- Parkwood Primary School celebrated Mandela Day with the opening of its first library, serving over 700 learners.
- The project was led by Bronwyn Newman from Rescue A Young Life, with support from various organisations and volunteers.
- The day included activities such as reading sessions, entertainment by comedians, and the distribution of hotdogs to the learners.
All hands were on deck leading up to Mandela Day on Thursday 18 July, to bring to life the vision for a much-needed library at Parkwood Primary School.
The project, spearheaded by Rescue A Young Life (RAYL) founder Bronwyn Newman, brought together different organisations and volunteers to ensure the school finally had a library space and books to service more than 700 learners.
It is the first library for the school, which since its inception over 50 years ago, never had a designated library space.
When People’s Post visited the library, where previously there was a sterile-looking white wall, had been transformed into a colourful mural with matching bean bags for learners to sit and read.
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On the opposite side, new white shelves housed more than 2 000 shiny new books donated by Juta Publishing.
“We not only celebrated Mandela Day with a new library but also explained to the learners why Madiba Day is so important,” said Newman. “We must value, on the education spectrum, what the late Nelson Mandela tried to imprint in the youth which is why today these resources are available to them.”
The day was a buzz of activity as hundreds of hotdogs were prepared for learners, while volunteers visited various classes to read books and comedians entertained with fun and humour.
Ambassadors
Tariq Paulse, an upcoming stand-up comedian from Pelican Park with the stage name The Funny Man, said he was happy to connect with young people.
“I have made a career out of having fun through comedy,” he shared.
His inspiration to be a comedian came from watching the likes of global star Trevor Noah.
“Being a brand ambassador for Mot (meaning courage) South Africa, most of our material relates to teenagers and situations that they could face,” said Paulse. “We tend to place ourselves in their shoes, so most of my material comes from current daily experiences and I tend to turn everything into humour.
“But a lot of my work also comes from growing up on the Cape Flats.”
Entertaining learners for Mandela Day was his way of giving his time to give back to the community, he added.
Comedian Adilson Manuel Ndala from Mitchells Plain, who is known as Da Faith, another youth ambassador, said he uses his comedy sessions to inspire young people.
he said.
“I have no formal education and never thought that I would be here.”
As MOT ambassadors they focus on teaching young people the ability to say yes or no and how to love and care for other people. “We want to give back to people who look like us,” said Ndala. “Being here with the kids gives them a sense of understanding that you may go through pain right now or have a tough time at home on the streets or with bullying but later on, with good self-awareness and self-discipline, they can do something that they are passionate about.”
Be what they want
Ndala hopes to inspire young people from the Cape Flats to be what they want to be.
“I hope others live their dreams, do what they love and that we have shown them that it is not where you come from but where you are going.”
When Ndala is not entertaining or inspiring young people he loves to make his family laugh.
“At home, I get to make my family laugh, so I thought that maybe people would like my jokes.”
Another visitor Emile Jansen, who grew up in Grassy Park on the Cape Flats, encouraged learners to not only read but to write that which inspires them in their language.
Meanwhile Gregory Kannemeyer, circuit manager from the Department of Education, said the launch of the library will be very beneficial to the school. “This school never had a library and the school is trying to create more opportunities for the children and with the stakeholders involved, they are showing that there is a brighter future for them,” concluded Kannemeyer.
