South African National Parks (SANParks) delivered on its vision of ‘Connecting to Society’ at the official handover of 80 beds and mattresses at Spandau High School’s girls’ dormitory in Graaff-Reinet today.
The town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape finds itself surrounded by Camdeboo National Park. Park staff realised the dire need for this necessity, when, on a routine visit to the dormitory earlier this year, they noticed the lack of proper mattresses the learners were forced to make use of. They were sleeping on up to four or five thin mattresses at a time, many with numerous holes in them, forcing the children to improvise by stacking one upon another and another in order to get a good night’s sleep.
Park management then wrote a letter of motivation for the furniture to SANParks’ Corporate Social Investment (CSI) department at Head Office. After a site visit to the school to inspect the exact extent of the problem, the go-ahead was given for the purchase of the beds.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Park Manager, Peter Burdett, said, “We all know how important a good night’s sleep is, and more especially so for our children. Sleep is the power source that keeps one’s mind alert and calm. Every night, sleep recharges the brain’s battery. Sleeping well increases brain power just as weight lifting builds stronger muscles, because doing so increases your attention span and allows you to be physically relaxed and mentally alert at the same time. Then you are at your personal best.”
The project, valued at R125 000, will go a long way towards improving the learning and development of leaners at the school. “We hope that today’s handover will go a long way in seeing these youngsters excel in their education and flourish in their day-to-day lives,” Burdett continued.
Elizabeth Mhlongo, Senior General Manager – CSI, said “As part of our new positioning and living up to our vision of ‘South African National Parks Connecting to Society’, SANParks initiated a CSI programme as a way to align with and contribute to government’s mandate towards social development”.
“A dedicated community levy was established to ensure SANParks’ tangible benefit to communities living adjacent to national parks in bettering their livelihoods. In partnership with government departments, municipalities, local communities and other key stakeholders, SANParks is investing resources in the establishment of legacy projects in communities, particularly in rural areas where our national parks are located,” Mhlongo continued.
The official handover of the beds at Spandau High School is an indication of the promise SANParks has made to ‘Connect to Society’, and follows other projects handed over in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape – with the handover of a computer laboratory in Paterson close to Addo Elephant National Park last year.
“Through these programmes and many others, we will continue to develop reciprocal relationships between protected areas and neighbouring communities, making our national parks a true mirror of our society’s environmental values,” Mhlongo concluded.
