SA Rugby Legends partners with MRP Foundation to help protect young learners
PROTECTING YOUNG LEARNERS: From L-R: Pieter Muller (SA Rugby Legend), Dale Santon (SA Rugby Legend), Ivor Nober (MRP Foundation Mentor/ JET Education), Mrs Tanya Van Graan (Highlands School Principal), Mrs E Solomon (JET Education), Kabamba Floors (SA Rugby Legend). Photograph: MRP Foundation / Adrian de Kock
Partnering together to support South African learners, sporting heroes from the South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA), Kabamba Floors, Pieter Muller and Dale Santon, assisted in delivering locally made, reusable masks to Highlands Primary School in Mitchell’s Plain, one of 98 primary schools in the MRP Foundation Schools Programme.
Schools throughout South Africa have had to battle numerous challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as distance learning and returning to school.
With the safety of learners being paramount, MRP Foundation launched a fundraising campaign to provide additional masks to all 78,000 learners who are a part of their holistic education programme to complement the masks provided by the Department of Education.
Former Springbok and 7s flank, Kabamba Floors, was one of the legends present at the handover. As a parent himself, he understands the difficulties surrounding educating children during this difficult period.
“It’s all about the safety of the kids as they need to go back to school. These communities in Mitchell’s Plain don’t have access to online homeschooling facilities, like Zoom, so they need to return to school to finish the curriculum. What we’re doing today is important — delivering masks for the MRP Foundation — so the kids can be helped to get them back at school.”
Both SARLA and MRP Foundation believe in the power of unlocking tomorrow’s potential and are involved in schools across South Africa through their respective youth development programmes.
SARLA runs the sustainable rugby programme, VUKA Rugby, and the MRP Foundation’s School Programme supports school management and leadership, develops educators, involves parents and communities and holistically develops learners in 98 schools across the country.
Highlands School Principal, Mrs Tanya Van Graan, was delighted to receive the masks on behalf of the school.
“We’re so grateful for these masks as some parents cannot afford to give additional masks to their children. Teachers face many challenges, especially during a time like this, that just knowing that we have partnerships with organisations like the MRP Foundation means a tremendous deal to us as a Highlands community. We feel the camaraderie and we know they have our back. Now, the show needs to go on.”
MRP Foundation remains committed to supporting schools and learners during this pandemic and endeavours to see young people break the cycle of poverty and inequality through its education and skills development programme.
To date, the MRP Foundation has raised enough funds to help protect well over 21,000 young learners and should you wish to make a donation please click here.
