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Much needed facilities for Botshabelo schools

Unfinished school halls, drab buildings and crumbling floors are some of the many challenges that eight schools in the Botshabelo area plan to change with the donation they have won from the Cashbuild Art-at-Heart competition. As Maleshoane Motloi, principal of Khothatso Intermediate School, points out "It is very wonderful and everyone is very happy because our school is progressing." Each school will receive a R12 000 voucher from Cashbuild which will go towards buying building materials to improve their school.

Francina Raputsoane, principal of Nteboheng Intermediate School is thrilled that her school is one of the eight to win and knows exactly what her school wants to do with the donation: "We would like to paint the outside of the Foundation Phase building with a colourful mural of shapes and numbers. At the moment the building is just brick on the outside but painting a mural will make the building bright for learners and the shapes and numbers will help them learn unconsciously."

Safety is a concern that Mohapi Modupi, principal of Dibeng SA Tsebo Intermediate School wants to address with the donation. He explains that, "our school fence was vandalized, leaving a big gap that people use to enter the school grounds. We are worried that they will try to sell drugs to the learners so we want to fix the fence because the learners aren't safe."

At the official Cashbuild Botshabelo store opening ceremony on 26 January, when the building material vouchers totaling R96 000 were presented to all eight schools, the children entertained everyone with singing, cultural dances and theatrical performances.

The Cashbuild Art-at-Heart competition entails learners from each school submitting their best artwork to Cashbuild. This artwork is displayed at the ceremony, and then remains on display in the Cashbuild store for the next five years. Artwork was judged and three winners from each school were named. Winners received Cashbuild Art-at-Heart gold, silver and bronze certificates for first, second and third place respectively.

The Manager's Choice award was also presented to the lucky winner, Thabo Mathinya from Phallang Intermediate School. This award was announced on the day and the winner received a stationery pack and a glass trophy.

The schools and children that benefited from the Cashbuild Art-at-Heart donations were:

Since the Art-at-Heart campaign was launched ten years ago, Cashbuild has helped more than 1 200 schools with over R12-million worth of building materials. Cashbuild is BEE compliant and every time a store is opened, relocated or refurbished, Cashbuild not only makes donations to local schools, but also creates jobs for community members.

The Art-at-Heart competition is a southern African Cashbuild initiative whereby donations are made to some of the region's most needy schools.



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