Solutions To Poverty In South Africa

Living in a country with an unemployment rate of 24.5% , people of South Africa are exposed on a daily basis to poverty and homelessness of varying degrees. Some of the top solutions to poverty include creating goods jobs, raising wages, training the next generation, investing in children and strengthening families. With the growing emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment, large corporations have to find a way in which to play their role in improving the living standards in South Africa. Mr Price is doing just that. They have taken up the challenged to alleviate poverty in South Africa by getting involved in a Non-Profit Organization, the Clothing Bank, which uses some of the top solutions to

They felt that they could not simply throw away the garments. By keeping the garments, the stock in their stores all over South Africa and other parts of Africa, appeared old and outdated. Mr Price customers want to look trendy on a continuous basis. Old stock limited the amount of new stock that could be introduced into stores due to the limited floor space available. Throwing the stock away could reduce their bottom line and result in their staff stealing the garments or selling the items at a reduced price to the detriment of Mr Price.

Mr Price’s research led them to the Clothing Bank. By donating all excess stock and samples to the Clothing Bank at a price that covers Mr Price’s costs, Mr Price benefited substantially from this new Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy. The Mr Price Operations Team stated that their Distribution Center was now able to better utilize their space. The stock in their stores is now constantly changing, giving the customers fresh, new and exciting fashion items. This in turn resulted in higher profits and a general increase in their share value since assisting the Clothing

The Mr Price Foundation does not focus on individual development but rather on the holistic development of the whole community. This is clear in their other initiatives, such as their Schools Program, with emphasis on holistic health improvement, and the Young Heroes Projects, focusing on providing holistic sporting equipment and facilities. For the last 30 years, Mr Price has had a tremendous impact on the South African community. The more the company grows and expands, the more they will be able to do for the people of South Africa. The Clothing Bank to date has educated 829 women, trained them in computer literacy and have helped them obtain a NQF level 3 Small Business Practices qualification and are now able to sustain a business independently as well as grow the business and offer employment to others. Thanks to Mr Price’s help, a few thousand people will be going to bed with a full stomach, a roof over their head and a meal that didn’t come out of the