We are pleased to advise that the School will be partnering with the Katalyst Foundation which is the Foundation arm of the Kookai clothing label. We have undertaken our due diligence on the Foundation and have met with their General Manager to coordinate how this relationship will work. Two members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) also met with the Katalyst Foundation to understand the work they do on the ground in Fiji. 

This exciting update will ensure that none of our old uniform items will be sent to landfill, they will be repurposed and reused. This will create a positive impact on the education facilities and for students across the Bua Province in Vanua Levu and beyond in Fiji.

The Katalyst Foundation currently partners with several other schools in Melbourne. We will however be their first girl's school partnership which they are extremely excited about. For more information about the Katalyst Foundation please click here.

KOOKAI’s supported charity, the Katalyst Foundation, was founded in 2012 by KOOKAI’s Co-Founder Rob Cromb with a vision to create sustainable change for disadvantaged communities living in poverty across Fiji. As one of Australia’s closest neighbours, the number of Fijians living in poverty is an alarming 30% (2019-20) of the current population.

Focusing on the key areas of education, health, social welfare and infrastructure, the Katalyst Foundation’s initiatives are designed to empower and equip underprivileged communities with the resources and skills to break the cycle of generational poverty and build towards a self-sufficient future. 

The School is committed to a long-term partnership with the Katalyst Foundation.

A number of blue wheelie bins will be placed in the ELC, Junior School and Year Level Centres in the Senior School from Monday 16 October where families can donate old pre-loved uniform items:

• Summer Academic – Dress and Blazer
• Winter Academic – Tunic, Skirt, Short and Long-Sleeved Shirts, Woollen Vest and/or Jumper and Grey Trousers
• Sports/PE Uniform – Shorts, Polo Top, Spray Jacket, Trackpants, Rugby Jumper, Netball Skirt, Sport Socks, Cap and Wide Brimmed Hat
• Good condition school bags and swimming bags and school shoes (brown or black)
• ELC Uniform items – All items including wide-brimmed hat.

In addition to the above pre-loved donated school uniform items, the following items are also required by the Katalyst Foundation. Families are able to donate additional in-kind items to the rural and remote communities in Northern Fiji:

• Runners/Sneakers in any size and cleaned and in good condition
• Football/Soccer boots in any size and cleaned and in good condition
• Sanitary Products (variety)
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Exercise Books/Stationery – Pencils, Pens and Textas
• Children’s Books and Novels.

We would like to thank the members of the Student Representative Council (SRC) who will be responsible for packing boxes of uniform items when received in conjunction with parent volunteers from the Second Life Uniform Shop. The aim is for us to send a truck regularly to the Katalyst Foundation for them to add to their shipping container to send to Fiji for distribution to remote villages.

We look forward to working with the Katalyst Foundation on these initiatives and many others in the future across the whole school.