Stand for Trees are a non-profit working on climate change policy.

What can you do to help?

Thanks to new and exciting campaign, Stand for Trees, the team at Code REDD, are using the power of social media and crowdfunding to enable people to take real and effective action to reduce deforestation.

This first-of-its kind, the consumer campaign is asking individuals and organisations to stand together to support forests as vital ecosystems in a variety of exciting ways:

Learn more about the critical link between forests and climate change, and help spread awareness about the importance of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation -REDD+.

Offset your own personal CO2 emissions – which we all create through our transportation and consumption habits – by purchasing a Stand For Trees Certificate. These Certificates are verified REDD+ carbon credits that help communities protect a specific endangered rainforest by supporting sustainable livelihoods.
Share your engagement with Stand For Trees on social media, and be part of a grassroots movement for a more sustainable future!

The main purpose of this project is to help provide sanitary pads to teenage girls. The study shows that most underprivileged girls miss school for at least four days each month over menstruation. These issues are not talked about in Africa due to embarrassment, lack of understanding and the low priority of such problems. So we got on board this initiative to help girls. The ultimate goal of this project is ensure all girls are given an equal and fair chance at the best education they can receive without being stigmatized.

In many schools, both male and female teachers are not ready to discuss menstruation and menstrual hygiene management with students. Teachers often skip such topics as they do not want any open discussion in the class or to escape from the questions asked by students. Teachers also feel shy and embarrassed to discuss such topics in class due to language barrier as some sound more explicit in Sesotho than English.

In a country where HIV/AIDS and other health challenges have resulted in a high number of orphans, changing societal practices and urbanisation have increased the level of child vulnerability with many of the orphans having to fend for themselves and their siblings. Some end up unable to take advantage of the free primary education offered by the country. 

From 2009, MGC has been sponsoring learners in primary and high schools. Annually buying uniforms, books, stationery and paying school fees for over 60 learners per year, including the disabled. We believe we have and will continue contributing to the future of this country. This project includes children from various districts. The full sponsorship includes exam fees, school uniforms, exam fees and other necessities and we are committed to seeing them through their primary and secondary education. Since the inception of this project, we have seen lives changing, we have seen children in poor communities get a decent start in life. 

Our educational scholarship program does not just focus on providing educational necessitates, we also address external factors that might affect our students from participating well from their studies. We have introduced student counselling and below is what we want to achieve.

• Students to be given proper guidance on how to deal with psychological problems which can badly impact their studies. Through these sessions, the students will be able to develop certain problem-solving skills which to an extent help them deal with particular issues surrounding their lives.

• The students will be advised on how to cope with different situations they tend to face in their school life. For instance, how should they talk politely or relate with their peers. This will give them perspective on how they should behave in certain scenarios.

In 2013 MGC CSI commenced the construction of The MGC Mantsonyane Project. The Mantsonyane project is the construction and revamp of the Church, Primary and Secondary school in the village which the MGC founder was raised. The end of this project will be awarding us with a Priest house, an administrative office, a convent and a boarding house with fully equipped sporting facility. The vision behind this project was brought about by the need for education and proper schooling facilities. It was also inspired by the MGC founder’s passion for contributing to the lives of children around the country, particularly those from the district in which he was born and bred.

This project kicked off with the construction of a Catholic Church for the Mantsonyane community and the surrounding villages in 2005. When this project started, we had no idea that it will grow into such an investment. In 2013 the vision was revisited by the founder and he planned to develop the structure into a fully-fledged facility.

This is the biggest CSI project for MGC thus far and the intention is to create a young generation from the same village as Mr Matekane, which has hopes to achieve greater than what their environment advocates. This project is one of a kind in the country and a greater achievement for the district.