The Kusasalethu Group, a non-profit organisation based in Khayelitsha, recently brought hope to the pupils of Kerria Primary.
Two members, Peace Bosa and Bongani Makaleni, infused the 150 or so pupils with “bags of hope”.
The men, along with a third, have been friends for more than 10 years and wanted to start an initiative to arrest the growing scourge of drug abuse and gangsterism.
“We wanted to make a difference and saw a lot of pupils walking to school with plastic bags,” explains Bosa. “We started handing out school bags to these pupils.”
He says Kusasalethu saw school bags as no less indespensable to a school’s ethos as a school uniform. He said if books are unprotected from the elements they will eventually be unusable and not conducive to learning.
The project grew and the organisation approached businesses, individuals and family members to donate bags.
The men see this initiative as vital in developing the next generation. Starting in April, Kerria Primary is the fourth school to benefit. Dr Anna Stroebel, a friend of the school, introduced Kusasalethu.
Principal Russell Andrews said there were many pupils who did not have proper school bags, adding: “We are very thankful to the group for this donation.”
