School shoes made of recycled material are given to Zandspruit learners
Zandspruit children gratefully receive school shoes made of recycled material.
Jukskei Park cyclist Vusi Sindane handed over his first 100 pairs of school shoes made from recycled material, to a school in Zandspruit.
Sindane cycled from Limpopo to Cape Town to raise money for 10 000 pairs of school shoes, which were (and can still be) donated for R100 a pair. He completed the 3 000km over 37 days in April and May and had many fascinating stories about his experiences.
ALSO READ: Watch: Vusi Sindane recounts cycling from Limpopo to Cape Town
Masakhane Tshelelopele Primary School held a special assembly with its roughly 1 000 Grade 1 learners, only a small portion of whom would go home with new shoes. This is because Sindane will spend the coming months travelling the country giving hundreds, and indeed thousands, of pairs of school shoes to those most in need.
These shoes came in gift bags that donors signed. They also bore the handprint of Sindane’s energetic and caring young daughter, Zia, who helped on the day.
Principal Anna Lebethe thanked Sindane and the Tebogo Kgonyane Foundation, which is partnering with him to identify schools in need, for the shoes. She said the school is sometimes burdened by its vast numbers of children and there are nine classes of Grade 1s alone. Many of these children come from families that struggle to put food on the table, and school uniforms can be expensive.
Patience Tshaka from the foundation commended Sindane on such a feat and urged the learners to tell their teachers if they ever had needs, because the teachers can contact the foundation.
Sindane said, “Thank you for allowing us to come. You can become anything you set your mind on becoming – a farmer, teacher, or doctor, anything is possible.”
North Riding Secondary School Grade 12 learner Luyanda Mabasa also encouraged the learners to follow their dreams.
Before the visitors left, a group of learners came onto the stage and performed a song with actions about their gratitude and the importance of children in the world.
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