South Africans are making ends meet and making a difference thanks to the loyalty programmes available; 73% of adults use these programmes to their benefit.
South Africa (13 April 2023) – The South African loyalty and rewards industry was responsible for $450 million (R8.6 billion) in revenue in 2021, with 73% of the country’s adults making use of the ability to earn and spend points, miles, bucks and other catchy currencies.
Rewards offerings are proving to be an essential tool in helping people make ends meet as they use the rewards they’re able to redeem to get discounts on groceries, pay for petrol and convert to cash to help pay daily bills.
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet is a rewards programme that looks at things differently, providing benefits to member-nominated beneficiaries, helping meet important needs by delivering essential funding to schools, charities, communities, animal and environmental organisations. Each time a MySchool card is swiped in a partner store, that partner donates a percentage of the customer’s spend to their chosen beneficiary, at no cost to the customer. The card can be swiped alongside the partner’s loyalty card – or even linked to it, in the case of the Woolworths WRewards programme – meaning that MySchool members can earn rewards for themselves and simultaneously help make a difference for deserving beneficiaries across Southern Africa.
Supporters of MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet have raised R1 billion for more than 8 000 schools and NGO beneficiaries since its inception 25 years ago, making it one of South Africa’s largest community loyalty programmes and raising, on average, over R8 million a month for beneficiaries.
Pieter Twine, General Manager of MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, says that the program demonstrates that turning the traditional loyalty & rewards system on its head can help deliver real change.
“We’re offering members the opportunity to be loyal to causes as well as retailers and help make a tangible difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people,” he says.
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet’s approach is to collaborate with strategic beneficiary partners who deliver quantifiable value to the communities in which they operate. Beneficiaries such as Grow Educare offer access to high-quality early learning opportunities for over 2 200 children in under-served communities. This partnership has also delivered infrastructure upgrades in over 100 classrooms, supported 180 jobs and enabled women to run sustainable small businesses, all while promoting education and empowering local communities. In May 2023 the programme is collaborating with Operation Smile to provide another round of restorative surgeries to 35 children, which is truly life-changing for the families involved.
Thanks to its partnership with MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, the Woolies Water Fund has successfully implemented water intervention solutions worth R7.3 million, which include over 600 hand-washing stations and 172 water tanks in four provinces. It has also provided the capacity to store over 1 000 000 litres of rainwater at 100 schools, ensuring ongoing access to safe water for local communities.
“These are just a few examples of how loyalty programs can make a genuine impact, based on zero personal gain for the member,” says Twine. “MySchool’s commitment to building a better future for all is clearly reflected in this extraordinary initiative and we can only celebrate the incredible achievements made possible through collaboration with our members and our beneficiaries – a true example of loyalty”.
About MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet:
The programme delivers funding to schools, charities, communities, animal and environmental organisations via a card (physical and virtual) system that allows supporters to raise funds for their chosen beneficiaries by simply “swiping” every time they shop at retail partner stores.
Sign up for a MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card online or via the app (Google Play or Apple App Store) to give back – at no charge – with every swipe.