- VWGA provides assistance to Swartkops Primary School
- More than 150 employees and their loved-ones come together to support this initiative
Kariega – On Saturday, 2 August, more than 150 Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA) employees and their loved-ones came together to restore and repair Swartkops Primary School in Gqeberha through an employee volunteerism programme. The Show of Hands programme allows employees and their loved-ones to lend a helping hand in the communities which surround Plant Kariega.
Swartkops Primary School was identified after a detailed scoping exercise by the Volkswagen Community Trust. “Among five potential beneficiaries, it was clear that Swartkops Primary needed our support the most,” said Nonkqubela Maliza, VWGA Corporate and Government Affairs Director. “Education is one of the key focus areas of the Volkswagen Community Trust and for us this was an opportunity to create a lasting impact,” Maliza added.
Volunteers carried out essential work to improve the school’s infrastructure, from painting and general repairs to restoring ablution facilities, fixing broken windows and doors, and beautifying the grounds with murals and garden maintenance. The effort also included donating reading books and installing soccer and rugby poles, ensuring the children have both a safe and stimulating environment for learning and play. VWGA invested over R750 000 in the refurbishment of the school.
In addition to the physical improvements to the school, volunteers also packed over 3 000 nutritional meal parcels, a gesture made possible through a continued partnership with the SPAR Distribution Centre in Perseverance, which funded the food required for the parcels. Each parcel will assist in feeding four family members. These parcels will also be donated to local Non-Profit Organisations as well as Early Childhood Development Centres.
Also in attendance was VWGA Managing Director and Chairperson Martina Biene, who never misses an opportunity to lend a helping hand. “Our employees have chosen to give their time and energy, which, to me, is the most meaningful donation of all,” said Biene.
Founded 108 years ago, Swartkops Primary School is a quintile three, no-fee public school that currently caters to 649 learners from Grade R to Grade 7. Originally established as a small community school, it has since grown into a vital educational institution serving children from the broader Swartkops, Motherwell, KwaDwesi and Kwazakhele areas. Many of the learners come from financially challenged households, and the school operates under tight resource constraints. Despite these challenges, the school continues to provide a safe and nurturing space for its learners. For Volkswagen Group Africa, supporting Swartkops Primary was not only about restoring infrastructure, but about investing in a school that plays a critical role in shaping the future of the community’s children.
The VWGA Show of Hands programme, which started in 2011, has positively impacted 38 non-profit organisations and schools with over R8 million invested in an effort to uplift impoverished communities.
