TACOMA, Washington — As the days become shorter and the summer breeze gets crisper, children around the world prepare to begin a new school year. Number 2 pencils, bright white paper and brand new notebooks symbolize another year of learning and growing.
For many children in Liberia, however, this is not a reality. Their inability to purchase a school uniform prevents them from attending school.
Education is fundamental to the eradication of global poverty. Education provides children with the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable life and can prevent life-threatening situations. It is unjust to limit children from receiving an education just because they do not have the means to purchase a school uniform.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and fashion designer Whitney Port have partnered with UNIFORM to help send thousands of Liberian children back to school. UNIFORM is a premium t-shirt line that sells “effortlessly stylish” shirts for men, women and children that can be dressed up or down.
The company follows the traditional one-for-one model; with every t-shirt purchased, UNIFORM donates a school uniform to a child in Liberia that could not otherwise attend school.d
UNIFORM also established a one-for-one “remix” – they employ women in Liberia to make the brand’s t-shirts and the school uniforms for children in their community. Most of UNIFORM’s products are made in Monrovia, Liberia at Africa’s first fair-trade clothing factory, where 98 percent of its 300 employees are women.
As an ambassador to this campaign, O’Neil raises awareness and funds for the importance of global education, especially in locations such as Liberia where education is not easily accessible. Port, on the other hand, is collaborating with UNIFORM to design a graphic women’s tank for the brand.
Together, UNIFORM, Shaquille O’Neal and Whitney Port, have raised over $230,000, providing uniforms and bringing over 8,000 children back to school.
– Sarah Sheppard
Sources: UNIFORM 1, UNIFORM 2, Look to the Stars
Photo: Flickr