Small children have big dreams. Towards the end of 2024, we had the privilege of supporting the Lerato Child and Youth Care Centre with a donation of valuable educational resources.
Founded in May 2000, the centre aims to care for, and shelter, abandoned and destitute babies and children. The centre provides a loving home to children of all ages where they can grow up in a family environment.
At Optimi, we understand the value of a safe and stable home and quality education. We are committed to helping different learning communities, including those focused on providing care and education to children in need.
We are inspired by the remarkable dedication of the Lerato team, and we are excited and honoured to collaborate on initiatives that will create brighter futures for the children in their care.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Lerato team for their commitment to education and for allowing us to contribute to their incredible work. We also want to thank the CFO and Supply Chain teams for arranging this donation. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of learners and educators.
Optimi CEO, Stefan Botha, has a longstanding relationship with the centre and it’s a project close to his heart:
“I have been involved with LCYCC for 3 years, and I’ve seen their need for educational materials and support, hence my recommendation that we sponsor them with free learning materials. The centre provides a safe environment for abused and neglected children up to 18 years of age. Children often arrive at the centre with nothing – only the clothes they are wearing. From an educational perspective, they are typically behind the development of their peers, and they struggle to fit in at school due to years of psychological trauma and neglect. The centre places them in nearby schools to make them feel part of the broader community. They also provide support for the children’s educational needs as far as possible (e.g. school uniforms, learning materials and stationery, help with homework, etc.), mostly through sponsorship. It is incredible to see the resilience of these children – despite their history of trauma and neglect, many of them have risen from their circumstances and thrive at the centre. The centre has become a haven where children feel safe and contribute to the collective (older children look after the young ones, helping with their homework and other ‘big brother/big sister’ things). I believe it is our duty at Optimi to provide children, such as those at LCYCC, with accessible learning solutions. We cannot solve all the world’s problems, but every contribution matters.”
The centre is a registered non-profit and relies on funding from the private sector. If you want to get involved and help in any way – big or small, get in touch with our HR department for more information.