Saint-Gobain partnered with the Adopt-a-School Foundation, to identify schools in local communities who desperately needed additional facilities to enhance the lives of learners.
Saint-Gobain SA, are committed to improving educational habitats, and as part of the company’s global 350 year anniversary in 2015, last year identified various projects to support.
Saint-Gobain representatives and Mrs Qoza and the learners at Inyonemhlope School jump for joy in front of the schools new kitchen.
After careful consideration of various schools in need, Saint-Gobain committed to assist three schools. The Sonwabo Primary School in Gugulethu, were in desperate need of additional classrooms to alleviate the overcrowding. The Inyonemhlophe Secondary School in Isipingo, needed a kitchen facility for the provision of a feeding scheme for the learners, for rely on meals provided by the school as their only source of nourishment. And lastly, the Mvelaphanda Primary School in Tembisa, who had 850 learners making do with very limited ablution facilities, and now have modern, safe and hygienic ablution facility consisting of eight girls toilets and eight boys toilets, a handicapped toilet and five wash basins in each bathroom.
Saint-Gobain financed the building of the additional facilities at all the schools and supplied various construction products from the various companies within the group, including Gyproc ceiling boards and grids, Isover ceiling insulation, Weber tiling products and surface preparation for floor and wall tiles, and PAM water and drain pipes.
In addition, temporary workers from the local communities were employed and trained to install the products correctly, ensuring the facilities are of the highest standard. The project manager and the quality assurance manager appointed on the projects, monitored the safety of labourers, who were provided with personal protective equipment when on site, to ensure their safety was not compromised.
“We had incredible support from local partners for each project, we are most grateful to BUCO, Andersons, Casabella, Franke, MPR Foundation, SPAR Build-it, Imports International Limited and J&K Transporters for their generous contributions towards the individual projects,” said David Anderson, general delegate - sub-Saharan Africa Delegation, Saint-Gobain.
Official hand-over ceremonies were held at each school, where Saint-Gobain and Adopt-a-school delegates unveiled the new facilities amongst much singing and dancing fanfare on the part of the learners who were visibly excited at the new additions to their schools.
“Saint-Gobain are so thrilled that we have been able to make a real difference in the lives of these school going children, improving their daily quality of life through the provision of significant improvements to their school environment. While we celebrate 350 years as global industry leaders in the habitat and construction market, it made sense to tap into our resources to provide for those in need,” added David Anderson.
