About
Our Story
Officially founded in Jan 2024
but with lots of history
A mere 10 minute drive out of our bustling little town of Hillcrest, we discover a landscape of deep potential, little hope and even less opportunity.
Our founder started the Pass the Panties Initiative after noticing the dire need for underwear for school children in many of our poorer schools. In 2023, the Pass the Panties team visited 36 of the 42 schools in the Valley of 1000 Hills. Whilst the program was impactful at Primary School level, the team noticed that the lack of opportunity after schooling was creating hopelessness in high school learners and igniting chaos in many of our Valley High Schools.
This, along with her personal experiences of linking 10 unemployed individuals with employers in the past year, resulting in full-time employment, and then watching as certain of these now-employed individuals disappointed their employers due to a lack of job readiness skills, led our team took the plunge and launched BRIDGING GAPS this January 2024.
Our Goal & Values
Our goal is to bridge the gap between the job-seeking unemployed our Valley and potential employers.
1. We long to see:
Upper Highway businesses dedicated to hiring LOCAL staff, doing the necessary training and investing in the future of our greater community!
2. We believe we will then see:
An increased level of HOPE in our Valley, and in-turn families breaking free of the hold of the poverty cycle over their respective unit.
3. Our role will then be to:
Increase access to KNOWLEDGE in our Valley: upskilling, encouraging programs through education and mentoring rather than the continuing of handouts.
Our Community
Our community is made up of local businesses who rely on us to match them with entry level employees, volunteers who serve mostly in our school impact program and our upskilling workshops AND then of course the individuals we serve, invest in and love watching flourish!
+100 interviews set up & attended (in 2024)
+50 UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS matched with jobs (in 2024)
+20 000 school girls spoken to & receiving 2 new pairs of panties (in 2023 alone)
+100 volunteers
+50 families impacted through employment
37 schools in our valley visited
+5 rural entrepeneurs mentored
Thank You to Our Partners & Sponsors
