At Taking Care of Business (TCB), we know we can’t do this work alone. Eradicating poverty and building financially independent families in South Africa takes more than one organisation – it takes a community of power partners who share a vision for a better, more sustainable future.
Together with like-minded businesses and organisations, we’re creating opportunities, repurposing waste, and uplifting lives through education, skills development, and enterprise. We are honoured to celebrate three of these partnerships, each contributing uniquely to our mission.
Here’s how…
Turning waste into warmth with TFG
In 2023, we partnered with The Foshini Group (TFG) to explore a bold idea – could we turn The Fix’s old visual merchandising banners into something purposeful and life-changing? The answer was a resounding yes!
Our Remake team collaborated with TFG to design multi-purpose sleeping bags that double as backpacks, providing both warmth and dignity to those who need it most.
Each sleeping bag is carefully handcrafted by the seamstresses in our Remake Programme, using repurposed banners and inners donated by TFG.
Through this partnership, our Remake participants are gaining valuable skills in sewing, quality control, and production management.
They’re building the experience and confidence to run their own small manufacturing businesses!
Since testing the model in October 2023, we’ve produced 400 sleeping bags, donated to shelters like Elim Night Shelter and City of Cape Town Safe Spaces (operated by Matdoc Projects).
Thanks to TFG’s vision, waste is being transformed into hope, shelter, and opportunity. And we’re just getting started! We’re exploring new ways to repurpose deadstock fabrics, and we’re calling on other organisations to join us in this win-win movement.
Education that restores dignity
Formal education is often a missing piece in the lives of many participants in our Resell and Repair programmes. In partnership with the Tourism and Business Institute of South Africa (TTBISA), we’ve been changing that story since 2013. Together, we offer the Informal Small Business Practice (ISBP) qualification to participants in our Resell and Repair programmes.
TTBISA facilitates the Informal Small Business Practice (ISBP) course, an NQF Level 3 accredited qualification. This course consolidates the skills learned in the first year of our programme and gives participants not only formal credentials but also renewed self-belief.
For many of our participants – particularly mothers – formal schooling was a closed door. ISBP reopens it.
In a supportive classroom environment, they complete assignments, write tests, and rediscover a love of learning.
To date, 1,756 of our participants have graduated from ISBP, many of whom say it’s a highlight of their two-year journey with TCB. For those who once believed they had failed academically, walking across the stage to collect their certificate is a moment of pride, healing, and renewed purpose.
With TTBISA’s support, we’re not just offering training—we’re restoring self-belief and opening doors to further education and entrepreneurship.
Retail with a purpose
RFO, part of the TFG group, is a power partner with heart. Their generous stock donations help fuel our Resell programme, providing participants with inventory to start their small businesses and earn reliable incomes.
But their impact doesn’t stop there. In 2024, RFO launched a cause-related marketing campaign, selling specially marked Mental Health T-shirts to raise funds for TCB’s programmes. Through their efforts, R52,000 has been raised to expand our Reskill Programme, offering life-changing training in life skills, money management, and A2B methodology to even more individuals. This work directly supports mental health, confidence, and financial independence.
We’ve also loved having RFO staff roll up their sleeves on Nelson Mandela Day, volunteering their time and energy to help sort, debrand, and process donated items. Their hands-on support adds so much heart to our work!
Together with RFO, we are proving that retail can do more than sell—it can uplift communities, restore hope, and create brighter futures.
Why partnerships like these matter
Partnerships like these are not about handouts—they’re about hands joined, working together towards a shared vision of dignity, opportunity, and independence. Whether it’s waste-to-worth innovation, accredited education, or retail for good, these collaborations reflect the best of what’s possible when purpose-driven organisations unite.
To TFG, TTBISA, and RFO—thank you. Your partnership reminds us that real change is possible when we come together with open hands, open hearts, and a shared purpose.
If your organisation is looking for a meaningful way to make a difference, let’s chat!
