Limpopo, August 6th, 2014 – Just a few days ago, 5 Limpopo MECs were handed back control over their departments. In a province where financial mismanagement threatened to paralyze service delivery, national government took control of almost half of Limpopo’s departments including education, health, public works, roads and transport and treasury. It has taken the administration more than two-and-a half years to bring financial stability and sustainability to the affected departments.
In a move to support the province and
some of its greatest assets, Breadline Africa in partnership with SHOUT SA launched
a brand new SEED library at Pondo Combined School based in the Mopani District
of Limpopo. Reading is a fundamental function in society. Most of our daily
activities depend on the ability to read and people are limited in what they
can accomplish without good reading and comprehension skills.
In the Annual National Assessments of
2013, the Department of Basic Education reported a direct relationship between
literacy results and learner access to resources. In comparing grade 6 learner
achievement levels based on government ranked poverty quintiles, the 2013
scores revealed a 16% difference in First Additional Language (FAL) results
between those schools least resourced and those with good access. For Limpopo,
being one of the two least resourced provinces in public education resource
access in South Africa, this investment by SHOUT SA is certainly welcome.
Whilst education remains a top priority
for government, non-profit and private sector organisations like Breadline
Africa and Shout SA are pleased to be supporting government in its efforts by
investing into primary level education. “The Mandela Day Libraries project is a
simple yet impactful and sustainable initiative,” says Jade Orgill, Breadline
Africa Project Manager. “We need to inspire a love of reading in a way that has
a positive impact on literacy at primary school level. The art and discipline
of reading is absolutely essential in gearing our children to become tomorrow’s
leaders. Investing in education is so important if we are to make significant
inroads into transformation.”
At the launch, school Principle Mr.
Mkansi said, “The children of Pondo Combined Primary School are inspired to
achieve the many wonderful things around them but don’t necessarily know how.
Books are a way of inspiring children and a way of allowing them to live into
their dreams.”
Breadline Africa is looking forward to
launching many more Mandela Day Libraries across South Africa in the upcoming
months – the benefit of which ensures that South Africa’s children have the
opportunity to access the wonderful world of reading, one book at a time.
For
more information on Breadline Africa please visit: http://breadlineafrica.org/
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About Breadline Africa:
Breadline Africa, one of the biggest
suppliers of converted containers for poverty relief in Southern Africa, has
provided over 200 containers to poverty stricken communities since their
establishment in 1993. The South Africa based NGO, which works with children
and young adults, specialises in renovating disused shipping containers and
recycling them for essential community purposes.
The containers are renovated and used as
community kitchens to serve food to the very poor, day care centres for
children, sports club changing rooms, health clinics, ablution blocks, educare
centres, libraries and media centres in schools.
Issued
on behalf of Breadline Africa by CLE Communications
For media enquiries or interviews please
contact:
Nicole Powell or Camilla Spice on (021)
762 6001
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