In August 2018, at the age of 13, junior Josh Roth embarked on a near month-long reformative trip.  Alongside his family, Roth visited Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.  This life-altering trip ignited a spark within him, leading to a passion for helping others, and encouraging him to find ways to give back.

“We spent four  days in Cape Town, South Africa, which included time spent in Khayelitsha, a nearby township.  Townships generally refer to the underdeveloped, racially segregated urban areas that have been reserved for non-whites in South Africa,” said Roth.

While visiting South Africa, Roth witnessed firsthand some of the nation’s struggles, which are portrayed in the media. .  In an interview with Roth, he explained how many educational necessities were not present in school settings, especially in Khayelitsha.  “As many as forty children, across all age ranges, are often taught by one teacher at a time.  Most of these children sit on the floor because there are not enough plastic desks and chairs for all the children to sit in the classroom.  There are very few school supplies.  There generally isn’t even a common bathroom for the children to use,” said Roth.

As a result of his tour of Khayelitsha, Roth began to consider ways he could directly impact some of the people living in South Africa.  He wanted to provide these African townships with more of the same basic necessities and educational opportunities that he and other fortunate children are granted.  It was vital to him, after his visit to South Africa, that he do his part to make a difference in those poorer townships.

Roth founded Love S.A. to make a meaningful and impactful difference..  Love S.A. is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, in which one hundred percent of donations are contributed to the mission of the company.  Through this nonprofit, Roth takes a modern and realistic approach by accepting and delivering donations.  He works in conjunction with other South African organizations to carefully procure and select care packages.  Furthermore, the money he raises through fundraising efforts is given directly to support initiatives within the townships. 

“At a high level, Love S.A. is designed to create better educational opportunities for children in African townships while, at the same time, helping their families become more self-sustainable.  I created Love S.A. in an effort to do my part to help end the cycle of despair and empower the amazing township residents to become more immersed in and valuable contributors to the broader society,” said Roth in the nonprofit’s mission statement. 

By spreading his purpose, Roth is able to continue and extend his charitable endeavours.  He encourages people to follow Love S.A. on social media to see updates and also to share fundraising ideas.  

You can find Love SA on Instagram: @lovesafoundation, on Twitter: @lovesafndn, and on the website: www.lovesafoundation.org. Roth is also available for contact through email at [email protected].  

As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, a way for students and teachers to give back is through supporting and donating to Love S.A.

“Any support would be much appreciated, whether it’s through, for example, sharing the Love S.A. mission with your friends and family, getting involved in Love S.A’s work or even making a small donation.  You can even buy some Love S.A. merchandise too, with 100% of the profits going to help South African children and families,” said Roth.