Nelson Mandela once famously quoted "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." And yet, did you know that only one-third of South Africa’s 12-year-olds can read? And that more than four million South Africans are illiterate? Nelson Mandela himself may have become a mere statistic if he hadn’t gone to school to learn to read. 

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Education is a basic human right that should be accessible to everyone. Sadly, not all South Africans have such access, and we believe that it is the responsibility of the businesses and citizens of this country to ensure that future generations receive a basic level of education. Our country’s progress depends on it, and how we tackle the issue of inequality in education. 

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Here at Cape Tea Co, we’re fully committed to fostering education and Nelson Mandela’s prophetic quote. With a percentage of the profits of Mandela Tea going directly to the Mandela Day School Library Project, Cape Tea Co highlights its commitment to linking South African business and sustainable education. (With every box of Mandela Tea you buy, you contribute to the this inspiring project.)

 

Cape Tea Co also works with several Cape Town-based NPOs. In 2015 we provided funding and assisted with a crowd-funding campaign to build a new kindergarten in the Olieboom Township, Philippi. This vital preschool helps the township’s children to learn the basics they need to equip them for school. We raised money to help purchase gumboots and raincoats for the children, and attend regular volunteering days in the township to spend time with the children and help contribute toward the kindergarten’s upkeep. Volunteering with our groups allows us to observe the effect education has on lives, and to see how it empowers youngsters and adults to take control of their own destinies.