The new container library at Qibi Primary School in the Free State
On 15 October 2014, Qibi Primary School in the Free State became the recipient of the 50th Mandela Day container library, a significant milestone for providers Breadline Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“When the Mandela Day library project began in 2011, neither Breadline Africa nor the Nelson Mandela Foundation imagined it would turn into such a great success over such a short period,” says Breadline Africa project manager Jade Orgill.
“Beyond supporting 50 under-resourced primary schools across South Africa with a library facility, the Mandela Day libraries project has partnered with more organisations and now has greater access to a wealth of reading materials, training content and literacy development activities.”
Staff and learners at the school were overjoyed when the container library arrived, the first of three to be sponsored by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). The partnership between Breadline Africa and ATNS began in 2012, and the two organisations continue to celebrate their sustainable investment in education.
“We aim to inspire a love of reading among children who come from an environment where this is very rare, and we are well on our way,” says Orgill.
The library at Qibi Primary School
“With a grassroots and community development approach to literacy development, we can only grow our offering in a sustainable and impactful way, ultimately improving literacy scores in a country desperately in need.”
Qibi Primary School is the fifth school in the Free State to receive a container library through this project, and is a shining example of the kind of school Breadline Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and their partners invest in.
The Principal, Ms Lipali, leads a dedicated and enthusiastic team of teachers, and has established partnerships with a number of organisations that contribute to the development and progress of learners at the school. Some of these include Save the Children and the Kagiso Trust.
The school celebrated the start of a new a long-term partnership with Breadline Africa and the Soul City Institute.
“None of this would have been possible without a shared vision with ATNS. Poised to develop a skilled and capable workforce, its efforts in being good corporate citizens will remain focused on education. It is invested in children, and today was a sure display of its values,” says Orgill.