Walk Of Hope Adopts Ranoi Primary School
Kaone Maje | Monday February 11, 2019 13:59
Walk of Hope assembled a team of sponsors including Spar retail stores, Deloitte, Nashua, Master Print Works, The World Group of Companies (Trade World, Builders World) and many more), and Kabomo Distribution amongst others.
Items donated to the school included cleaning chemicals that will last for 12 months, toiletry and food items donated by Kamoso Distributions and 60 pairs of shoes from Deloitte. The World Group of Companies pledged to build a classroom block. Nashua donated three photocopying machines of which one is meant for Ranoi while the remaining two will be donated to two other schools. Theriso Motsumi-Motsemeng, founder and Director of Walk of Hope started the donation event by giving words of courage to students. She said she is sourcing out funds and sponsors for the classrooms block planned for the primary school.
“I am saddened and pained by the sight and mention of the welfare of children with humble beginnings. I was raised by orphaned parents who had a tough time bringing us up, that is where I got my inspiration to do right by underprivileged children. I urge parents to support their children to reach their dreams despite the odds and obstructions lying before them,” she said. Motsumi-Motsemeng also said Delloite donated school shoes at the Sugar Diabetes gala dinner held last year and the shoes are set to form part of the Ranoi Primary school donations. The Monitor also learnt that the director also adopted another school around the Nata area.
Ranoi Primary School head teacher, Gladys Moremedi welcomed the donation, explaining that prior to the donation, the school did not have a photocopying machine, which was one of their biggest challenges.
“Not having a photocopying machine in a school is a challenge because we need to print a lot of material students need to use for learning purposes.
We have a crisis of classrooms shortage which compelled us to improvise and use the school’s P10,000 funds to turn one of our kitchens into a classroom. The classroom is not even portable as the teachers often complain that it suffocates them of air,” Moremedi said. The school head also revealed that the school has been performing very well since 2017 when they registered 68% pass rate, an 18% increase from the previous years. In 2018, the school recorded a four percent increase in the PSLE lifting the school to 72% pass rate, something that Moremedi declared worthy of commend and assistance from charitable organisations.
University of Botswana Vice Chancellor, David Norris said poverty affects young people more than everybody else due to their vulnerability. “Students who come from underprivileged families often feel embarrassed by the financial and social status of their homes and that makes them feel excluded. It is the same poverty that influences their performance at school.
Statistics tell us that out of every five students, four will drop out,” Norris said. “This affects students from primary school all the way to university. Ms Motsemeng gave these students hope and confidence that they can conquer the world as their chances to succeed are influenced by both social and economic factors.”
Eddie Mdluli of Willy Kathurima Associates and also a board member of Masiela Trust urged the parents and former students of Ranoi Primary School to assist Motsemeng to build the classroom block by donating a brick and a bag of cement each. Mdluli pledged to donate a bag of cement for the anticipated classroom block.