- Batho Pele Convention launched the Soweto Alumni League of Public Schools on 10 October, asking former pupils for R3,000 yearly.
- An 83-year-old pensioner who never attended a Soweto school plans to give R3,000 from savings because she says education matters.
An 83-year-old pensioner who never attended a Soweto school plans to donate R3,000 to improve schools in the township.
She believes education is important for the country’s future and says children deserve a good learning environment. The donation is once-off and will come out of her savings.
She and her husband live on their pensions. Their biggest monthly costs are groceries, levies and medical aid, which she said go up every year. She said the donation will not make much difference to her finances.
Before retiring, she was a researcher at Statistics South Africa, gathering information about people’s social and economic circumstances. She was also an occupational therapist who often worked with vulnerable children. She said part of that work shaped her decision to always give back.
“My husband and I always make sure to donate to such initiatives,” she said.
She has backed an education cause before, helping an organisation called The Link, which visited schools to help learners improve their numeracy.
“I want us to help each other as much as we can,” she said.
She hopes more people will support the initiative.
The Batho Pele Convention launched the Soweto Alumni League of Public Schools on Saturday, 10 October. It asks former Soweto learners to give R3,000 a year to improve public schools in the township.
Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of the Batho Pele Convention told Scrolla.Africa the first schools to benefit have not been chosen. Another meeting will follow once people have made their contributions.
“At this stage, first things first, contributions,” Ndlozi said.
An online payment gateway will be ready on Tuesday, 20 October, and he will send the link once it is live.
Soweto has 212 public schools, including primary, high and combined schools, according to the Department of Basic Education.
