More than 70 pupils benefit from Maila’s shoes donations

PENGE/ MODUBENG

Fresh from his successful wedding, the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality mayor, Eddie Maila, donated more than 70 pairs of school shoes to local pupils last week. Maila said he skipped his honeymoon to donate the shoes to the needy pupils in the municipality. The mayor said one of the Good Samaritans at his wedding donated around R20 000, which he used to purchase more than 200 pair of shoes. Some of the shoes will be donated to local schools after the holidays.

On March 27, Maila visited Shai Primary School in Modubeng, Ward 9, and on March 28 he was at Penge Primary School in Ward 16, to hand over the school shoes.
Since the beginning of the year, Maila has donated shoes to more than 300 pupils in the municipality.

At Penge, Maila was accompanied by Teen Miss Africa SA, Katlego Nkwana, as well as the FTLM Exco.
He applauded Nkwana who also donated a pair of shoes.
The donations are part of the campaign driven by the Office of the Mayor to assist learners with school uniforms. This came after the Office of the Mayor received many requests for school uniforms.
Maila indicated that the vision of the municipality is to see children attending school for self-development and the general improvement of the socio-economic status of Fetakgomo Tubatse.
“A nation with an educated population is able to bring innovation that creates many opportunities for the growth of the economy. The second aspect is to bring dignity and confidence to leaners who are unable to attend school frequently due to a lack of school uniforms and other basic amenities.”

He said the municipality had started this initiative three years ago as a means to bring equality to learners and to foster a relationship with the education sector.
Maila stressed that the objective of the municipality is to see general improvement in the matric results and for that to be achieved, early childhood development must be prioritised. The foundation laid in primary schools will lead to greater achievement in secondary education.
This programme is expected to continue at other schools within the municipality after the school holidays. “We call upon councillors, employees of the FTLM, ward committee members, and members of society to join this campaign. No child in this municipality should bear the harsh weather conditions by going to school without shoes,” he said.
Maila thanked the educators at the schools for identifying the learners who come to school without proper uniforms. “This is gesture by educators must be applauded because it bring an element of uniformity in school and boosts confidence among the learners.”
Both principals at the schools thanked Maila for his good heart. “We are thankful to have a good leader who cares about the education and well-being of our learners, the school uniforms will assist the neediest pupils at our school,” said RR Mmaserame, principal at Shai Primary School.