South Africa, on the edge of Africa’s malaria belt, is on track to eliminate the disease by 2028, with fewer than 10,000 cases reported annually thanks to focused prevention. Yet globally, malaria still claims over 597,000 lives each year, 95% in Africa. World Malaria Day on 25 April reminds us that the fight against malaria requires more than policy; it demands partnership.
This is one such story: a powerful collaboration between Relate Bracelets, Nando’s, and Goodbye Malaria, born not in boardrooms but from a shared commitment to lasting impact. Together, they’re proving what’s possible when passion meets purpose in the fight against malaria.
The power of purposeful partnerships
Relate Bracelets was founded on a simple but powerful idea: that small everyday actions can lead to extraordinary impact. Through the sale of handmade cause bracelets, Relate Bracelets has created a social enterprise model that simultaneously raises awareness, funds life-changing causes, and provides employment and earning opportunities for township seniors and young adult crafters in Cape Town, South Africa.
The partnership between Relate, Nando’s, and Goodbye Malaria (GBM) started in 2011, with a strong focus on fundraising, malaria prevention, job creation, and Enterprise Development through the sale of Malaria bracelets. These bracelets, sold through Nando’s global retail outlets, airports, curios stores, and corporate channels, have raised over R3.8 million for social impact, with R2.7 million donated directly to Goodbye Malaria and R1 million in earnings for senior and young adult crafters. Nearly 300,000 bracelets have been sold through Nando’s alone.
In total, the partnership between Relate and GBM has raised and donated just under R15 million, with over 1.5 million bracelets sold in support of malaria prevention efforts.
Since its inception, a purposeful triangle has formed, where each partner has brought something invaluable to the table. Nando’s leveraged its vast customer base and brand influence, amplifying the cause to new heights. Goodbye Malaria contributed its expertise and the ability to implement large-scale malaria prevention programs across the region. Relate Bracelets offered a tangible, meaningful product - a beaded bracelet that not only told a powerful story but also directly funded a mission and changed lives along the way. Together, they’ve created something far greater than the sum of their parts.
Uniting for change
This partnership wasn’t driven by strategy alone, it was built on shared values and a commitment to real, lasting impact. For Nando’s, supporting the fight against malaria was a way of giving back to Africa, where their story began. Stocking Relate Bracelets at tills wasn’t a token gesture, it became a powerful symbol, with staff and customers alike rallying behind the cause and helping spread the message.
Each bracelet sold became a small act of generosity with a big ripple effect. For Goodbye Malaria, the partnership opened fresh channels of funding and awareness beyond traditional donor spaces. The proceeds from Relate Bracelet sales have gone directly into malaria elimination programmes, spraying homes with insecticide, training health workers, and supporting cross-border initiatives between South Africa, Mozambique, and Eswatini.
Kiri Rundle, Head of Marketing & Communication at Goodbye Malaria, shared: “Our beaded bracelets have become a global symbol of connection, partnership, and purpose. Through a shared vision, Relate, Nando’s, and Goodbye Malaria have transformed creativity into meaningful impact.”
Together, this partnership is proving that purpose-led collaboration can drive real change; one bracelet, one story, and one life at a time.
From access to action
What makes this partnership truly unique is that it’s never been just about fundraising, it’s about creating access. Access to jobs, access to purpose, and access to health.
Kiri Rundle continued: “Together, we’ve not only raised awareness and funds for malaria elimination, but also empowered communities and sparked conversations across continents. Each bracelet serves as a reminder that when business, creativity, and cause unite, the result can be truly transformative.”
The bracelet-makers, many of whom come from disadvantaged communities, are offered a stable income, skills development, and the dignity of work. Many go on to further their education, start businesses, or find full-time employment, all empowered by the opportunity to be part of something greater than themselves.
At O.R. Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport, a small but powerful movement is quietly taking flight. In partnership with Relate, Goodbye Malaria’s retail Enterprise Development initiative is turning transit spaces into hubs of impact. Merchandise carts, stocked with handmade Relate Bracelets and curated products, have not only brought the message of malaria elimination to thousands of travellers but have also created meaningful employment for a team of young entrepreneurs.
Lebo Mokoena, Retail Cart Programme Manager, shared: “The impact of our retail carts has been nothing short of incredible - from empowering local crafters whose handmade products fill our shelves, to creating jobs for young people recruited from communities near the airports.” She added, “It’s a brilliant example of a circular economy in action, where every sale contributes directly to the fight to eliminate malaria in our region.”
The ripple effect of purpose-driven partnerships
As we mark World Malaria Day, this story stands as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when people and purpose align. This collaboration is more than a partnership - it’s a movement. A movement built on empathy, enterprise, and enduring hope. From airport carts to restaurant tills, and from rural homes to global conversations, each bracelet sold is a thread in a much larger story - one of dignity, opportunity, and the dream of a malaria-free Africa.
Get your Relate Goodbye Malaria Bracelets online https://shop.goodbyemalaria.com/collections/bracelets and support this worthy cause.