A gesture of goodwill in the form of brand-new shoes has brought joy to a group of 50 learners of the Nzame Primary School in Bloemfontein.
The shoes were donated recently by the financial service provider Thusano.
Representatives visited the school to present the shoes to the learners.
The relief this gesture brought was visible on faces of learners and teachers, as well as the parents of the beneficiaries.
Calvin Nodwele, Thusano’s marketing manager, said the recipients had been identified with the help of the school’s management.
“Helping alleviate the conditions of needy learners is a fitting way to give back to the community that also supports us,” said Nodwele.
“Wearing decent shoes to school makes a difference in the learning of children, to pursue their dream of being better persons tomorrow.”
He said findings made with the help of the school’s management were that the school struggled to provide for needy learners and that it relied on donations. Also, most parents of the learners are unemployed.
Sepheto Skosana, principal, said most of the learners endured adverse weather conditions and walked a long distance to school and back home. He said the number of learners from impoverished households, headed by parents struggling to make ends meet due to the dire unemployment situation, was high.