Initiative helps make a difference in pupils’ lives

With just days to go before schools reopen, more than 5 600 books were covered and delivered this week for Grades 1 and 2 pupils at Meetsing Primary School and Entokozweni Primary School.

Mmabana Primary is next in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, where nonprofit organisation Thusa Ngwanageno (Help your brethren) is hard at work.

The organisation, which is targeting at least 150 schools in Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga, is helping schools in underprivileged communities gear up for their new pupils who might fall short of stationery.

80% of pupils come from disadvantaged backgrounds

At least 80% of the pupils in the areas surrounding these schools come from disadvantaged backgrounds, according to Annah Phakgadi, the head of department for the foundation phase at Meetsing Primary.

She said this initiative has helped alleviate the stress of parents, the school and even pupils.

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“We feel honoured and blessed to have been chosen once again. Most of our pupils are from informal settlements and are transported by the department of education’s buses to get to school on a daily basis,” she said.

“Most of them, we have seen their situation from the lack of uniforms to school shoes and the inability to cover their books for weeks.”

Phakgadi said initially the school used to make provisions for underprivileged pupils.

“However, this was sometimes not enough and we would end up trying to take from our own pockets just to have a sense of uniformity and avoid bullying, but to Initiative helps make a difference in pupils’ lives school project also ensure the children are happy and can focus,” she said.

“So it has helped the school to save some of those resources in order to provide for more of them in higher grades.

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“At least we do not have to worry about our pupils from Grades 1 and 2 and mainly focus on the higher grades.

“I know it will put a smile on the children’s faces, because a happy child makes things easier and also creates a happy environment plus happy teachers.

“So, we know that we have at least alleviated the stress a little.”

Gearing up to cover at least 150 schools

Thusa Ngwanageno founder Dr John Molepo said this was only the beginning of the journey this year, as they gear up to cover at least 150 school in various provinces, including Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Gauteng.

“We are targeting various schools, particularly those surrounded by disadvantaged communities, so that we assist these pupils and their parents,” said Molepo.

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“But what is most important about this initiative is that we are creating uniformity among pupils for them to feel equal and not feel disadvantaged.

“This initiative aims to help young people from these communities to also plough back into their communities, because most of our volunteers are people who were previously supported by the initiative, but to also teach them to be able to cover their own school books.”

The organisation – which is known for assisting university students with their tuition fees, registration, learner’s and driving licences – has assisted a number of schools in the area, from painting some of the school walls, covering books and even donating uniforms and shoes to some.

Molepo urged those in surrounding communities who have the means, to watch out for his social media pages to see where they are heading next in order to join and lend a helping hand where they can.

Pledged support

Sediko Rakolote from the Progressive Social Economic Investment Trust, which is doing public benefit activities supporting education initiatives, pledged his support.

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He said such organisations were crucial to the pupils, “because they show them that no one is an island and that it’s important that where they can, they also come back and give to their communities which raised them”.

“Any initiative that is related to education assists in promoting the culture of teaching and learning by having volunteers come in to help cover books. It helps that, when pupils arrive the first day, they just go straight to classes, instead of starting to prepare their books,” he said.

“It assists in promoting the culture of community and unity within black communities.

“Most of the beneficiaries of these projects are pupils from very poor families and that’s why Dr Molepo is continuously doing this project,” Rakolote said.

“And the good thing is that he has got some of the beneficiaries that are here now.

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“Some are university graduates, they were part of the beneficiaries in some previous years, and now they are lending a hand in this project.

“That clearly shows us the strength of a community.”