Caring for communities and education
Mike Hellyar, MD of Air Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd, officially handed over classrooms and a Dining Hall at three schools in the Madadeni Township at Newcastle on 8 February 2008. The plight of these schools came to Air Products knowledge in 2007. The Corporate Social Responsibility committee and the Managing Director decided to do something to help these communities and their schools which resulted in the building of classrooms and a new dining hall.
Izazi High School received classrooms for all of its 170 learners currently enrolled at the school. Established in 2004, the school aims to offer classes with special emphasis given to the fields of science and commerce. The principal of Izazi, Mandla Motloung said, “Air Products has been our savior, we have been housed at Sigodiphola Primary School since our school was established. We have never had a classroom or even a chalkboard to teach the children with before. The department kept promising us assistance but up until today we have not seen anything from them. We are so grateful to Air Products for these classrooms and we will endeavor to look after them.”
Siphesihle Primary also received classrooms sponsored by Air products. The school was established in 2001 with learners from grade one to grade seven with a total enrollment of 720 learners. From inception, the classes have been given in dark and gold makeshift structures. Learners suffer under the severe winter conditions as some of the “classrooms” have no doors let alone windows. These learners are from the poor families in the community, whose parents are not working or have passed on. The principal, Sibusiso Mtshali with his staff, has since the school’s inception, not received any infrastructure from the Department of Education. The joy of the learners and teachers was written all over their faces as Mike Hellyar handed over the keys to the classrooms. The learners were singing praises to Air Products.
A dining hall was presented to NOAH, an NGO which has branches in many parts of South Africa. Its purpose is to look after orphans whose parents passed on due to HIV/Aids. Noah in Madadeni is housed at Qedizaba Primary School where it is running a feeding scheme for 375 kids from the Madadeni district. Air Products took up the challenge to build a dining hall and kitchen for Noah where they can cook and feed the orphans. NOAH representative, Phumzile Nyembe was in tears as Mike Hellyar handed over the keys of the new dining hall where the children can now eat together as a family.
Published on February 8, 2008 in Air Products News, Corporate Responsibility |