Bras For A Cause is a project of the IWDC designed to provide young girls across the US and around the world with bras to help improve their well being through sports, education and training. One of these was the status of girls in the community. While women and girls in South Africa are not outwardly discriminated against like they are in some parts of the world, it is a traditionally patriarchal
society and there are very high rates of sexual abuse and teen pregnancy among other issues. The desire to address this inequity permeated all aspects of my work, from the success of girls in school, to gaining equal footing on the sporting field. While there is no denying that some of this can be achieved through the creation of opportunity, I wanted to address some of the aspects that would make it possible for women and girls to take advantage of these opportunities when they present themselves, or even create an environment where girls know they can create their own opportunities as well. The intangible part is self-esteem. There is no doubt that students with higher sense of self worth will stay in school longer and do better while they are there. Then, there is what seems to be such a simple item, but often unnoticed that can also help, a bra! Often in the developing world a bra is a pricey commodity that is inaccessible, or due to their price, the same bra is worn throughout puberty, regardless of how much a girl develops, resulting in a terribly uncomfortable fit. In a traditional setting, many women do not use a bra, and we would always be respectful of one's cultural practices and beliefs. But when attending a western style school, the uniform typically includes a white button-up shirt. Imagine becoming a woman while wearing a shirt like this and having no bra under it! Then, imagine trying to continue playing soccer or baseball without a bra. At some point it becomes easier to carry your books huddled to your chest, and to go straight home after school, skipping the playground where you used to have fun and exercise. In most of the U.S. a bra is not a luxury, and we would never have just one. Additionally, if our size changes, we get new ones. What do we do with the old ones? For more than 10 years, I have been collecting these from friends and family and passing them out to women and girls in need in South Africa, with the help of friends and family there. We've even sent shipments into Zimbabwe. After more than a decade, we have learned that the need exists, the benefits are real, and there are many more women and girls the world over who could also benefit from the generosity of donors like you. Bras For a Cause is the product of everything above, and it is our hope that we will be able to improve our current operation to be most effective, and expand to meet the most need. Thank you for joining us on this journey and sharing your "SUPPORT" with others!
