We have partnered with Charity Organisation Project Uplift, recycling bras to women in need. Project Uplift is a charity that has been kept simple. We operate on a zero budget – no bank account even! It’s basically women working to help women.
Probably 99.9% of women in NZ own bras and most would be happy to pass their old or mis-fitting bras on to women in need and keep them out of landfill.
Since 2005 Uplift has sent over two million bras wherever women have requested them. Our work has been assisted by the involvement of a wide range of business and community groups. Uplift tries to ensure that bras get to the women who need them without compromising their dignity. We have sent bras to Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Bali, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Uganda and Pakistan, the outback of Australia and to projects and schools in need in New Zealand. Bras and sports bras are being distributed to schools in New Zealand, maternity bras to birthing units either at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland or to hospitals in the Pacific. Surgical bras are sent to the surgical unit at Middlemore Hospital for women who have had breast surgery. They have to wear them for 6-8 weeks post-surgery.
WHAT WE COLLECT
- Bras any size, any cup size - the bigger the better. In good condition (don't worry if wires are protruding or wonky - we can always remove them and still have a good bra to recycle)
- Sports bras and crop tops.
- Nursing bras. If it will catch a leak it is better than nothing. Reuseable nursing pads are also appreciated.
- Mastectomy Bras and Breast Forms (prostheses) Like gold. If possible please send the box with the breast form/prosthesis, and put the relevant bras under the plastic mould, in the bottom of the box. These will be given to hospitals for distribution. If sending bras only, without breast forms/prostheses, please put a note in the bag/postpack so we don't miss-sort them.
- Swimwear, any size. A lot of women fish or dive for a livelihood.
- Underpants, new or newly new. In some places a girl without underpants does not go to school during her period.
- Fabric Nappies, second hand or new.
You can drop your new or used bras, swimwear and new or nearly new knickers (no g strings) into our stores, we will co-ordinate their transfer to Project Uplift.
You can learn more about Project Uplift at www.projectuplift.org.nz