Pupils in Alexandra schools are among the 3,1 million in the country needing desks and chairs to perform well in their school work.
This was said by the SA Taxi Foundation, a subsidiary of SA Taxi, when donating 1 350 DeskBags from PRWorx to pupils at Zenzeleni Primary School. SA Taxi is a financier of the taxi industry.
The DeskBags cost R100 to R130 each and are made of durable recyclable material with a reinforced front flap which, when lifted becomes an instant desktop. The bags can last the entire school period if well cared for.
The foundation’s director Kalnisha Singh said while Zenzeleni may be better equipped than other more rural schools, it was chosen as a beneficiary by local taxi members because of the poverty of many of its learners. “Children’s education extends to the home, and most of them at Zenzeleni come from extremely poor households with no space or money to purchase household furniture for children to sit on when doing homework. They will use the DeskBags when seated on the floor, in the school yard, at parks and other open spaces,” she said.
The foundation also gives bursaries to needy children for university study and supports its members to improve their business operations through free advanced driver training, road safety and regulations training.
“We further support them through taxi media advertising of social services and business opportunities, and train them in business skills and customer care,” she said.
The occasion was attended by 2014 Mr South Africa contestant Armond du Plessis and Miss Earth finalist Shannon Roscher.
Armond, who is a final year law student at the University of Pretoria said, “I major in child law so that I can help children as they are close to my heart. Education is the appropriate platform to affirm their rights, especially for poor children,” he said.
Roscher, a partner in DeskBags, is involved in various children’s charity projects such as school vegetable gardens and hospitals. She has been chosen ‘best up and coming public relations practitioner in SA’ by Public Relations Institute of South Africa.
Commending the donation, Zenzeleni’s principal Thandi Gumede said the DeskBags would be distributed to each child. “The donation is a major contribution to educating the African child. They [DeskBags] will replace the plastic bags used by children to carry their books and help restore their self esteem,” she said.
