Excitement was evident on the faces of staff and learners of Siyabulela and Mokone primary schools in Langa when they received school shoes from the Speaker of the Western Cape Parliament Masizole Mnqasela.
The learners received the shoes on Tuesday 24 May. Mnqasela handed over 180 pairs at Mokone before handing over another 140 at Siyabulela.
According to him, the handover was done in collaboration with the Youth4LifeSA and Samaritan’s Feet SA, a humanitarian non profit organisation that provides disadvantaged kids with school shoes.
Mnqasela described the initiative as Shoes of Hope. The aim is to interact and inspire young children to be better persons. “I believe that for any country to succeed it needs to prioritise education of its population through empowering programmes and by making education fashionable,” said Mnqasela.
He said with the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative impact on the economy, parents have sleepless nights thinking about where their next meal is going to come from and buying school shoes is the least of their problems.
Ward 51 councillor Lwazi Phakade thanked Mnqasela for bringing such a programme in the community.
He said some of the learners were affected by the recent shack fire in Joe Slovo.
“I take this opportunity to thank the Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament for coming and donating shoes and giving hope to these little learners from our schools who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“They can be able to do better even in their lives,” said Phakade.
Siyabulela Primary School Governing Body chair Siyabulela Xhamle said: “We are very excited, and thankful for the opportunity that has been granted to our learners. We serve an impoverished community. We always do need interventions to assist us in giving these children not just a good education, but bringing back their dignity.”
Mokone principal Zolile Raphahelo: said “We are so privileged that our school has also been chosen to be part of this initiative. Yes, the children will grow out of those shoes, but they will never forget the experience of receiving them from someone as important as the Speaker who asked them about their dreams for the future. It will serve as a reminder.”