Sad faces of needy grade 1 pupils without school stationery on their first day were suddenly filled with never ending smiles, thanks to Solidarity Helping Hand. The project started in 2007 to help needy grade 1 Afrikaans pupils.
The fund, situated in Hermanstad, works in conjunction with its main branch in Centurion. So far they have donated more than four hundred suitcases in Pretoria and more than five thousand nationally.
Westerlig. Generaal Beyers, Booysens, Generaal Nicolas Smit primary schools and Laerskool Hermanstad are some of the schools that received the suitcases filled with pens, pencils, colouring pens, rulers and books.
Pieter Steenkamp, a Tshwane metro police
officer and member of the fund says the project brings a change in the lives of these pupils in need. “We want these pupils to have a good education just as any other pupil,” he says. Pieter urges community members to join the fund. “Joining the fund will broaden the project, which will result in more and better changes in many needy children’s lives,” he says.
The principal of Booyens Primary School, Vivian Buchholtz is grateful for what the fund did for his school. “We really appreciate it, as some children cannot afford to buy stationery and some cannot pay school fees, so once again I say on behalf of all, we really appreciate it,” says Vivian.
The executive director of Solidarity Helping Hand Dr Danie Langner shortly explained what the reason behind the project is.
“Every grade 1 pupil needs basic stationery to have a good start. That is why the fund is distributing these suitcases. The project was initially started in Pretoria but then we saw the need was actually bigger than we expected and we saw the need to go on a national scale,” he says.
Any school in South Africa is welcome to apply for the supply of the stationery and any community member can join the fund,” he added.
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