Everyone giving a little adds up to a lot for farm school

“Everyone’s ‘not much’ added up to a lot.”

These are the words of third-year Nelson Mandela University student Jenna Thomas, who handed over more than R15,000 worth of goods to Dias Primary Farm School yesterday, thanks to a social media campaign backed by her family, friends and followers.

The Parkside resident was placed at the farm school for her practice teaching cycle in February.

Recognising the need of the school and the pupils, the former Miss PE 2019 finalist and founder of the community organisation, Girls Guide by Jenna, used her social media platforms on March 9 to ask her friends and followers to donate porridge.

The response was overwhelming, with more than R12,000 donated for porridge and further cash donations allowing the 22-year-old to buy toiletries and sanitisers for the school’s 139 pupils, as well as a fridge and a cupcake for each pupil to commemorate yesterday’s handover. “I posted on my Facebook and Instagram pages to donate porridge to Girls Guide by Jenna.

“We did calculations and received porridge donations to the value of more than R10,000. PWC also donated porridge to the value of R2,000,” Thomas said.

“Every share of the post really helped.

“Every time someone donated something, they would tell me that it was not much.

“But everyone’s ‘not much’ added up to a lot.”

The South African Society of

Physiotherapy decided to get involved and adopt the school as its community project after members saw the Facebook post about the school’s plight. .

“It touched our hearts. We didn’t realise the depth of their need,” provincial secretary Marion Dawson said.

The regional office applied to the society for R5,000, which was used to buy sanitiser and toilet paper, and pay for minor upgrades around the school.

Overwhelmed principal Sindiswa Tyala said: “I cried a lot. It is so touching.

“I appreciate everything.”