Back to School for a Day on Mandela Day, an initiative of the Adopt-a-School Foundation, a partner entity of Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, is a celebration of active citizenship in our schools. The day is about South Africans offering themselves in service to those in need.
2018 marks the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. In honour of Nelson Mandela, Adopt-a-School Foundation and its partners are celebrating his legacy by going back to school at Tshilidzi Primary School in Tshiawelo, Soweto.
Tshilidzi Primary School is the former Primary School of Chairperson of the Adopt-a-School Foundation, President Cyril Ramaphosa. In 2002, the Headmistress at the time, Stella Nemukula requested support from alumni in the form of a fax machine. President Ramaphosa answered the call and upon delivering the fax machine, saw the serious challenges facing the school. Alongside the Foundation’s founding Board Members, the Adopt-a-School Foundation was established.
Tshilidzi Primary was also one of the first schools to be supported by Adopt-a-School Foundation. Since then, Tshilidzi Primary School has had its science laboratory revamped, gained a library, six new classrooms and an administration building.
First lady, Dr Tshepo Motsepe who attended the event said “we have the responsibility to resurrect hope within our communities and help the younger generation shape their dreams”.
Back to School for a Day on Mandela Day 2018 revolved around mobilising corporates to visit the school and conduct infrastructure renovations, curricular and co-curricular activities, social welfare programmes and leadership development initiatives; all which complement the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s holistic Whole School Development model. Numerous donations were made by our partners including over one thousand food packs donated to 100 orphaned and vulnerable learners, soccer and rugby kits, vegetable and fruit seedlings for the newly renovated and developed
vegetable gardens, learner educational resources and lunch packs for all learners and guests.
“On this day, let us go out in our millions to make a meaningful and lasting difference in our society. Let us also dedicate our time, energy and whatever resources we have in improving the lives of those in need,” Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa said this year’s Mandela Day should mark the start of a new era of citizen activism for social and economic change in line with “renewing the Mandela Legacy and promoting active citizenship in a changing world”.
Six years on Back to School for a Day continues to make meaningful impact. Today, the lives of over 670 school children benefited from active citizenship and transformation in their schooling environment. Not only has this initiative inspired hundreds of corporate volunteers, including Miss South Africa and Julius Kgale, as well as teams from Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, Cell C, McDonalds, Fevertree Consulting, BMW, Phembani, Triviron, Toyota Tsusho Africa, Ntaba Nyoni Estates, Brainwaves, Touch Rugby Sundays, Ecoculture Sechaba Foundation, Prettify your Township, SAPS, Lesedi Power Project, ABC Management and SANCA to share their time, skills and physical resources.
