Star Bakeries Provides 200 Pairs of Shoes to Disadvantaged Learners

A local business has made a meaningful impact in the lives of hundreds of schoolchildren in the Eastern Cape after donating shoes and bread to learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Star Bakeries distributed 200 pairs of school shoes and donated 700 loaves of bread to pupils across 40 schools in the Cala and Elliot areas, in an initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable learners.

According to organisers, the beneficiaries were identified with the assistance of the Department of Education, which helped select learners in need and provided shoe sizes ahead of the distribution.

Two-Phase Rollout After Delays

The initial event was planned for 20 February 2026, where bread was distributed to learners attending the gathering, as well as to pupils at nearby schools. Teachers and parents who attended the event also received loaves of bread.

However, due to delays in finalising arrangements with the department, the distribution of school shoes had to be postponed.

The shoe handovers were later completed on 13 March 2026, with deliveries taking place at three central locations:

• Ndwana Primary School

• Khanyisa Special School

• Cala Community Hall

Learners from surrounding schools were transported or gathered at these venues to receive their shoes.

Supporting Learners in Need

The initiative aimed to ease the burden on families struggling to provide basic school necessities, while also ensuring that learners can attend school with dignity and comfort.

By covering multiple schools across the region, the donation reached a wide group of children, many of whom face daily challenges due to limited resources.

Community members, including teachers and parents, were also included in the bread distribution, helping extend the impact beyond just the learners.