Westgold’s Buddy Day sends a strong anti-bullying message
At Westgold, an anti-bullying initiative united learners, teachers and community partners for a safer school.
Learners at Laerskool Westgold Primary School took part in a heartfelt Anti-Bullying Awareness Campaign last month led by the school’s Soul Buddyz Club, and a simple balloon carried a powerful message.
School spokesperson Mariska du Plessis explained that the initiative, known as ‘Buddy Day’, encouraged learners to reflect on the way they treat one another.
“Each participating learner received a balloon with a message inside. While it may have seemed small, the balloon symbolised something much bigger – a person’s feelings, confidence, heart and sense of belonging. Throughout the day, learners carried their balloons as a reminder of how easily feelings can be hurt. Just as a balloon can burst in a second, so too can someone’s confidence be damaged by unkind words or exclusion,” she said.
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Mariska added that if a learner’s balloon remained intact by the end of tn steun Wes-Randse Skoolhe day, they were proudly awarded a Soul Buddyz Certificate in recognition of showing care, respect and self-control. If a balloon popped, it was not seen as punishment. Instead, learners received a reflection sheet to help them think about empathy, kindness and the impact of their behaviour.
She continued that the activity was designed to make the message practical and easy for learners to understand.
“We wanted our learners to physically carry a reminder of how fragile feelings can be. The balloon helped them understand that their words and actions matter every single day,” she said.
A shared community responsibility
As part of the campaign, every learner also received an Anti-Bullying Commitment Contract. The contract reinforced the shared responsibility between learners, parents and educators to create and maintain a safe and respectful school environment.
The campaign was further supported by members of the police who addressed learners about the seriousness of bullying and the importance of speaking up. Their presence highlighted that bullying is not only a school issue, but a community concern.
“When schools, parents and community partners work together, we send a strong message that bullying will not be tolerated. Protecting our children’s emotional well-being is everyone’s responsibility.”
One of the most moving moments of the day came when a learner from the Soul Buddyz Club bravely delivered a heartfelt speech about the impact of bullying, encouraging fellow learners to stand up for one another and choose kindness.
Building a culture of belonging
Behind the scenes, Mariska said the dedicated Soul Buddyz Facilitator Team worked tirelessly to ensure the initiative’s success.
“Their planning and teamwork transformed a simple idea into a meaningful experience that sparked reflection, open conversations and visible engagement across the school. Learners embraced Buddy Day with enthusiasm and maturity. The positive response from the school community confirmed that the campaign made a lasting impression,” she said.
The message of the day was clear:
• carry empathy
• carry responsibility
• carry kindness
• carry the decision to protect someone else’s feelings
As learners left the school grounds that afternoon, many did so with a deeper understanding that kindness is a choice and that protecting someone’s feelings can truly change a life.
“Through unity between educators, learners, parents and community partners, Westgold Primary School continues to build a culture where everyone belongs, everyone matters, and everyone feels safe,” Mariska concluded.
