PICS: Gift of the Givers stretches its reach to Rabie Ridge

Rabie Ridge’s Dr Mathole Motshekga Primary School received a much-needed donation and visit from the non-governmental organisation Gift of the Givers together with the Department of Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi.

Gift of the Givers was founded by a South African medical doctor Imtiaz Sooliman in 1992 and has since grown to be one of the largest disaster relief organisations and the best African origins organisation in Africa.

They arrived with trucks full of goodies for both the children and the school, which is a disadvantaged container school in Rabe Ridge, mainly populated by underprivileged children coming from low-income backgrounds.

Proceedings kicked off with a prayer and musical piece from the school’s choir, followed by a small address from Emily Thomas, the national coordinator of Gift of the Givers, Ward 80 councillor Mokgoba Pagadi, MEC Lesufi and ended off with the keynote address coming from the minister.

The organisation gave away a stationery package to all the children and handed out uniforms to all the kitchen staff together with three months worth of food for the school’s feeding scheme.

Motshekga said the Department of Education has also been inspired to spread its wings and meet the organisation halfway through giving away pots and a new gas stove to assist in making the process of preparing food at school much easier.

The organisation has promised to return to the school and assist with some of their needs and improve the learning environment.

The children were over the moon with joy due to all the gifts they received and the fun morning they had with the speeches, songs and handovers.