Soroptimists in Salisbury are asking for bra donations to send to Africa

Founder of ZABRA, the Afreebra initiative, Jeanette Kruger said: “The SI Salisbury Group is making a massive collection which is amazing.”

Ms Kruger started the charity in 2015 when she realized none of her local charity shops would sell the four bras she was donating.

She said: “They were either going to throw them away or send them to be recycled.”

Originally from South Africa, the founder knew there was a “great need” in her home country and asked friends and family to send her unwanted bras.

“Before I knew it, I had 120 bras and I realized I should let more people know,” she said. “We started a Facebook page in 2015 and over nine years we’ve received 200,000 articles.”

These went to 50 countries and 250 charities and projects, Ms Kruger said.

Most of the bras donated in the UK will travel to the Rural Smile Foundation in Ghana, including those donated from SI Salisbury.

Ms Kruger said the importance of donating the bra cannot be understated.

“If a woman has to put food on the table for her family, she’ll buy a bra.”

The SI Salisbury campaign will run until the end of June, with donation points at Five Rivers Leisure Center and 60 Endless Street.