On Friday 23 March 2012, Thabo Tona Primary School officially opened the doors to their new library generously donated by a private group of concerned individuals and built by the Adopt-a-School Foundation.
Seven compassionate women from all around the world who are known as the Friends of Thabo Tona and Coca Cola, came together and raised over R500 000 to fund the building of a library, the purchasing of books for Foundation and Intermediate Primary School phases and the training of 10 educators and members of the School’s Governing Body to become librarians in order to run and sustain the library.
Through the sustainable Whole School Development model of the Adopt-a-School Foundation, this project was not only about building a library for a school and the endless opportunities it has opened up for the learners of Thabo Tona – it was also about the impact that it will have on the whole community. Through the building of this library 11 temporary jobs were created, bringing a source of income to many local families. The project also invested back into the community through using emerging local sub-contractors for jobs involving carpentry, electrics, glazing, welding and tiling.
Thabo Tona Primary School is situated in the heart of an informal settlement in Katlehong. The school has no electricity and learners are taught out of mobile classrooms. This library is not only an important school resource, it is also a contribution to the community as a whole – it is a symbol of hope to a disadvantaged community where education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
Adopt-a-School Foundation is an NGO that was established in 2001 in order to bridge the gap in the education system in South Africa, through mobilizing the private sector and creating public private partnerships that have a sustainable impact on our youth.
