Career pathways offered to girls

Young pupils benefit during generosity at Mandela celebrations

Buffalo City TVET Collage (BCC) East London campus employees spent Mandela Day equipping more than 500 Grade 8 to Grade 12 pupils with life skills, while they also donated sanitary towels.

The pupils were also career guidance talks

Pupils from Sophathisane High School (Reeston), Ntsokotha High and Gwenyathi High (both Nxarhuni), Umthiza High (Cove Rock) and Vukuhambe Special School from Mdantsane attended the event.

“The pupils who were accompanied by the school teachers also received sanitary towel packs from the college.” said BCC spokesman Zukile Ncaphayi.

“Like all South Africans, BCC has [a] responsibility to respect, care for and protect women and children from harm and promote women emancipation.”

Ncaphayi said the BCC will have a TVET College Month in given August when pupils and fellow community members will be introduced to college career pathways in an effort to curb out misperceptions about the college sector.

As part of the Nelson Mandela Day celebrations, nonprofit organisation Kids Advancement Movement South Africa (Kamsa) put smiles on pupils’ faces by handing out brand new school shoes, toiletries and first-aid kit to 283 needy Zamukhanyo Farm School pupils in Stutterheim.

The fun-filled event themed ‘Transform Me’ was a joint partnership between Kamsa and Bidvest Prestige.

Kamsa project manager Ncedisa Khewu said the event’s purpose was to “encourage character development and interest in learning, educating learners about personal hygiene [and] ensuring that they have better education and that their quality of life is improved.

“For them to thrive, their basic needs have to be met. Our role together with our partners is to ensure that they get to school dignified, wearing a pair of school shoes,” said Khewu.

Pupils received facecloths, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shoe polish, school shoes, schoolbags, socks, underclothing, rollons and sanitary towels.

Principal Minjani Dasi said: “Most of the children here come from poor families. I’ve never seen pupils as excited like this.”

For them to thrive, their basic needs have to be met.

Picture: SUPPLIED WHAT A DIFFERENCE: Needy pupils from Zamukhanyo Farm School, Stutterheim received new shoes and skills during the Nelson Mandela Day celebrations last week.