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VOC announces stationery beneficiary

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With a few days to go before the official handover, VOC has announced that Stephen Road Primary School in Lotus River will be the beneficiary for the VOC Makro 2015 Stationery Drive. The decision was made after listeners were asked to nominate a worthy school. The team had a short list of several schools most in Mitchell’s Plain, Lotus River and the surrounding areas. Following a nomination, the station’s project team visited the school to see its circumstances.

“I was told a parent nominated us and I still don’t know who it is. Then I got an email from VOC notifying us that we are the beneficiary of the initiative,” says principal Aubrey De Wet.

This year’s campaign is also partnered with humanitarian NGO Muslim Hands. It entailed schools in impoverished areas being nominated by parents or members of the community.

Stephen Road Primary School is situated in Stephen Road, Lotus River. The school has 90 educators and 562 students registered for 2015. The school serves a very impoverished community of farmworkers, marble flats and the staff are trying their utmost to best to assist learners. The school has a functional feeding scheme providing daily meals to more than 350 learners. The school is currently accommodating an extra 64 learners which they took in from Phillipi.

“We took in 64 more learners from a school in Phillipi that could not facilitate them. When I became the principal I encountered the challenges which the school encounters and it’s tremendous,” says De Wet.

De Wet pointed out that the school faced major issues such as gangsterism, crime, drugs and poverty which has escalated in the surrounding area.

“We are so grateful for being part of the Stationery Drive. Thank you to everyone who was a part of making these children’s lives better,” says De Wet.

150 stationery packs each with a backpack will be issued to the school. These packs include the stationery that is prescribed by the school placed in a backpack and handed to the students at the school.

“We don’t just dump all the stationery at the school,” says Muslim Hands director Imraan Roomaney.

“We aim to feed all the learners and staff members at the school as well as equip them for school. We plan on cooking a few pots of Akani,” says Roomaney.

The NGO said it was appalled by the conditions that these learners have to learn in and will be assisted by over 50 volunteers to assist them with these tasks to improve the conditions.

“We want to improve the working conditions by improving the facilities particularly the portable toilets,’ says Roomaney.

Donors have until the 27 January to donate stationery towards the initiative.

Donations can be dropped off at: The Voice of the Cape, 2 Queens Park Avenue, Salt River, 7925 or at Muslim Hands Offices, 1 Carnie Road on corner of Klipfontein opposite Johnson road Kaberstan, Rylands. VOC


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