Replacing pit toilets with safe facilities at two Mpumalanga schools
Jacaranda FM's Good Morning Angels, together with LottoStar and Breadline Africa, replaced pit toilets at two schools in Mpumalanga. Now we have a few more Angels with even more surprises for the schools.
Part 5 - We are taking the Feel Good celebration to Sijabulile Primary School in Mbombela!
Two Mpumalanga schools are using their brand-new ablution facilities thanks to the collaboration between Good Morning Angels, Breadline Africa and the generous LottoStar!
Just a few weeks ago, we shared the news with Sijabulile Primary in Mbombela and Ian MacKenzi Secondary in Bushbuckridge that they would be assisted by Breadline Africa, who completed the construction in just three weeks, with funding of R1,62 million from LottoStar.
Both schools now have brand-new flush toilets, urinals and handwashing stations. The pit toilets that were still on the premises have also been demolished.
This morning, we catch up with the principal of Sijabulile Primary School, Teresa Maphanga – because we are bringing the Feel Good to the Sijabulile school community on Friday as part of Jacaranda FM’s 40th Birthday Celebration Feel Good Tour!
REQUEST FOR: Teresa Maphanga, Principal of Sijabulile Primary School
ANGEL 1: Karen Jordaan, Head of Marketing and Events at Pick n Pay North Region
SPONSORING: Pick n Pay will assist both Sijabulile and Ian MacKenzi schools with a supply of sanitary towels for their learners, to the value of R10 000 each – R20 000 in total.
ANGEL 2: Fred Smith, General Manager at i’Langa Mall in Mbombela
SPONSORING: i’Langa Mall will sponsor toilet paper for use at both schools for a year!
ANGEL 3: Elaine Jacobs representing Spur
SPONSORING: Our friends at Spur in Mbombela will throw a proper Spur party at Sijabulile Primary School on Friday, complete with a burger, chips and cooldrink for every child, staff member and guest!
They will also bring along Spur’s Chico the Clown and a Spur party pack for every child!
Part 4- The building of brand new ablution blocks at two Mpumalanga schools is complete!
When we last checked in with Brian Lewis from Breadline Africa, construction of new flush toilets at two Mpumalanga schools was nearing completion.
Despite wet weather and the long weekends, the Breadline Africa teams at Sijabulile Primary in Mbombela and Ian MacKenzie Secondary School in Bushbuckridge pushed through to meet their deadline.
The building project is now complete at both schools. Children have started using their new flush toilets and they are very happy.
All of the work was done by Breadline Africa and funded by LottoStar, to the tune of R1.62 million.
‘Breakfast with Martin Bester’ caught up with Project Manager Brian Lewis to hear more about the completed project.
Part 3 – Despite the rain and long weekends, the project to replace pit toilets at two Mpumalanga schools is about 70% complete
It’s only been a week since we surprised two Mpumalanga school principals with the fantastic news that Good Morning Angels, LottoStar, and Breadline are teaming up to build brand-new toilets for their learners and staff.
We are happy to report that the project to supply brand-new flush toilets is already nearing completion!
Despite wet weather and the long weekend, work at Sijabulile Primary in Mbombela and Ian MacKenzie Secondary School in Bushbuckridge is progressing according to plan.
All of the work is being done by Breadline Africa and funded by LottoStar – to the tune of R1.62 million.
We caught up with Project Manager Brian Lewis to update us on the project.
Part 2 - In just three weeks pit toilets at two Mpumalanga schools will be replaced with proper flush toilets
Within just three weeks, the unsafe and undignified pit toilets at two Mpumalanga schools will be replaced with proper flush toilets and handwashing stations, thanks to Breadline Africa, LottoStar and Good Morning Angels.
On Wednesday 22 April, on Good Morning Angels, we gave two school principals in Mpumalanga the amazing news that the unsafe, unsanitary and inadequate pit toilets at their schools will be demolished and replaced with proper flush toilets, urinals and handwashing stations.
This is thanks to Breadline Africa, who will be carrying out the construction work, and LottoStar, who are funding the work at Sijabulile Primary School in Mbombela and Ian MacKenzie Secondary School in Bushbuckridge.
We caught up with Brian Lewis from Breadline Africa, who will be managing this R1,62 million project. He confirmed and set the target: "We will finish the project – at both schools – in 3 weeks!"
Here are a few pictures and videos as construction has officially started:
Part 1 - Replacing pit toilets with safe facilities at two Mpumalanga schools
We have all heard the devastating reports of schoolchildren exposed to the unsanitary, undignified and extremely dangerous reality of pit toilets.
These are not just reports. It is the daily reality of a million schoolchildren and their teachers in several provinces of our country.
One of these provinces is Mpumalanga, where seven-year-old Dimpho Ngobeni and six-year-old Devotion Masinga died when toilet slabs collapsed into a pit at a Bushbuckridge primary school.
This happened as long ago as 2008, and sadly, they have not been the last casualties of pit toilets in South African schools.
Breadline Africa is a non-profit organisation that has been working hard for the past 30 years to improve the lives of children.
One of the projects they are currently focused on is replacing pit toilets with proper ablution facilities at schools in the four hardest-hit provinces, including Mpumalanga.
There are currently 57 schools in Mpumalanga that need assistance with their toilet facilities, affecting over 37 700 children and 1 191 teachers.
What exactly is a pit toilet?
A pit toilet (or pit latrine) is exactly what it sounds like: a deep hole in the ground with a structure built over it to act as a toilet.
In some parts of the world, properly designed pit latrines can actually work well.
However, the problem in South Africa has never just been the toilets themselves. It is the dangerous and poorly built ones, especially at schools.
Some of these toilets have:
• Large, uncovered openings
• Weak structures that collapse
• No proper ventilation
• No handwashing facilities
In the worst cases, they have been life-threatening.
Today, two schools will receive the fantastic news that their pit toilets will soon be just a bad memory.
School 1: Sijabulile Primary School in Mbombela
Here, 208 learners and eight teachers have to use inadequate toilet facilities, including four pit toilets.
Principal Teresa Maphanga reached out to Breadline Africa for assistance at her school.
She says: “The toilet roofing is dilapidated, damaged and leaking. Secondly, it poses a health risk to the learners since the pits are full and smelly. The doors are damaged and unsafe for the children.”
Breadline estimates that demolishing the current six pit toilets and replacing them with brand-new ablution facilities, including flush toilets, urinals, septic tanks and basins with running water, will cost an estimated R790 000.
REQUEST FOR: Sijabulile Primary School in Mbombela, represented by Principal Teresa Maphanga.
REQUEST FROM: Marion Wagner, CEO of Breadline Africa, received the request from Principal Teresa, and they have already done all the groundwork.
ANGEL: LottoStar, represented by Maria Pavli.
SPONSORING: From the funds raised for Good Morning Angels through last year’s Santa’s Stash competition, LottoStar will sponsor the R790 000 needed for Breadline Africa to build brand-new toilet facilities for Sijabulile Primary School. This includes maintenance for five years.
School 2: Ian Mackenzie Secondary School in Bushbuckridge
A total of 297 learners share four pit toilets and eight flush toilets in poor condition, while 17 teachers and staff share two flush toilets.
Principal Charles Mkhatshwa asked Breadline Africa for assistance: “The toilets are dilapidated and unsafe to use. We do have some flushing toilets, but they are not sufficient for our enrollment. The current toilets are not enough.
If we can be approved, a lot of learners will benefit, as well as the teachers, since the staff only have two-seat toilets.”
REQUEST FOR: Ian Mackenzie Secondary School in Bushbuckridge, represented by Principal Charles Mkhatshwa.
REQUEST FROM: Marion Wagner, CEO of Breadline Africa, received the request from Principal Charles, and they have already done all the groundwork. The estimated cost to demolish the current four pit toilets and replace them with 12 brand-new flush toilets and five urinals is R830 000.
ANGEL: LottoStar, represented by Maria Pavli.
SPONSORING: From the funds raised for Good Morning Angels through last year’s Santa’s Stash competition, LottoStar will sponsor the R830 000 needed for Breadline Africa to build brand-new toilet facilities at Ian Mackenzie Secondary School. This also includes maintenance for five years.
Tune in to 'Good Morning Angels', every Wednesday from 06:00 – 09:00, on 'Breakfast with Martin Bester'. Stream the special feature live here or download our mobile app here.
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