News24 | Mom and daughter pay off PEP lay-bys, triggering strangers to do the same nationwide

Fay Coleman and her daughter, Megan Bobbert, urged people to visit their nearest branch and help with whatever amount they could afford.

• A Durban-based mother-and-daughter duo inspired a nationwide wave of giving by paying off school-uniform lay-bys and encouraging others to do the same.
• Their viral video, viewed more than 350 000 times, prompted many South Africans to contribute directly to PEP stores’ lay-by payments for struggling families.
• The initiative highlights a simple, practical way to help, with hopes of benefitting families in rural areas and inspiring future campaigns.

A Durban-based mother-and-daughter business has sparked a wave of small-scale giving across the country after paying off school uniform lay-bys at a local clothing store and urging others to do the same.

Image consultancy firm Image Insured, run by Fay Coleman and her daughter Megan Bobbert (née Coleman), posted a Facebook video encouraging South Africans to contribute to outstanding lay-bys at PEP stores as families struggle to cover back-to-school costs.

The post urged people to visit their nearest branches and pay whatever amount they could afford.

“You don’t have to pay off the whole amount; even just a portion goes a long way,” it read.

Megan told News24 that the idea was inspired by a message she saw on one of her mother’s group chats about a similar act of kindness.

“I thought this was such an easy and practical way for people to give, because so often people are overwhelmed by the need out there and don’t know where to start,” she said.

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Megan went to the Ballito Junction PEP branch, near where she lives, and settled three lay-bys worth between R2 000 and R3 000 before filming and posting a short video about the experience.

She said:

The clip quickly gained traction, reaching about 350 000 views within days, and prompted others to follow suit.

“My hope was that as many people as possible would see it and feel prompted to actually go in and pay something toward the uniforms,” Megan said.

Strangers started paying off lay-bys

She said strangers had since stopped her in public to say they had paid off lay-bys after seeing the video, while messages had come in from South Africans abroad asking how to contribute.

“We put the link for the online system. I didn’t even realise PEP had the lay-by buddy system on their website,” she said.

Megan added that she hoped the initiative would benefit families in smaller towns and rural areas, not only those near major shopping centres.

“When I went in and paid off those few, there were still quite a few left at that branch, so I’m pretty sure by now all of those have been paid,” she said.

The PEP stores at Ballito Junction confirmed that all current lay-bys for school-related items such as school uniforms and stationery had been paid off.

Former Miss SA-turned-businesswoman

The campaign is the latest in a long line of charitable efforts by the family business. Fay trained as an image consultant nearly four decades ago, and after Megan won Miss South Africa in 2006, the pair formally launched Image Insured in 2008.

“My mom and I have, from the start of our business, prayed every month and asked God where and how we can give,” Megan said, adding that most of their giving had previously been done quietly.

She said sharing this initiative publicly was different because it offered a simple, direct way for others to help without donating through an intermediary.

“Sometimes I see things on social media, and I’m overwhelmed by the need, and I want to help, but I don’t know how,” she said. “I think many people in South Africa feel the same.”

Megan said she hoped to run similar campaigns in the future, focusing on practical interventions that deliver immediate benefits to beneficiaries.

“I hope the word spreads far and wide again as it did for this campaign,” she said.

Spread the love by buying off a lay-by or two here.

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