Hundreds of volunteers unite to transform Soweto school for Mandela Day
The Adopt-a-School Foundation and its partners launched sustainable improvements at Thathani Primary School, with more infrastructure upgrades planned beyond Mandela Day.
A Mandela Day initiative at Thathani Primary School brought together businesses, volunteers and community partners to improve learning spaces and equip learners with skills for the future.
The project combined infrastructure upgrades, literacy programmes and technology initiatives to create a lasting educational legacy.
Thathani Primary School received a major boost on July 17, as 267 volunteers from 18 organisations joined forces to renovate classrooms, establish a vegetable garden, donate books and introduce coding and robotics activities in celebration of Mandela Day.
ALSO READ: Paradys cast marks Mandela Day with school makeover in Eldorado Park
The annual Back to School for Mandela Day campaign, led by the Adopt-a-School Foundation in partnership with AngloGold Ashanti and several corporate partners, focused on creating sustainable improvements that will benefit the school’s 535 learners beyond the annual 67 minutes of service.
The volunteers decorated Grade R classes, planted vegetables, donated 600 books to the school library, read and told stories to the kids, engaged them in creative activities, and taught them about coding and robotics.
Addressing those who attended the event, Cyril Madiba of Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation said true social impact is created when organisations collaborate.
ALSO READ: Empact Group transforms Eldorado Park orphanage in Mandela Day makeover
“We love partnerships as a foundation because we know ourselves we can only do so much, but together we can do a lot. Meaningful social impact is achieved through collaboration between donors, implementation partners, volunteers, educators and the school community.
“We’d like to thank all the organisations that contributed today, and we also encourage the volunteers not only to complete the tasks but also to interact with the learners,” he said.
Steven Lebere, CEO of Adopt-a-School Foundation, explained that the day’s activities focused on making a sustainable impact through teamwork.
“Today is really about partnership, where various companies and influencers are coming together to make a significant and sustainable contribution at Thathani Primary School on Mandela Day.
“Today’s activities involve renovating the Grade R classrooms, planting a vegetable garden and focusing on literacy programmes. These contributions reflect true partnership, and we’d like to thank all our partners for helping create sustainable impact and change the lives of our learners,” he said.
ALSO READ: Mandela Day brings lasting impact to Eldorado Park special needs centre
Ntombi Dlamini, the SGB member, thanked the sponsors and organisations that had invested in the school and encouraged them to support other schools too.
“I’m grateful to all the sponsors, organisations and NGOs. Please continue with the good work. I know there are other schools, and what you are doing should not only happen at Thathani but continue empowering learners’ lives everywhere,” she said.
Thathani Primary School principal Nelisiwe Msibi said the school was honoured to receive the support.
“Today we are celebrating Mandela Day with the Adopt-a-School Foundation, and we feel honoured and grateful for the support from the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation and all the partners who have made this day possible,” she said.
Through the day, volunteers from various companies such as AngloGold Ashanti, Cell C, and Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation engaged in activities like classroom painting, creative arts, educational games, reading classes and creation of the school’s vegetable garden. Students were also exposed to robotics sessions aimed at developing their digital skills for the future.
This was part of the organisation’s R1.3m investment in the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s whole-school development programme, which involves infrastructure development, literacy, technology, student well-being, and community engagement to improve education outcomes.
ALSO READ: Local netball club celebrates Mandela day in style
The organisation stated that the improvement activities at this school would continue even after Mandela Day, with the next stage involving the replacement of broken classroom floor tiles and doors, the improvement of drainage around the Grade R building, walkway improvements, and the installation of a water back-up system.
