Clothing school learners to give them a head start

Eighty learners at 16 schools in Nelson Mandela Bay have received full uniforms from the Alex Matikinca Dress a Learner programme, run by EnviroServ Waste Management.

The schools are Swartkops, Enqileni, Khulile, Nqileni, Ben Sinuka, Empumalanga, Zanoxolo, Sivuyiseni, Colchester, Coega, Imbasa and Canzibe primary schools, as well as Lonwabo Special School and Vulumzi, Ncedo and Cingani high schools, where the chosen learners received shirts, skirts, trousers, shoes, socks and a tie.

“The government requested corporate South Africa to assist in initiatives to accelerate nation building, and EnviroServ Waste Management is proud to partner with the Department of Education to assist clothing learners around our facilities nationwide,” said Makgabo van Niekerk, EnviroServ Group Public Affairs Manager.

EnviroServ launched the Alex Matikinca Dress a Learner programme in Nelson Mandela Bay seven years ago, and has clothed 560 learners since inception. “Schools are asked to identify those learners who are the neediest, as it is really critical to prioritise learners from child-headed families, learners raised by grandparents and those with unemployed parents,” said van Niekerk.

The hand overs were done at each school over two days and attended by dignitaries including Department of Education’s Ntombenani Nqana, Coordinator: Special Youth Programmes, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Thabisa Mandla, Special Programmes Officer: Constituency Services, Mabhuti Dano, Manager: Special Programmes Unit: Constituency Services, along with ward councillors and committee members, and EnviroServ representatives.

“Being properly attired for school restores the learners’ dignity and allows them to perform at their utmost best. It means a lot to the Department to have EnviroServ assist with clothing the learners as we cannot do it alone,” Nqana said.