Development Bank of Southern Africa assisted the Phalalong Primary School by building a new school after the original was destroyed beyond repair.
Limpopo, South Africa (06 March 2020) – The Phalalong Primary School was left with only its walls after strong winds blew through and ripped up the roof. While the school was left a shell of itself, that didn’t stop classes from taking place. Eventually, the parents and grandparents in the community worked together to do some temporary repairs.
Historically, schools in the rural and poorer areas of South Africa have faced considerable challenges in terms of quality and integrated infrastructure. Overcrowded classrooms with no desks or cupboards, leaking roofs, poor sanitation facilities and compromised structural integrity severely affected the learners’ ability to focus on their studies.
Things get even harder if the school is falling around the students. In response to this, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), a government infrastructure development institution, has been instrumental in partnering with the Department of Education in improving the facilities at these schools.
DBSA works with funding provided by the Department of Education, providing an end-to-end project management structure that ensures professional teams are brought in to scope, renovate, refurbish and build high-quality structures.
#SAINC visited the Phalalong Primary School in Limpopo, where the old, community-built school has been entirely reconstructed. As a solution to the lack of water at the site, the DBSA implemented from start to finish the construction of Enviroloo toilets, thereby eradicating the need for dangerous pit toilets.
One of the core parts of the DBSA’s project management is to upskill people within the communities where they work. Community members are employed to work on the construction sites, and once DBSA moves on to the next project, there are more opportunities for the people who were upskilled.
By implementing integrated infrastructure solutions, such as buildings, refurbishments, equipment and proper water and sanitation services, the DBSA not only provides learners with the opportunity to achieve their dreams and excel at their studies but also improves the lives of the communities as a whole.
As part of the #SAINC nation-building initiative, DBSA is joining a network of purpose-driven brands to share stories of positive progress in South Africa. These stories are being featured across social media in small snippets, just like the one below, but you will also be able to watch the full-length features live on television. You will find the airing times below:
07 March 2020 – SABC 2 – 14:30
24 March 2020 – Business Day TV – 16:00
26 March 2020 – Business Day TV – 12:00
Watch a snippet of the story below:
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