The Indlulamithi Project was launched at Sacred Heart College on March 27.
During the launch, a soccer and netball festival took place where the Three2Six Project, United Church School, Yeoville Boys and Observatory Girls participated in the round-robin tournament.
Indlulamithi means giraffe in isiZulu.
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“Just as the giraffe eats the sweetest leaves from the tops of the trees and does not settle for anything at the bottom, our children will also not settle for anything other than the best. The questions again begged answers: What can we give to our children? How can we help our children believe in themselves, to believe that they deserve the best? How can we provide a safe environment for learning and playing?
“These questions have plagued like-minded principals of schools in Yeoville and surrounding areas,” said Sacred Heart College’s marketing co-ordinator Lynn Walker.
“Frustrated with the lack of resources and afraid for the security of the children in their care, these leaders met to discuss what could be done to make the streets of Yeoville safe again, so that children in this neighbourhood can enjoy a safe environment. As the father of our nation Nelson Mandela said, ‘Children are the most vulnerable citizens in any society and the greatest of our treasures’. Thus, the Indlulamithi Project was born,” said Walker.
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“By sharing resources like libraries, science laboratories and research centres, learners from both government and private schools will have access to high-quality learning and facilities.”
She said plans are underway to build concrete giraffes along popular walking routes which will house surveillance cameras, serve as wi-fi hotspots and display art from the children in the area.
The Indludlamithi Project attracted the attention of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) as it aligned with their “Our City, Our Block” campaign.
“This is a strategic project that JDA has implemented to engage with relevant stakeholders to build partnerships and develop communities. The Ratepayers Association, SAPS and security companies, NGOs, religious institutions, property developers and community members were also recruited to collaborate on this project,” said Walker.
