Legacy lives on at school after death

‘The amount might be small, but for us it means the world’

THE community work that a Noordhoek businessman did at Lavender Hill’s Hillwood Primary School for two years before his death in a car accident in February will be continued by his family and friends through a new refurbishing project at the school.

So said Hillwood principal Gavin Alkana when highlighting plans Ian Macdonald had earlier this year to refurbish four Grade 1 classrooms at the school.

Following Macdonald’s death, his friend Rob Broster set up a campaign on donations-based crowdfunding platform BackaBuddy to honour his friend’s legacy.

The campaign went live last month, aiming to raise R90 000 to refurbish the Grade 1 classrooms. Within 24 hours the campaign raised R32682 and in less than a month generated a total of R130 451.66, with contributions from over 62 donors.

Alkana said he had met Macdonald in 2016 through the Partners for Possibilities organisation that works to improve conditions at disadvantaged schools.

They discussed staff appreciation, increasing literacy and numeracy, and developing the pupils’ value systems.

“We wanted to improve the infrastructure of our four Grade 1 classes. Unfortunately this did not materialise because of Ian’s passing, but his family and friends took over the project.

“The target we had set to paint the foundation phase tables, chairs and walls, and replace broken windows was R90 000 for the four classrooms, but we are standing at over R130 000 (through fund-raising by various benefactors of the school),” said Alkana.

As the R130 000 exceeds the amount targeted, the school decided to also upgrade four Grade 2 classrooms, he added.

“I feel overwhelmed by the assistance. For (benefactors) the amount might be small, but for us and our school it means the world, as it will change the atmosphere and conditions under which we want to bring positive change to delivering quality education at our school,” he said.

Broster said Macdonald had been instrumental in improving Hillwood Primary’s infrastructure and programmes.

“Ian was committed to having a positive and lasting impression on the students. He loved feeling he was contributing.”