In line with the International Nelson Mandela Day, SEIFSA once again visited Phumula Gardens Primary School, in Erkuhuleni to carry out some much-needed renovations. This year, Team SEIFSA collaborated with Macsteel making the 2019 Mandela Day even bigger and better.

On the day, the Team renovated and painted the library, contributed towards empowering small business owners by bringing them on board to install a burglar door, which was donated by Macsteel as well as window mesh for windows and classes situated in areas vulnerable to break-ins.

In addition to carrying out the renovations and upgrading security, Team SEIFSA also painted murals for the school using a professional stencil artist who drew the sketches, while the SEIFSA TEAM painted the pictures. The pencil painting of Madiba produced by the artist was framed and handed to the school.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, in 2014 SEIFSA, adopted Phumula Gardens Primary School as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. Since our adoption of the school, we have donated several items, including old office furniture, which is currently being used in classrooms.

During last year’s Mandela Day, Team SEIFSA visited the school and carried out renovations needed at the time. The Team also planted four vegetable gardens, this to help the school eradicate extreme poverty.

Inspite of SEIFSA’s ongoing contributions, the school and its children who typically come from child-headed households and live in RDP houses nearby remain poor and in desperate need of donations.

School Principal Ms Mazaka said some of the urgent items currently required by the children include:

Sanitary towels

School uniforms for children with poor parents or no parents at all,

Soccer and netball kits as well as different-sized poles for the burgeoning netball programme at the school

Ms Mazaka also told SEIFSA News that it is currently impossible to hold an assembly consistently, especially in winter, as there is no space that shelters approximately 2000 from the cold in the morning. In addition, there is no shelter for learners when they wait outside the school for transport in the afternoon.

We would, therefore, like to appeal to SEIFSA member companies to work with us in helping change lives at Phumula Gardens.

No contribution is too small: it could be material, financial or take any form.