ABOUT 25 disadvantaged children are jumping for joy, thanks to Ugu District Mayor Ntombifikile Gumede’s ‘Put Foot in Shoe’ campaign.
Shoes and lunch boxes were handed out to the children of Macebo Primary in Kwacele by Councillor Gumede recently and more goodwill visits to other schools are in the pipeline.
Key stakeholders in the community are encouraged to join in with the initiative through the mayor’s office.
The municipality has also pledged to make contributions towards school uniforms and learning material.
“Our president mandated all spheres of government to make sure that a child is not denied education regardless of any circumstance,” said Cllr Gumede.
Ugu also has an active sanitary dignity campaign programme for impoverished young girls who cannot afford to supply themselves with sanitary towels.
Cllr Gumede said that research had shown that falling marks and dropout rates in the district were exacerbated as impoverished households could not cope with daily school needs that many others took for granted.
