Driven by a spirit of service and compassion, 100 students worked tirelessly to transform Lourdes Primary School’s appearance and create a more welcoming learning environment.
Soweto, South Africa (17 September 2024) – In an inspiring collaborative effort, five schools and 100 students came together to form new friendships and sacrifice time in the service of doing good by painting a perimeter wall at Lourdes Primary School in Soweto on Saturday, 14 September.
The project was part of an ongoing inter-school volunteering project aimed at positively impacting the community and spreading a message of hope.
The volunteers, motivated by a spirit of service and compassion, worked tirelessly to transform the school’s appearance and boost the morale of its students and staff.
De La Salle Holy Cross, Kingsmead College, Marist Brother’s Linmeyer, St David’s Marist Inanda, and Roedean School form part of an Inter School Volunteering Collaborative.
From river cleanups to feeding campaigns, The Collaborative has been facilitating various volunteering events since the beginning of 2023.
“There is healthy competition between schools – on the sports field, academically, and in cultural activities. When it comes to service, volunteering and engaging in community work there is no competition, only collaboration,” explained Karen Landi of Kingsmead College.
Helping a primary school in need
Lourdes Primary School is an Independent Catholic Primary school situated in Diepkloof, Soweto. There are 650 learners, from Grade R to Grade 7. The school was established in 1921 by the Holy Cross Sisters in Alexandra.
The Sisters built a new school in 1970 and moved it to its current location in 1971. Because of political problems, the Sisters left in 1986, and the school became part of the Johannesburg Archdiocese.
The school strives to nurture a spirit of service and compassion, where God is central and where the dignity and voice of each child is respected and heard.
The school undertook a major renovation to classrooms and the roof last year but due to the recent decrease in the subsidy provided by the Department of Education, as well as a decrease in the ability of the surrounding community to afford school fees, the school is now fighting for its financial survival.
This leaves no money in the current budget to undertake the much-needed improvement to the outside appearance of the school.
Unity and service in action
Jacinta Lucas, Lourdes Primary Board Member and representative of the Catholic School’s Office reached out to The Collaborative for assistance.
Sponsors were generous with Hyper Paint, donating all of the paint, Il Pennello Painting Contractors teaching students how to paint the wall and donating buckets, extension poles and brushes. Rollers were kindly sponsored by Hamiltons, and 24/7 Security assisted on the day.
The Inter School Volunteering Collaborative is all about meeting young people from other schools and communities and making friends.
On the day, there was music, dancing, and much laughter as the prefects from Lourdes Primary led the painting groups, transforming the school’s wall.
At the end of the morning, the students were able to stand back and appreciate their efforts.
“Your team’s hard work and dedication have transformed our school’s appearance, creating a vibrant and welcoming environment for our students, teachers, and staff. The fresh coat of paint has not only improved the aesthetic appeal but also boosted the morale of everyone involved,” shared Khotso Mathinya – Principal of Lourdes Primary School.
Board Member of Lourdes Primary School Jacinta Lucas was touched by the great gesture and said:
“I cannot find the words to express my immense gratitude to you all for the incredible work done. The wall looks amazing. In response, we have already had a business owner down the road who wants to get involved with helping the school. None of this would have been possible without your generosity of spirit. I feel like a miracle happened at Lourdes Primary”.
The Inter School Volunteering Collaborative is perfectly captured by Nyasha Musimwa from De La Salle Holy Cross:
“The willingness to reach out to others, to sacrifice time in the service of doing good, is something I see clearly in these young people. My hope and prayer is that this spirit will continue to thrive.
“We need more individuals who are ready to step up and contribute to the well-being of others. Our world is indeed in need of such people. Miracles happen when dedication and passion reside in good hearts”.
For more information on the Inter School Volunteering Collaborative, schools that would like to participate are welcome to email Karen Landi, the Director of Service at Kingsmead College, at klandi@kingsmead.co.za
Sources: Kingsmead College
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