NOKWANDA NCWANE
Pretoria - Thousands of high school learners from Gauteng are set to benefit from the return of the “Raise the Bra” initiative spearheaded by celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Deon Weyers.
The initiative was launched in International Women’s Month in 2020. Weyers’ patients and members of the public were asked to donate bras they no longer used.
The undergarments are collected at Weyer’s practice, DW Skin & Body at Life Hospital, Fourways, and then distributed by the team from the Zabra- AfreeBra initiative.
The international volunteer network works with organisations looking after women in their care who can benefit from receiving new or used bras free of charge.
The initiative’s Jeanette Kruger said that the bras would be distributed to high schools in Soweto, Alexandra and elsewhere in Gauteng where they received requests.
“They are very much needed at the schools, and one headteacher wrote to us explaining that for the first time the girls were able to participate in sports when they received bras from us. We can’t keep up with supply for the girls in the schools, so people’s donations will make a big difference.”
Weyers said he was inspired by his patients to come up with the initiative because many of them no longer fitted into their underwear after they had breast enhancements, enlargements, reductions or liposuction.
He added that they wanted to collect 100 bras, but by the end of March last year they had managed to collect more than 1 000.
“The response is growing. A lot of relationships have been built, and the cause and is gaining momentum.”
Weyers said the feedback they received proved that initiatives like this are imperative and that it needs to continue in the future.
“It would be great to involve some celebrities in future, and get their endorsements of the campaign to supply the need, and for it to be able to grow and become more of a national initiative.”
Pretoria News