Cipla helps again

As any of these youngsters might tell you if you asked them, it' s hard to learn and pay attention to your teacher when your stomach is growling and hunger is making you feel tired and weak.

For over 51 years, the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA) has been providing meals to children at primary, secondary and special-needs schools across the Western Cape.  PSFA presently feeds 228 500 children in 640 schools daily.  While the Department of Education subsidises the cost of feeding 200 000 children in 543 of the schools, PSFA is hard pressed to raise the necessary funds to feed the remaining 28,500 children, 18 000 of whom attend more than 90 schools where no such Department subsidy exists.  The organization relies on the private and corporate sector for donations either by way of a once-off donation, the sponsorship of individual children or the 'adoption' of a school for a year.

When pharmaceutical company Cipla's marketing department heard of the children's plight in 2008, they resolved to do something and immediately set about organizing a fundraising event for family and friends.  So successful was the evening, which was attended by sports stars such as Kobus Wiese, Toks van der Linde, and Cabous van der Westhuizen and saw well known singer Steve Hofmeyer thrilling the guests with a pro-bono performance, that enough funds were raised to adopt not one, but two schools for a year. 

The generosity of the guests who dug deep into their pockets for the auction of luxury hotel accommodation, rounds of golf at prestigious golf clubs, dinners and estate wines,  meant many pupils at Kalkfontein Primary in Kuilsriver and Wellington Primary have benefitted from PSFA's nutritious menu each school day during 2009.

Says Franni Joubert-Vivier, Cipla events manager: "Like many of my colleagues, as a mother of two young children it hit home hard when we learned last year that so many children in the Western Cape are struggling to learn, not because they don't have access to the correct educational material, resources or latest technology, but simply because they're hungry.  PSFA's meal plan ensures each child on their scheme gets a decent meal every day sufficient to meet one third of their nutritional RDA, and PSFA does it at a cost of R1,20 per child per day."

"The whole marketing department got behind this initiative and I think we surprised ourselves at the success of our venture by raising R120 000.  It just proved how a small group of people and their friends can get together to make a big difference in a child's life. We're staging a similar event next month and hope to raise R140 000 to continue feeding the two schools next year.  We'd really encourage other companies to do something similar, you would be surprised at what can be achieved. Just raising enough to sponsor one child next year could make the world of difference to that child's life and future."

For more information on Peninsula School Feeding Association, visit www.psfa.org.za or phone 021 447 6020.

Issued by:  Ros Walsh
Cipla Medpro
Tel:  031 275 9700
Email: ros@ciplamedpro.co.za