Engen has distributed 900 pairs of school shoes to primary school learners in disadvantaged communities as part of its 2026 Back-to-School School Shoe Campaign, which aims to support education and restore learner dignity during winter.
The initiative forms part of the company’s ongoing corporate social investment programme and builds on its 2024 Winter Warmer School Shoe campaign, which reached 700 learners nationwide.
The 2026 rollout was implemented across multiple provinces, with distributions taking place between 9 and 23 April in partnership with local stakeholders and education institutions.
Beneficiary schools included Dlikidla Primary School in Beaufort West (Western Cape), Austerville Primary School and Parsee Rustomjee Primary School in Durban (KwaZulu-Natal), Lebone Special School and Mamangina Combined School in Mokopane (Limpopo), Bopanang Primary School in Diepkloof and Masiqhakaze Secondary School in Tembisa (Gauteng), as well as Pelokgale Primary School and Bathabile Primary School in Klerksdorp (North West).
In the Western Cape, the initiative was implemented in collaboration with the Transnet Foundation.
Engen CSI Manager, Olwethu Mdabula, said the programme is aimed at removing barriers to education.
“Education remains one of Engen’s key social investment priorities. As winter approaches, we recognise that when learners have the essentials they need, they are better equipped to succeed,” she said.
Mdabula added that access to basic school items can have a direct impact on learner participation.
“For many learners, something as basic as school shoes can be a barrier to attending school with confidence. By addressing this need, we are helping to restore dignity and create an environment where every child feels valued and included.”
The initiative is aligned with broader development priorities, including education access, inequality reduction and sustainable community development.