Employees from Woolworths head office in Cape Town spent three days side by side Newkidz painting and renovating at Paul Otto Educare in Mandalay, Mitchells Plain. The renovation was Newkidz’s 100th renovation and included the installation of a much needed library.

The Woolies Foods team not only offered their hands and sweat but have spent most of this year looking for innovative ways to raise the R60 000 which was needed for this renovation and to purchase library books. Their effort is part of the Just Cause employee volunteer initiative that brings Woolies employees together and empowers them to make a difference in their communities.

“The Woolworth Trust’s Just Cause initiative asks for everyone to send motivations for charities or causes that are close to their hearts. There were so many great causes that it wasn’t easy for our Diversity Committee to choose Paul Otto but we all know how books and the power of reading can change lives so it was clear winner,“ says Marisa Monroe Woolworths Foods.

Paul Otto Educare provides a safe place for 56 children between the ages of 2-6 to be educated and looked after in a community where unemployment high and crime is rife.

“The centre looks amazing with its new coat of paint. We can’t wait to introduce our children to the magical world of books. Most of our children have had very limited exposure to books so having a library is going to make an incredible difference to them and will undoubtedly encourage learning and improve literacy,” says Dawn Swano, Principal of Paul Otto Educare

Just Cause is part of the Woolworths Employee Community Involvement Programme that encourages clusters of Woolies employees to identify and propose a community cause that they will support through fund-raising. The Woolworths Trust will match funds raised up to R40 000 for a Just Cause. Over the past year, R1.7 million has been raised by the Woolworths Just Cause initiative, which has been invested in 20 worthy causes across the country that were identified by Woolies employees from headoffice and local stores.