Desks donation lifts spirits at school

Grade R pupils with their teachers.

Management at Soyisile Primary School in Khayelitsha commended a donation by a good Samaritan, saying its newly furnished classrooms are now far more conducive to learning.

An investment company donated close to 500 desks for Grade R, 1, 2, and 3 pupils.

According to the school’s principal, Mongezi Tshikila, the classes had broken chairs, which children were unable to use.

The situation, he said, was turned around by a donation from Matrix Investments, with the desks having made a huge difference in pupils’ lives.

“Everyone is impressed with the new desks. They have made life easy for teachers and children. They are of good material and are strong. They are a godsend,” he said.

Grade R pupils who came with placards bearing thank-you messages to the donors, were equally impressed. They said they loved their new learning environment.

Deputy principal Xoliswa Mexico described Matrix as “fathers” of the school and promised that they would see the impact their donation had had on the children.

Robert Coombe, director of business at Matrix, said his organisation’s number one priority was to contribute toward children’s education.

He said they were a small company but lucky to have a corporate social investment budget. “We do not have a big budget. We are a very small firm but we are lucky to be able to help where we can. It is great to hear that desks made a meaningful contribution to teachers and pupils. We know the life of a teacher is not an easy one. If we can make a difference we are happy,” said Mr Coombe.

He said they were looking forward to helping the school grow educationally. “It is a privilege for us to have helped Soyisile,” he said.

School governing body (SGB) chairperson Xolisa Voki said many parents were unemployed so it was difficult for them to contribute to the school. “The desks have helped children to manoeuvre well in the class. They have (also) made it easy for teachers to interact with the children. They all look comfortable. We are grateful to the donors,” he said.

He said schools in the townships needed more people who could help them but emphasised that he was grateful for the help Soyisile was getting from Matrix.