Zandré’s Story
Zandré’s Story
21-year-old Zandré grew up on Koopmanskloof Winery, where he still lives today with his family. He is the youngest of five siblings.
His journey with Pebbles Project began when he was just a baby, attending the Pebbles Project Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre on the farm. At six, he joined the Pebbles Project After-School Club, where he especially enjoyed the art lessons that were offered as part of the School Enrichment Programme (SEP). “I enjoyed it so much to work with my hands,” he remembers. “We did knitting and made caps.”
One of his fondest memories was interacting with the younger children; a passion that would go on to shape his dreams. He shares that: “I’ve always known I want to run my own ECD Centre one day. I want to empower children and help them discover and follow their dreams.”
After finishing school, Zandré knew he didn’t want to remain idle. He reached out to the Pebbles Project Youth Development Programme (YDP) Manager. Shortly after, he was enrolled in the programme and began attending the Youth Development Centre (YDC) in Stellenbosch, where he gained valuable soft and hard skills to prepare him for the world of work.
In March 2024, Pebbles Project, in collaboration with Dow Diversey – a Solenis company – launched the Soap For Hope™ Project in Stellenbosch. The global initiative transforms discarded hotel soap into a vital hygiene resource for underserved communities. The YDP Manager thought of Zandré for a role in the project, and he has been working at the Pebbles Recycled Soap Project since. “I love working together in a team,” he shares proudly. His favourite part of the process is cutting the soap and adding the essential oils.
Zandré’s new role has been life-changing, for both him and his family. “My family is very proud of me,” he says. “I’m pleasantly surprised to be where I am today. I’m proud of myself and how far I’ve come.” He also hopes to inspire others from his farm community: “I want to inspire them to make a better life for themselves.” He continues to dream of opening his own ECD Centre and hopes to start by assisting at the one on his farm.
When asked what Pebbles Project means to him, Zandré responds with heartfelt sincerity: “Pebbles opened doors for me. I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for Pebbles. I just want to say thank you to Pebbles and for all they have done for me.”
As Zandré continues his journey with the Pebbles Recycled Soap Project, the Pebbles Project team is incredibly proud of how far he has come. We believe his dreams will grow from strength to strength, and we look forward to supporting him as he works to make his vision a reality.
*This story captures a period in the beneficiary’s journey during their involvement with Pebbles Project and reflects their circumstances at the time it was written.