In 2011/2012 the support given by Lewis Group to St Luke's Hospice has meant that we are able to upgrade the inpatient unit of our Lentegeur Ward, in Mitchells Plain. Approximately 30-40 mainly HIV-positive patients pass through these doors on a monthly basis, and are given treatment and support with the aim they are able to leave the hospice and go on to live healthy lives. The care and support these patients and their families receive are given regardless of their ability to pay for their care. Without the support of the public and generous donors such as Lewis, we would not be able to continue caring for the over 860 patients we care for in any given day, around Cape Town.

The Lewis Group is a special friend of the SA Children's Home. It is only with your continued support that we are able to sustain the work of caring and shaping the futures of the children placed in our care. The various ways in which you show your care, for instance donations of furniture, toiletries, food parcels, Christmas gifts and supporting talented children, are all examples of your generosity to ensure a better future for our children. With the continued support of the Lewis Group you show us that the overall well-being and indeed the futures of our kids are as important to you as it is to us. THANK YOU LEWIS!!! And we hope that the special relationship you have with SA Children's Home will continue to brighten the lives of our children and staff!!

The Lewis Group is family to Carel du Toit Centre; they are people we can trust and count on. The Group has changed the future of deaf children in the Western Cape by funding the building of The Lewis Group Classroom Wing. We as a Centre are now, due to the generous support of the Lewis Group able to accommodate more learners and thus teach more deaf children to speak. Apart from the financial contributions they make to the Centre, they are always professional and efficient in their approach, prepared to give advice or to lend a hand.

The Lewis Group has been a significant and consistent partner of the Thembalitsha Foundation. Their willingness to assist and provide us with the equipment, service and support we need for our projects to run efficiently has been remarkable. I remember learner days at the School of Hope when we were scrounging around for pens and pencils and Lewis stores came through with boxes and boxes of stationery. That was back in 2006 but their generosity has not ceased. From tracksuits for the learners, pots, a stove and a fridge for our kitchens, to funds to celebrate our staff at a lavish staff function in December 2009, Lewis stores has been there for our preschool, Graceland, high school for youth at risk, School of Hope, and clinic for children suffering from HIV, ThembaCare. Perhaps the most important contribution has been the contribution towards the security at our schools. How comforting to know that our learner and staff is secure. Thank you, Lewis Stores, for supporting our work and helping us make poverty history.

Children of the Dawn is a registered non-profit organisation and public-benefit organisation supporting AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in rural South Africa. The Lewis Group has been supporting our programmes and growth since 2006. At the moment, their monthly funding insures that the needs of 150 of our 773 beneficiaries are covered. This means that 150 children aged 6 to 20 receive adequate nutrition, schooling support, psychosocial support, counselling through our 24 care centres, and are exposed to a wide range of educational, sport and leisure activities.

In addition, teenagers aged 14 and older participate in career guidance and life skills development activities as part of our programme called My Future, My Responsibility. The Lewis Group's support means that these 150 children are given back the childhood they deserve and the opportunity to develop into active, balanced citizens. The Lewis Group's support is spread geographically in 8 rural communities: Mathabatha and Lenyenye in Limpopo, Bushbuckridge, Mangweni and Ermelo in Mpumalanga, Qwaqwa in the Free State, Mpumaze in KwaZulu-Natal, and Masakala in the Eastern Cape.

In 2011, we envisage that the Lewis Group will be our most important funder in Rand value. Children of the Dawn feel extremely blessed to have the backing and active support of the Lewis Group, which understands the harsh realities of rural Africa. We are grateful for their generosity, reliability and long-term commitment to the orphaned and vulnerable children cause in South Africa. We also feel proud that they believe in our vision and progress. We cannot say thank you enough, but let's try: on behalf of our beneficiaries, LEWIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Project Build Trust has been associated with the LEWIS GROUP for a number of years, implementing their generous SED school building programme at under-resourced schools in KZN and Transkei. To date Lewis Group has invested considerable funds at 12 schools in this programme.

In my capacity as CEO, I would like to say what a pleasure it has been on every level working with the Lewis Group. Ms Röhm and her directors have a serious intent to improve the education and thus the future of the young learners of our country. We estimate that many thousands of young people have benefited to date and many thousands more will in the future. We at Project Build are honoured at the association.

TSiBA (The Tertiary School in Business Administration) is a business school that helps people who cannot access opportunities to jump ahead in life. We do this by providing high quality business education. We do not require our students to pay us back for their scholarships but rather to pay it forward.

Thanks to Lewis Stores, generous support we are able to provide these meaningful scholarships and to help our students Pay it Foward in their communities. And on top of this, Lewis is one of the few donors who are also willing to cover our students, living and travel expenses, and ensure that they have food in their stomachs in order to focus in class. Lewis does not just give a hand out, but is a significant Partner of TSiBA.

Sharon and the team are genuinely interested in the growth of our project and dedicate time to be involved and interact on a regular basis. Thank you Lewis for your unstinting support and for always being passionate about the work we do!

The success of the Children's Hospital Trust as fundraiser for the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Paediatric Healthcare in the Western Cape rests entirely on the generosity of our donors, all of whom are the lifeblood of the Trust. The Trust values donors like Lewis Group who have shown their ongoing generosity and commitment to helping sick children. Not only did Lewis Group help fund a new Surgical Skills Training Centre at the Hospital but has also generously donated towards building a Paediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic.

The remarkable dedication of those who work at the Hospital together with the ongoing generosity of donors such as Lewis Group ensures that the Hospital is equipped to deliver the best possible service to the children it treats. Lewis Group is not only benevolent but showed great humility when they declined naming rights to the Reception area in the Surgical Skills Training Centre and of their own accord asked for the area to be named after an individual at the Hospital who has made a huge impact in surgery for children. The Trust elected to name the area after Emeritus Professor Sid Cywes together with Lewis Group. As a non-profit organisation, the Children's Hospital Trust enjoys a long record of outstanding administration, project management and donor stewardship. 100% of the funds donated to the Trust go directly to the Hospital and priority paediatric projects in the Western Cape.

The Community Chest of the Western Cape is an 83 year old philanthropic organisation investing in 8 sectors across the Human Care spectrum.

The Lewis Group has been a loyal supporter of the Community Chest for the past 25 years. This partnership started with our Give-As-You-Earn-Programme and has progressed to include other programmes such as sponsorship in the Twilight Team Run, generous donations of goods towards the Donations-In-Kind, and substantial investment in the Enhancement of Capacity and Corporate programmes.

With the assistance from the Lewis Group, together we RESTORE HOPE to vulnerable communities in the Province.

Special Olympics South Africa were extremely grateful that The Lewis Group came on board as a sponsor and fan of two exceptional Special Olympics athletes this year – Lebohang Molefe and Denver John. The sponsorship allowed these two individuals, lives to be changed dramatically with Denver winning his first international gold medal and Lebohang being given an opportunity to travel abroad for the first time ever and collect two gold medals at his first international competition.

Aside from the generous financial contribution, the aspect that has made the greatest impression on Special Olympics South Africa is how much The Lewis Group really cares for their beneficiaries. No other company has ever taken such a sincere interest in our organisation or our athletes and I believe that it is because The Lewis Group genuinely puts people first. The depth of their commitment was even more apparent when The Lewis Group went beyond all expectations and rewarded the two athletes that they had sponsored for their success on their return from competing in the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

And although one may underestimate the importance of contributions such as these, we never do because we know that we live in a world where individuals with intellectual disabilities are marginalised, ridiculed and labelled as "retarded", however The Lewis Group has counteracted these stereotypes with action that clearly speaks of inclusion, respect and admiration.

For the past five years, Lewis Stores has steadfastly partnered with Peninsula School Feeding Association to feed our children's potential with passion, care, focus and effectiveness. Today, Lewis stores is PSFA's largest "Adopt-a-School" Sponsor, and through their generosity, ensure that 1 305 learners in 12 schools throughout the Western Cape are provided with necessary daily nutrition, including fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Lewis Stores has also been integral in establishing a partnership between PSFA and Monte Christo Ministries, which has resulted in a centralised kitchen in the Winelands District that caters for 2 371 learners every school day.

Peninsula School Feeding Association would like to extend our sincere thanks to Lewis Stores for their commitment to the children of the Western Cape. Lewis Stores' support for our organisation has allowed us to identify and serve more hungry children in primary, secondary and special needs schools throughout the Western Cape. Your generosity has also enabled us to improve the menus that we serve our children. Thank you for partnering with PSFA to provide nutritious meals to children in need; because, you can't teach a hungry child.

The Lewis Group have been supporting our children at St Joseph's Home for Chronically Ill Children since 2008 and we see them as part of our family. Our children would not have been able to receive the high quality services that they have received without the support of companies like the Lewis Group.

What makes this company even more special, is the personal interest the staff have taken in the home and often go the extra mile as individuals to help St Joseph's in their fundraising efforts. It takes special individuals in an incredible company to make a real difference and there is no doubt that the Lewis Group have given back to the communities where their customers come from and we have no doubt that they will continue to do so. Thank you from all the staff and children at St Joseph's and we are proud to be associated with you."

We mean every word and wish we could find ways to say more as there are few words which can describe the gratitude we feel for your support.

Lewis has been a loyal supporter of the Women's Hope Education and Training (WHEAT) Trust. Lewis stores have been an active participant in our 1 000 Women United Against Domestic Violence campaign. Lewis has also donated equipment with which grassroots women's groups have been able to generate income for the social responses they run in their communities. Lewis' partnership with the WHEAT Trust signifies the company's belief in grassroots women and their ability to uplift their communities.

Supporting the 1 000 women United Against Domestic Violence campaign has shown the company's firm commitment against the abuse of women and for a South Africa where all women can enjoy their human rights. To WHEAT it is very important to partner with retailers like Lewis who have a great reach in many communities. WHEAT also salutes Lewis' acknowledgement of the incredible role women from lower income communities play in the social development of our country.

The Lewis Group has contributed in a significant way to the Durbanville Children's Home during the past few years. Through funding Lewis enabled us to host events to generate funds that we use to upgrade one of our house units. They also donated goods as prizes and auction items to generate further funding at these events.

The Lewis Group has also shown their commitment to Socio-economic Development by their personal interest in the programmes and children at the Durbanville Children's Home. Attending fundraising events and enquiring on a regular basis about the well-being of our beneficiaries has been a great motivator to our organisation.

My son Matthew is a very talented and hardworking swimmer. Several years ago Lewis Stores saw the possibility in him both as a potentially winning sportsman, and also as a role model for other youngsters. They very kindly chose to sponsor the considerable costs related to his swimming endeavours that we could not afford. Matthew has achieved really great things in the pool representing South Africa at a junior level and he continues to progress. This would not be possible without the extraordinary help of Lewis Stores.

We appreciate all the support that Lewis Stores gives to Matthew.

Learn to Earn is a skills development organisation, working with unemployed people from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Khayelitsha and Hermanus in the Western Cape. Learn to Earn's mission is to develop people, especially unemployed people, socially, economically, emotionally and spiritually. Within our Training & Development programme, which The Lewis Group has been contributing towards since 2010, we have maintained over 75% success rate of graduates becoming economically active, on average 10% of these have started their own businesses. Within this programme, all our students contribute about 5% of the actual cost of their course. Payment is compulsory because we believe in "a hand up not a hand out" approach to human development. A lack of individual contribution (and therefore limited personal involvement) does not assist in the restoration of dignity and self-esteem in the unemployed person, for which we aim. However, in order to offer the best possible training to the unemployed at affordable rates, we do rely on the steady support of our corporate and individual partners.

To date, The Lewis Group has sponsored the training of six unemployed men and women (including that of a Woodwork graduate, Yolisile). In addition to the financial support, we also received a boardroom table as a product donation – allowing us to save on buying one and also to rent out the boardroom, creating a small but steady revenue stream for the organisation. On behalf of Learn to Earn staff and students – we are particularly grateful for our partnership with the Lewis Group!

The contribution from the Lewis Group is more substantial than just financial. The Afrika Tikkun model is built around effective partnerships for we realise that despite over 90 000 registered NGOs we cannot turn the tide on raging poverty and the associated ills that arise. Our model builds children within their communities by bringing the best possible resources into the townships and by ensuring the finest services are provided routinely and measurably over time. Each stage of a child's development is necessary if the end "product" is to be young men and women who are well rounded and knowledgeable, capable of employment and indeed engaged in productive contribution to their societies.

Early childhood development has been globally proved to be a critical prerequisite to comprehensive adult development. In an environment where family life cannot provide so many of these positive influences. The Lewis Early Childhood Centre will provide a physically and emotionally safe haven. At the same time, for over 250 children attending the Centre each year, the environment of edutainment from accredited teachers will ensure that these children are well prepared to enter the school environment 6 years after their first enrolment. Literacy and numeracy are the basics taught, but importantly, life skills (hygiene, honesty, trust and mutual respect) are core to the programmes as well.

The parents of these children benefit through participating in parenting workshops adding social and academic support to the community. Associated pre-schools from within the community will participate as they share resources and join in training and skills development offered by the Lewis Centre as part of a wider community engagement.

Finally the Lewis Centre offers the stakeholders of the Lewis Group the very tangible opportunity to engage in making a very real change towards a positive outcome for this community. The vital link the Lewis Early Childhood Development Centre will provide in the holistic development framework undertaken by Afrika Tikkun, will benefit thousands of the Mufuleni's community for years to come.

We thank you for sharing this journey together and for putting your trust and faith into our efforts. Let's make this a really memorable lifetime engagement. God bless you all for what you have made possible.

Cape Mental Health Society is a non-profit organisation that works in the greater Cape Town area providing free mental health services in poor communities. These services include counselling, support, training and rehabilitation for people experiencing emotional adjustment problems and those with mental disabilities (both intellectual and psychiatric). The goal of our work is to help people adjust to living in the community and maximise their independent functioning and quality of life.

Lewis Stores has been a loyal supporter of Cape Mental Health Society for many years. Several Cape Mental Health Society programmes have received much needed gifts in kind ranging from furniture through to office and kitchen equipment from Lewis. Lewis Stores has also supported Cape Mental Health by annually purchasing Casual Day stickers. Recently, one Cape Mental Health Society programme received a first-time cash donation from Lewis. Lewis further extended their support beyond the call of duty to Cape Mental Health Society during the 2011 African Footprint in Global Mental Health Congress when they assisted with transportation for a donation of Lewis couches used to create a resting area for consumers of mental health services.

The Cancer Association of Namibia is not subsidised by the Namibian Government and rely on social responsible companies, such as Lewis, to help the Association to fight this dreaded disease.

ewis is one of a very few South African companies based in Namibia that actually give back to Namibians, in our case, Namibian cancer sufferers, by being socially responsible.

The tremendous contribution by Lewis to breast cancer awareness campaigns and assistance and support to breast cancer sufferers, is highly valued and much appreciated.

We are exceedingly grateful to Lewis Group for our life-changing partnership in proving quality education to underprivileged children since 2013.

Located on the iThemba Campus in Hillcrest, Focus on iThemba is a local non-profit company with a vision to ‘Grow Hearts and Minds’ by investing in children through quality education resulting in life-altering positive change.

The belief in the potential of every child and the significance of quality education steers and motivates the dynamic team.

The two main pillars that steer and root the organisation are partnering with ten local ECD Centres in the Valley of 1000 Hills and Molweni to ensure elevating Early Childhood Development and the life-changing iThemba Scholars Programme where boys and girls from our ECD partner Pre-Schools are awarded scholarships to attend Waterfall Schools, based on our inspiring iThemba Campus in Hillcrest.