Johannesburg - As schools welcome back learners for the second term, the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms Pinky Kekana, this week, delivered much-needed school stationery to learners in Diepsloot.
Stationery is an essential requirement for learning. However, not all parents have the financial means to equip their children for school, and this creates a barrier to successful learning.
The GMA heeded the call by the non-profit organisation Afrika Tikkun to donate stationery to the Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot. The stationery donation includes 900 scientific calculators, 900 maths sets, 1800 exercise books and the Gautrain children’s book on climate change, Yolisa’s Mighty Mission.
Afrika Tikkun supports underprivileged children and youth through cradle-to-career developmental programmes. It is a leading non-profit organisation in education, skills development, and socio-economic upliftment.
The GMA first partnered with Afrika Tikkun in 2017 in support of the NGO’s child and youth development programme, which offers after-school educational assistance to help young people in schools to have better academic outcomes. In October 2022, GMA started supporting the stationery donation drive when GMA staff donated stationery as part of the Employee Social Investment Programme.
According to Afrika Tikkun, for some children, even the most basic school supplies are a luxury. Afrika Tikkun’s Back-to-School Drive offers learners access to quality learning material so that they have the best chance to excel in school.
“The right to education is a fundamental human right. Hence, it is important to remove any barriers that may prevent learners from performing at their best. We could not pass up an opportunity to provide basic supplies required to perform the school work that awaits learners when classes begin,” GMA Acting Chief Executive Officer Tshepo Kgobe said.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Pinky Kekana, said being a teacher by profession, there was no way she could say no to this invitation.
“I know what it means to you. Your journey is bright because you have organisations such as Afrika Tikkun and the Gautrain that want to give you the necessary support. If you embrace education, if you take this guidance, surely your future will be bright,” Kekana said.
One of the learners at the event, Tshegofatso Molepo, said: ‘’You believe in us. You believe we will make it in life. You gave us stationary, and that has left smiles on our faces. You have empowered us to be free from the tree of poverty.’’