Support young learners’ everyday needs

Parktown Boys’ High School appealed to their school family and greater community to support their feeding scheme for less fortunate learners.

The project was started by the school’s charity organisation, Heart of the Lion, which is led by teachers Eurika Fourie and Mymoena Watson alongside a committed group of learners.

At present, 11 learners are supported by the project with food parcels on a weekly basis as well as breakfast and lunch.
The project was prompted by the start of lockdown to support learners whose caregivers had lost their income as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Parent at the school Tracy Naidoo said, “Lockdown has unfortunately been harsher to these families. The kids arrive at school with no meal for the day.”

Watson said, “Our aim is to collect even more food parcels for our learners. We have a strong belief that charity starts at home and therefore believe that it is our responsibility to help our learners who are less fortunate but give so much back to our school on the sports field, in cultural and academic spheres.”

Community members were encouraged to support these families with donations of vegetables, rice, maize, tinned food, sugar, tea, coffee, long life milk and any other food products or toiletries.

Watson said the school desired to instil compassion and empathy for the less fortunate in their learners.

“We make our boys aware as to how fortunate and privileged they are for what they have and not to take anything for granted.”
Watson added, “By instilling these values, we want them to know that they need to appreciate, not just the meals they enjoy every single day, but also to share with the needy as much as they can. It is their social responsibility to reach out to the less fortunate – not to be recognised but because it is the right thing to do.”

Locals can drop off any contributions at the school during office hours or contact the school on 011 642 4531 for enquiries.