Just 67 minutes were all that Buco hardware needed to make a difference in Singabantu Sonke Preschool in Marite on July 18.
The school comprises 41 children aged up to 5 with three teachers. It is a community-based project and is not funded by any organisation or registered with the Department of Education. Although the premises was in a bad condition, its biggest need was running water.
Buco donated pipes and fittings, as well as a JoJo water tank to provide the school with permanent running water. It was quite a challenge as the closest water source was about 500 metres away, but the team put in hard work to create a better environment for the children.
The day of goodwill didn’t end there as the team also helped the Mbuyane family, residing in a shack in Madros Village, Marite, to get running water. The family of five consists of a girl and three boys, one of which is not mentally fit, and their unemployed mother.
The idea of Mandela Day was inspired by Nelson Mandela at his 90th birthday celebration in London’s Hyde Park in 2008 when he said, “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens.
It is in your hands now.” The United Nations officially declared July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day in November 2009, recognising Mandela’s “values and his dedication to the service of humanity” and acknowledging his contribution “to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world”.
