Shoppers help schools - to the tune of R104.9 million
Repairing a burnt-out kitchen and funding occupational therapy for pupils:
Several thousand educational projects in South Africa – ranging from critical‚ basic needs in poverty-stricken communities‚ to more advanced needs such as computer centres‚ mobile libraries and sporting facilities – have been funded by shoppers at a major retail chain.
The MySchool ‘Raise R100 million for Education’ campaign has in fact managed to raise R104.9 million‚ exceeding the original target of R100 million set in April 2015‚ Woolworths announced on Thursday.
"This milestone could only be achieved thanks to the support of our customers and active MySchool cardholders who participated in the campaign between April 2015 and December 2016‚" the company said.
Woolworths CEO‚ Zyda Rylands‚ described the achievement as a positive step in ongoing efforts to ensure that every child is given a chance to get good education.
“I am proud to say thank you to our customers and to South Africa as a whole for rising to this challenge – together we did it. Every swipe of your MySchool card contributed to helping us meet the needs of schools‚ charities and communities across the country.”
“While we are delighted to have reached this milestone‚ the challenge to improve education in South Africa is an ongoing task and we remain committed to playing our part."
The campaign is ongoing.
Pieter Twine‚ MySchool’s General Manager‚ said that over the years the fundraising platform has played a significant part in improving the quality of education in the schools that participate in the programme.
“We work in partnership with schools across South Africa with the aim of improving education at a foundational level. To date‚ MySchool has funded several thousand educational projects in South Africa – ranging from critical‚ basic needs in poverty-stricken communities‚ to more advanced needs such as computer centres‚ mobile libraries and sporting facilities.
The success of the ‘Raise R100 million For Education’ campaign is further evidence of how small efforts by Woolies’ customers are making a big difference in the lives of school children who need it the most‚” said Twine.
Since the beginning of the campaign‚ the funds raised have helped thousands of scholars through various educational initiatives and structured support‚ including:
- Upgrades to classrooms and new toilet facilities at Thohoyandou Primary School in Pretoria;
- The purchase of over 5‚500 Tutudesks for rural schools in the Eastern Cape‚ so schoolchildren now have something to write and draw on;
- The development of a sensory botanical garden at Athlone School For The Blind‚ Cape Town;
- The extension of the Bricklaying Workshop at Westridge High School‚ a technical skills training college in Durban;
- Vissershok Primary School‚ a rural farm school that services the Du Noon informal settlement‚ was able to replace their guttering and down pipes;
- Hout Bay High School purchased back-to-school stationery packs for all their learners;
- Laerskool Elarduspark started a feeding scheme for learners who come to school without food;
- The Willows Nursery School used their MySchool funds to subsidise school fees for low income families;
- Gene Louw Primary School funded occupational therapy for learners who cannot afford it; and‚
- Emisebeni Primary School repaired their kitchen which had burned down‚ so they able to provide school meals again.