In May 2020, Adopt-a-School Foundation announced an exciting partnership with ChairClub, a proudly South African and local chair manufacturer, to collaborate on the Buy One, Give One campaign. The campaign aims to ensure that every chair sold by ChairClub from its office chair range, a school chair would be donated to disadvantaged schools in rural and urban communities across the country.
The donation marks the sixth school to receive school chairs under the campaign, bringing the total number of donated chairs to 837.
According to Residensia Secondary School deputy principal, Thibi Motsiri, the school is thankful to Adopt-a-School Foundation, ChairClub and IFC for the chair donation. The good gesture came at the right time as the school is experiencing shortages of chairs and classrooms due to high enrolment numbers, with current enrolment standing at 1,400 learners at the school. In some classrooms, learners sit on desks while others stand during lessons.
The school has been recently adopted by African Bank, and will undergo the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s Whole School Development programme. The Foundation adopts schools with the aim to transform them into centres of excellence by implementing its Whole School Development (WSD) Model. The model ensures that schools are equipped in leadership, infrastructure, learning outcomes and critical social services.
In 2022, the Adopt-a-School Foundation celebrates 20 years of improving education delivery to South Africa's marginalised communities. The Foundation’s success has been driven by partnering with numerous like-minded organisations to meet the needs of 623 schools under its adoption programme across the country.
"The importance of school furniture is undeniably one of the factors that contribute to conducive learning in the classroom." With many schools dealing with the effects of Covid-19, the donation provides relief to schools that are experiencing severe shortages of school furniture and ensures that schooling continues efficiently,” said Zelda Jacobs, communications manager at Adopt-a-School Foundation.
“It is with the help of companies like IFC, that we are able to make donations to learners and schools through our partnership with Adopt-a-School. The Buy One Give One campaign has enabled us to give something back, no matter how small, ensuring that children can learn and become better for themselves, their families and South Africa. We invest in the youth of today as they are our leaders of tomorrow,” said Jade Kietzmann, sales administrator from ChairClub.
“IFC is pleased to contribute to the Buy One, Give One campaign to support a safer and more conducive learning environment that promotes students’ personal growth and self-esteem, increases retention for both boys and girls in school, and enhances human capital in Sebokeng,” said Adamou Labara, IFC’s country manager for South Africa.
We are proud to be able to make sure we can give something back, no matter how small, to ensure that all the children can grow and learn, and can become better for themselves and their families and for South Africa. The youth of today will be our leaders of tomorrow.
Adopt-a-School Foundation and ChairClub encourage businesses to support this initiative by purchasing office chairs to provide much-needed chairs to learners in rural and urban areas of South Africa throughout 2022.
For more information on how to support this initiative, please visit www.adoptaschool.org.za or www.chairclub.co.za.
