The story of  ‘Giving Back’ at The Backpack

As the saying goes ‘life is all about choices’, and making a difference through good business practice is at the heart of how we operate at The Backpack. We promote a strong value system and work with every member of our team to instil the importance of honesty, trust, integrity, respect, service, good health, recognition, upliftment and responsibility.

Our philosophy is that by doing one small thing, its ripple effect will lead to bigger change. In fact, corporate social responsibility is not an optional add on, it is part of our core business practice and has helped us to accomplish incredible things. Since 2010 alone our guests have generously donated R55000.00 - and collectively by March 2011 we had generated over R350000.00 of independent funding that has gone towards helping others.

We have always felt a natural responsibility to the people and environment around us. We are committed to ‘fair trade’ and its principles of creating benefits beyond the boundaries of The Backpack. Over the years we have discovered a number of unforgettable projects in and around the city of Cape Town that we simply cannot walk away from. As a fast developing country there are always going to be challenges to overcome, but by the same token we have a unique opportunity to bring about positive change by participating, giving of ourselves and considering the broader impact of what we do. This is a factual account of how our story unfolded and about the initiatives we have taken under our wing.

Our first project came about at the turn of the millennium in the year 2000 when we built Masikhule Crèche in Khayelitsha, a township community near Cape Town. We came away so inspired by the experience, it motivated us to continue to be involved in helping communities. Whether it is knitting blankets for sick babies, helping young children with HIV, or trying to amass used soccer boots for kids with nothing but a passion for the game, we have found ourselves trying to help with everything that comes our way and encouraging others to do the same.

In 2009 we began a new project working to support children whose lives are affected by gangs. We have invested in a number of sports based projects such as soccer and rope skipping, as well as supporting education and literacy programmes. Our efforts are currently focusing on a school in the Cape Flats that is one of the lowest academic performers in the Western Cape.

Education is key to poverty alleviation, but good schooling remains beyond the reach of many children in poor areas around the city. At Woodlands Primary School in Heideveld, we can see that things are changing for the better thanks to a local hero called Mario van Niekerk.  An ex-gang leader from the Cape Flats, Mario made a life changing decision to turn away from gangsterism to become a mentor and guardian in his community. His dream is to create a better future for the children attending this primary school as well as the youth living in the area. Many are affected by drugs, alcohol abuse and gang related activities. Mario established himself as a co-ordinator for introducing various sports projects at the school and founded an organisation called ‘Greater Commission United’. GCU projects receive ongoing financial support from The Backpack and Mario receives a regular salary, which means he can continue to reach for his goal.

This is a particularly heart-warming story. As a passionate soccer player himself who left gang life voluntarily after his own son was born, Mario identified the power of sport to lure young people away from making bad life choices. Gangs are often seen as role models and provide a sense of belonging, especially in fragmented family dynamics. Mario sees sport as a way to transform negative behaviours into positive emotions so that young people realise that there are alternatives out in the real world. Mario and his team of coaches are working hard to unite people in the communities so that they can experience how sport helps to build friendships, raise self-esteem, improve self- discipline and create a new sense of family. 

One of the most inspiring sports that has been introduced at the school is rope skipping. A sport that is rapidly gaining popularity around the country, and being recognised competitively. It requires little in the way of equipment and is therefore easier to roll out across a range of age groups. We support this project by way of a monthly donation to make this valuable opportunity available to as many children as possible. Due to financial constraints, many impoverished schools are not able to offer any kind of physical education to their learners and we see this as the perfect solution.

Mario’s dream is to extend his personal contribution into the education arena, establishing support for academically challenged learners by improving literacy and numeracy with the help of a team of qualified assistants. His wish is to provide a library and a life skills centre for the school that will assist the teachers at grass routes level to keep the children on the straight and narrow. It is well known that education can be a path out of poverty, so the stakes are high for ensuring its success.

Our campaign to keep youngsters warm, especially children suffering from HIV, is called the ‘Vallies Stitch and Bitch Programme’, which involves residents at old age homes. By encouraging this sector of society to get active, it creates a renewed interest in life and a feeling of being valued for many elderly people. It also provides a sociable past time. Collectively we have knitted over one hundred blankets for AIDS orphans at Baphumelele Crèche in Khayelitsha. A growing number of old age homes contribute to this valuable project with their fantastic knitting skills. Visitors to The Backpack are equally invited to get knitting and, while relaxing in the lounge or bar, it is easy to create a square or two. To further the cause we regularly seek out donations of wool wherever we can find them.

We firmly believe that from the personal efforts we continually invest at The Backpack, we have the privilege of running a holistic, sustainable business operation where ‘what comes around goes around’ in the truest sense of the word.

Interview done August 2011