Seed Money Bears Fruit In Harkerville

Members will recall that, in August 2018, the club entertained Rotarian Peter Adams, visiting the UK from the Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay.  He explained his club had been working with “Born In Africa” (BIA) for 15 years to facilitate the raising of finances for the improved education of needy children.  We donated £300 to this worthy cause.
Peter explained: “This partnership has proved most successful and now meets the ongoing development of some 400 children over different schools, colleges and university.”

A Better School

Such an example is Harkerville School just south of Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape.  Two years ago it was in danger of closing – run down, poorly equipped, understaffed with just 70 pupils.

It was turned around by a new headmistress, Chantal Mahmoud, and dedicated teaching staff, plus two additional teachers and a remedial facility.  Supported by BIA, it has seen pupil numbers grow to 130 in 2017 and 244 in 2018.

Peter says:   “Rotary, with other Plettenberg Bay donors, have repainted the school, waterproofed roofs, planted trees, started a vegetable garden and, with the help of a District Grant, installed permanent room dividers to replace the ineffective curtains used to separate different classes.

”Our donation and decision to partner with, and support, the Rotary Club of Plettenberg Bay, along with other clubs, individuals and entities, raised sufficient seed funding to pass the minimum halfway mark required to obtain a Global Grant to finance the project.

Objective Achieved – A Hearty Thank You

The work is completed, payments finalised, and an Information Board erected at Harkerville School.

The school has been transformed over the past few years, as following on to the BIA/Rotarian Initiative, other donors and ‘old boys”, excited by the improvements to their old school, have contributed even more. 

This shows itself in the way of new fencing, upgrades to the kitchens and soccer field and further teaching aids; trees have been planted and self-sufficiency expedited through establishment of a substantial vegetable garden.

Peter reports that “The pupil count has now risen to the maximum 300 and a waiting list exists. So to all those involved, Rotary Plettenberg Bay extends a hearty THANK YOU!”

With it comes an invitation from Peter: “Please visit both ourselves and Harkerville School should you come this way in future years, we’d be delighted to meet, and show you around.”