Gugulethu dance school needs water helping hand
FOR three decades, the Zama Dance School in Gugulethu has trained young dancers and choreographers and helped equip them with a sense of pride, self-discipline and achievement.
But like many other groups, the school is also affected by the water crisis.
Andrew Warth, the school’s director, said he was aware of the threat the drought posed to the students’ well-being.
“Zama Dance School has provided a safe and nurturing learning environment for hundreds of at-risk children in Gugulethu and surrounding townships.
Water is vital for the daily functioning of our dance school, which for many has become a second home,” he said.
For Zama to continue to operate, they needed an alternate water system, one that did not rely solely on municipal water. The solution was simple: water tanks that connected to the plumbing system, so the toilets could flush and the dancers could shower, he said.
The cost and installation was approximately R26 700, while R3 300 would be used to purchase non-potable water from a licensed source to fill the tanks before the rainy season, said Warth.
Zama do not have the funds for this operation, but radio station Fine Music Radio has stepped in.
Station manager Mark Jennings said he was confident Zama could be helped.
“Time and time again our listeners have proved to be deeply altruistic. At the moment, the 100 students who attend the dance school in the afternoons have been instructed not to flush the loos, or shower.
“We want to plumb in a 5 000 litre water tank that will give them 550 flushes per tank-load. It’s not a lot when you think that R30 000 breaks down to R300 a dance student, ” he said.
* To donate, visit FMR.co.za or call 021 401 1013 during office hours.
THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE DANCE SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOONS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO FLUSH THE LOOS, OR SHOWER