A Good Cause for Celebration
CELEBRATING A LASTING LEGACY
The FACET Foundation, For Africa’s Children Every Time, was established over fifteen years ago by the Owner of Delaire Graff Estate and renowned diamantaire Laurence Graff OBE. Having made countless visits to the region and with long-held ties to Sub-Saharan Africa, Graff was struck by the poverty he encountered but also by the spirit and potential of its children and young people.
This year marks 10 years since FACET started working with the Pebbles Project, its partner charity in South Africa. In celebration, Delaire Graff Estate – which is owned by Laurence Graff – and the Pebbles Project will embark upon 10 charitable initiatives during this anniversary year, one for each year of the partnership, with the aim of transforming the lives of children and young people within the local farming communities in which Pebbles Projects operates.
The projects will include job-shadowing programmes for Pebbles Project interns at Delaire Graff Estate across the restaurants, kitchens, gardens, vineyards, spa and housekeeping; volunteering opportunities for Estate employees to coincide with Mandela Day; Easter egg and book donations; and a collaborative and immersive art project – a nod to Delaire Graff Estate’s extensive contemporary art collection. The year will culminate in a gala event and Legacy Awards ceremony, during which time the Laurence Graff OBE award will be presented to the Pebbles Project’s top academic achiever.
Over the last 10 years, FACET has worked with the Pebbles Project to fund a network of seven mobile learning centres. Taking to the road, they provide direct access to library books and computers, learning and social support to over 650 children and young people each month. The most recent addition to the fleet is a mobile social support centre which helps children experiencing problems within their home environment through the work of a highly qualified team that provides mental health therapy, counselling, and parental support services.
“For the last 10 years, FACET and Delaire Graff Estate have been unwavering in their support of Pebbles Project – for which we will always be eternally grateful. This has enabled us to provide services that improve lives, tackling the challenging circumstances in which many children and young people live and helping to make a significant, long-lasting difference. I am delighted that we will mark our 10-year partnership in such a positive, inspiring and uplifting way – and we look forward to working with the team at Delaire Graff Estate to implement these initiatives throughout 2024.”
Sophia Warner, CEO of Pebbles Project.
Further details regarding our work with the Pebbles Project will be shared over the course of our 10-year anniversary celebrations.