Giving light to pupils in Actonville

Enabling Africa and four other companies collaborated on a project to bring 1 000 solar lights to Actonville Primary School, on Wednesday (August 24).

August 27, 2016

Khutso Maphatsoe 1 minute read

Actonville Primary School pupils show how bright the solar lights shine in a dark room, They are, (from left): Sibusiso Ndebele, Nhlanhla Shamase, Itumeleng Makhubalo, Ntokozo Mthembu and Gontse Molapo.

The idea was inspired by the warm and loving spirit of the children, and the company decided they wanted to give the youngsters something to take home.

“These children come from desperate home environments, in a community characterised by high levels of poverty, unemployment and substance abuse,” said Chris Kelway, CEO of Enabling Africa.

“Even the simple task of completing their homework in the evenings is complicated by a lack of resources.

“This puts them at an educational disadvantage right from the start and hampers their ability to perform well at school.”

According to Kelway, Enabling Africa aims to challenge corporates in South Africa to contribute to this initiative.

The children were in high spirits when they were told they would each be receiving a solar lantern to take home; each pupil was also given a sponsored meal.

“I’m ecstatic, this coincides so beautifully with our Mandela Day initiative, with the promotion of reading,” said Venessa Moodley, the principal of Actonville Primary School.

“Now we have this ‘light to read project’, which means no children will have excuses about not reading,” she said.

According to Moodley, receiving this gift of light will enhance their educational skills and accelerate the performance levels in their curriculum.

Moodley believes in creating partnerships with companies on various projects that will be beneficial to the school and take it to the next level.