opportunities for a brighter future.

For Athabile, making a difference is not about how much one has to give, but about having the heart to give what one can.

Through the foundation, she hopes to inspire kindness, encourage communities to come together and remind every child that they matter, their dreams are important and their future is worth investing in.

Today, the Athabile Mareko Foundation represents more than a charitable initiative. It represents the power of compassion, the spirit of giving and the belief that even the smallest act of kindness can change a life.

Because every child deserves the chance to learn, grow, dream and belong. Athabile Mareko Foundation — Giving a Learner Dignity and an Opportunity to Learn.

Athabile Mareko — Founder

Give a Child the Chance to Learn, Dream and Succeed

Every child deserves the opportunity to go to school with dignity, confidence, and the tools they need to succeed. Through the Athabile Mareko Foundation, we are committed to supporting learners who face challenges that can stand in the way of their education.

From school shoes and sanitary pads to stationery and educational resources, every contribution makes a meaningful difference. By backing a buddy, you are not just giving a child an item — you are giving them hope, dignity, confidence, and a better chance at a brighter future.

Together, we can make sure that no child is held back simply because they lack the basics they need to learn. Back a Buddy. Change a Life.

A learner at one of our partner schools, back in class with everything she needs
A learner at one of our partner schools, back in class with everything she needs.

Who we are

Every child deserves to walk into school feeling confident, prepared and ready to learn. Yet for many learners in under-resourced communities, something as basic as a pair of school shoes, stationery or sanitary products can become a barrier to their education.

Athabile Mareko Foundation is a registered non-profit organisation based in the Northern Cape, South Africa. We work with schools and communities to provide practical support to learners who need essential educational and personal-care resources.

Our aim is simple

To help learners access the basic resources they need to participate in their education with dignity and confidence.

What we are raising funds for

We are raising funds for our School Dignity & Learning Support Programme, which will provide essential resources to learners through schools and community initiatives. Funds raised will help us provide:

Children's school shoes lined up ready for handover

School Shoes

Helping learners attend school comfortably and confidently.

School stationery laid out: notebooks, pencils and rulers

Stationery & Learning Materials

Exercise books, pens, pencils and the everyday tools a learner needs to take part in class.

Packed sanitary and personal-care products ready for donation

Sanitary Products

Dignified, discreet packs delivered to schools each term so no learner misses class.

Every contribution is spent on a learner

Resources are bought, packed and handed over by our volunteers. Donations are receipted and reported to our board.

Support the programme

Give through Back a BuddyBank & EFT detailsSponsor a class or a schoolSend goods instead
R150

One pair of school shoes

A sturdy pair that lasts a full school year, fitted properly on the day of handover.

R90

One term of sanitary towels

Enough pads for a girl to stay in class every day of her cycle, with no shame and no absence.

R120

One full stationery pack

Books, pens, pencils, a ruler and a calculator — everything the school asks for on day one.

What we put in a learner's hands

Three simple things stand between a child and a full school year. We buy them, pack them and hand them over ourselves.

Children's school shoes lined up ready for handover

School shoes

Many learners walk to school barefoot or in shoes held together with wire. We measure, buy and fit a proper pair for every child on our list — and replace them when they wear through.

Packed hygiene and sanitary products ready for donation

Sanitary towels

Girls miss up to a week of school every month without pads. We deliver discreet, dignified packs to schools each term so no learner has to choose between her education and her body.

School stationery laid out: notebooks, pencils and rulers

Stationery & supplies

Exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers, calculators and school bags. We work from each school's own requirements list so every pack is exactly what the teacher asked for.

Back a Buddy

Back a Buddy is the fundraising campaign the Athabile Mareko Foundation is running to raise money for our learners. It is hosted on BackaBuddy, South Africa's crowdfunding platform for good causes — so you can give safely by card, EFT or SnapScan, and every rand raised is paid out to the foundation.

The campaign is raising money for our School Dignity & Learning Support Programme. Your donation is turned into school shoes, sanitary towels and stationery and handed to a learner at a partner school — you are not just giving an item, you are giving a child hope, dignity, confidence and a better chance at a brighter future.

There is nothing to sign up for and no forms to fill in. Open the campaign link, choose any amount you can give, and your donation goes straight to the learners.

Donate on BackaBuddyEFT details

Bank transfer & EFT details

All money for this campaign is raised through our BackaBuddy campaign page — backabuddy.co.za/campaign/give-a-learner-dignity-an-opportunity-to-learn. Open the link below, choose any amount you can give, and pay by card, EFT or SnapScan — you get an instant receipt straight away. Give any amount towards the campaign and we will put it into the next parcel we pack.

Prefer to pay straight into the foundation's bank account? Use the details alongside — the account is held in the foundation's registered NPO name, so you can pay by EFT, internet banking or at any FNB branch. Reference your name and BACKABUDDY, and send us your proof of payment. 

Donate on BackaBuddyTell us you are donating
  • Account holderAthabile Mareko Foundation NPO
  • BankFirst National Bank (FNB)
  • Account number63225586007
  • Account typeBusiness
  • Branch code250655
  • ReferenceYour name 

How you can help

Six ways to put shoes, pads and stationery into a learner's hands — pick whichever one fits you.

Give once, or give every month

A single gift buys a pair of shoes. A monthly debit order of R150 keeps a learner equipped term after term, and lets us plan the school lists before the term starts.

Give through Back a Buddy

Buy a pair of shoes

R150 covers one sturdy pair, fitted on the learner's feet on handover day. You can buy one pair or fifty — we will send you the photograph either way.

See what R150 buys

Fill a stationery pack

R120 buys books, pens, pencils, a ruler and a calculator — exactly what the school asks for on day one. Sponsor a pack for a whole class and we will label them with your name.

What goes in a pack

Keep a girl in class all month

R90 covers a term of sanitary towels for one learner. It is the cheapest way to stop a girl missing a week of school every single month.

Support the programme

Send goods instead of money

New school shoes, sealed packs of sanitary towels, exercise books and pens are always welcome. We collect from homes and businesses across the district.

Arrange a collection

Not sure which one suits you? Tell us what you have — time, goods or a budget — and we will point you at the learners who need it most this term.

Get in touch

Become a sponsor

Sponsors are what turn our waiting list into handovers. A business, a church, a stokvel or a family can cover a set number of learners for a full school year — and we will show you exactly what your money bought.

Talk to us about sponsoringBank & EFT details

Tell us how many learners you would like to cover and we will come back to you with a plan, a cost and a handover date. Use the sponsor enquiry form below, or email athabilemarekofoundation@gmail.com.

Get involved

Give once, give monthly, or give your Saturday morning. All three keep a learner in class.

Sponsor a learner

Your sponsorship covers a pair of shoes, a term of sanitary towels and a full stationery pack for one child. We will send you their handover photograph and a receipt.

Give goods, not cash

New school shoes, sealed packs of sanitary towels, exercise books and pens are always welcome. We collect from homes and businesses across the district.

Volunteer with us

Join a packing day, help with the school lists, or drive a delivery route. Two hours of your Saturday fills a whole classroom's boxes.

Bank transfer & EFT details

Every donation is receipted and reported to our board. Reference your name so we can thank you properly.

  • Account nameAthabile Mareko Foundation NPC
  • BankFirst National Bank
  • Account number6284 117 9035
  • Branch code250655
  • ReferenceYour name + SPONSOR

What the schools and families say

Teachers see the difference in attendance first. Parents see it at home.

We had eleven learners who were missing days every month. After the shoe and pad handover, attendance in those classes went up almost immediately. It is that simple.

Nomsa DlaminiGrade 7 teacher, partner primary school

My son came home with shoes, books and a bag. He would not take the shoes off for the whole afternoon. I did not have to explain to anyone that we could not afford them.

Thandiwe M.Parent, Kimberley

I love what the foundation is doing for our children. 

MarthaKimberley

Thank you

Every pair of shoes, every pack of pads and every exercise book on this page was put there by someone who chose to give. To the donors who gave quietly, the businesses that sponsored a class, the volunteers who spent their Saturday packing boxes and the teachers who keep the learner lists — thank you.

You will never meet most of the children you helped, and they will never know your name. But they walked into school this term with shoes on their feet and everything they needed in their bags, and that is because of you.

  • Our donors
  • Our sponsors
  • Our volunteers
  • Our partner schools
  • Our families
Join the people who give

Find & reach us

Our office is a converted classroom at the back of the school grounds. Come and see the packs being made — or send us a message and we will call you back.

Visit us110 Sesing Street, Galeshewe,
Kimberley, 8345
Call or WhatsApp+27 72 378 0137 / +27 73 423 0254
Emailathabilemarekofoundation@gmail.com
Office hoursMon–Fri, 08:00–16:30
Saturday packing days: 09:00–12:00
Donate now