Talk of the Town

MEC comes bearing gifts for PA

Underprivi­leged pupils prioritise­d

- SIBULELE MTONGANA

Port Alfred Primary School received a visit from social developmen­t MEC Bukiwe Fanta on Friday February 2, for her “back to school campaign”, where she addressed the pupils and staff.

The Eastern Cape social developmen­t department has started distributi­ng sanitary dignity packs to almost 84,000 underprivi­leged pupils in a multimilli­on-rand project, which is set to continue for the duration of the financial year.

Fanta, gifted 20 girls sanitary towels, while 10 boys were given hygiene packs.

“We are happy that we have finally started distributi­ng these dignity packs,” Fanta said.

Fanta left the children with a lot of words of encouragem­ent and motivation “girls will no longer miss school because of the lack of resources.

“I also want the boys to also know filled we care with about toiletries, them”which Fanta is said. why we are giving them hygiene packs that are

“The 20 girls and 10 boys that were given these necessitie­s were picked out by the school, thereafter social workers do an extensive background check to see if the children really cannot afford these necessitie­s.

Unfortunat­ely, we cannot give all the children the necessitie­s, we try our best to give the children that need them the most” social developmen­t spokespers­on, Mphumzi Zuzile said.

Fanta said the department would spend R35m on sanitary packs while also assisting hundreds of pupils with uniforms through the social relief of distress school uniform programme, in partnershi­p with Sassa.

“These items would last the children an entire year,” Zuzile said.

 ?? Picture: SIBULELE MTONGANA ?? PROVIDING ASSISTANCE: Social Developmen­t MEC Bukiwe Fanta came bearing gifts when visiting Port Alfred Primary School at Station Hill, on Friday February 2.
Picture: SIBULELE MTONGANA PROVIDING ASSISTANCE: Social Developmen­t MEC Bukiwe Fanta came bearing gifts when visiting Port Alfred Primary School at Station Hill, on Friday February 2.

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