Life becomes pants all round as Space01 adopts Smalls for All as its official charity

Space01 today proudly claimed it had launched the ‘most pants website ever’. It would be hard to disagree as the charity Smalls for All, on whose behalf the site was launched, has to date collected over 25,000 pairs of knickers and distributed them to women and children in poor countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Space01 normally specialises in Financial Services marketing but when Smalls for All founder Maria MacNamara, talked to Space01 about what she was doing to help protect African women the agency’s resources were put at her disposal.

Whilst volunteering in Africa, Maria discovered that many women and children in poor areas couldn’t afford underwear.  Even more worrying was the fact that lack of underwear has become a major social problem – those without underwear are looked on as inferior and are often the victims of sexual abuse.

‘The fact that many women and children can’t afford underwear means they fall victim to disease and attack,’ says Macnamara. ‘Quite simply in many parts of Africa a pair of pants bestows a sense of dignity on a female and protects her.  Smalls for All supports these women and children by donating underwear.  We also help them to become self-sufficient by supporting children’s education and small local projects.’

As Space 01 Creative Partner Paul Brooks points out, Smalls for All has a very unusual charity model:

‘Smalls for All asks donors to give new women’s knickers and “gently” worn bras,’ he says. ‘That means people who contribute know 100% of their gift is going straight to the heart of the cause.  It’s a simple idea, and as any agency creative knows simple ideas are always the most compelling. 25,000 pairs of pants go to show this is the most pants website ever!’

Space01 has worked with Smalls for All almost since its inception, and launched a new version of the website on October 31st at www.smallsforall.org

Space01 has now adopted Smalls for All as its formal charity and for 2012 will be sending 366 pairs of ladies briefs (one for every day of the year) to Africa.