PEP Stores: A Partnership that Cares for Children and the Climate

PEP Stores is empowering the DO MORE FOUNDATION’s journey to incorporate a climate care lens into its Early Childhood Development (ECD) work. Over the last year, PEP has contributed to this positive change by investing in the creation of sustainable food gardens and eco-friendly early learning resources at ECD centres.

Embedding climate-conscious practices into DO MORE’s national young child programmes is key to building climate resilience within vulnerable communities and in particular young children, which research indicates are one of the groups most negatively impacted by climate change. As with all our work, it is through partners like PEP Stores that deeply understand the importance of a child’s early years and how creating a healthy and stimulating learning environment helps lay the foundation for a successful life ahead.

In South Africa the majority of young children are adversely impacted by a range of social and economic inequalities, many of which are becoming increasingly exacerbated by the effects of climate change. At ECD centres, we see this in the widely varied distribution and quality of early learning programmes, nutrition support and climate-adaptive spaces that children are exposed to. Research in South Africa, and internationally, indicates that the early years are critical for development, and that one way of overcoming the detrimental effects of poverty is to provide good quality early learning programmes for young children.

This is why reaching children at the places where learning happens lies at the heart of PEP’s investment into South Africa’s success. The company’s core CSI principle is that “education is crucial to the future of our country”. PEP believes in not just giving back to the communities it serves, but building them ‘better’ through diverse education initiatives that meet the specific needs of those living there. By investing in ECD and youth education, PEP aims to boost the employability of young adults and consequently contributing to the country’s long-term socio-economic development.

Sustainable nutrition for young children starts at school

PEP’s commitment to building a sustainable present and future for South Africa, is brought to life through their investment in establishing food gardens at 50 ECD centres, which includes the training and equipment needed by centre staff to make the gardens a sustainable project.

A food garden has a dual purpose: it is a source of nutritious fresh produce and a place for sensory learning. Both play a critical role in promoting the development of a young child’s cognitive, emotional, and social skills.

Eco-friendly resources that enrich play-based learning

Another way that PEP invests simultaneously in the environment and young children is by placing funds into our Repurpose 4 Purpose (R4P) programme. Developed by DO MORE, Innovation Edge and Barrows in 2022, the R4P programme produces free, good quality early learning resources directed at children’s early cognitive development. PEP’s funding enables 50 ECD centres to receive high-quality early learning resources for the young children in their care. At the same time, R4P upcycles Barrows’ excess business inventory (EBI) - what would otherwise be considered waste - and redirects it away from South Africa’s already over-burdened landfills.

Our ongoing CSI partnership with PEP Stores lives up to our mission of helping young children thrive through collective action that has real, long-lasting impact.

Contact our Partnerships Team to work with us to create better tomorrows for South Africa’s young children, their families and communities: iris.naidoo@domore.org.za