Excitement and cheer reigned as Modubatse High School in Kgapane hosted a ‘School shoes hand-over’ for the learners on Thursday, March 14.
The event was attended by learners, teachers and the donor of the school shoes, Laelo Development Projects under Katlego Mokhaphame and his partner Musa Magongo.
Mokgaphame told the MOPANI HERALD that he had been thinking of a way to give back to the community where he grew up in, so he made a few calls to the schools in Kgapane.
He asked them what the learners needed.
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The most prevalent answer he got was that of learners not having proper school shoes.
“This is something I had been thinking of doing since the beginning of the year, so I asked my mother to help me with the project as she was once a teacher in Kgapane so she knows a few people around. After gathering the information needed, I decided on donating a total of 100 school shoes to the learners. My mother suggested that not all 100 shoes should go to one, but to divide it between two schools in the area,” said Mokgaphame.
The initiative brought warmth and a sense of relief to the parents of the Modubatse High School learners.
In agreement, they decided to thank the Laelo Development Projects team by indicating how much lighter they felt regarding this initiative.
“We, as the parents of the learners sitting here today, discussed it among ourselves and agreed that what you have done for us here today surely eases the weight on our shoulders as some of us cannot quite afford to get our children new school shoes while also having to provide extra study material for them. So we truly appreciate your kindness and we thank you for having made Modubatse one of your choices to donate to. This really means a lot to us,” said Suzan Ngobeni, who was giving a vote of thanks on behalf of the parents.
The organizer of the event, Mushathama Ngobeni told the HERALD that although the programme of the day was set out to be for the handing over of school shoes, there was a teacher that would be awarded something special for their effort to paint the school in good light.
Matome Sebola was awarded an Excellence Award for six distinctions obtained in 2018 and for one learner in the subject of Physical Sciences passing with 100%.
He was highly praised by his colleagues for his will to pass down knowledge to the learners in a manner that will carry them to greater heights.
The event closed off in excitement and song from the learners.