GMA Extra: Pfunanane Academy

Background:

  
Rian's Love Tour last February met some amazing children from the Pfunanane Academy in Modjadjieskloof when we stopped over in the nearby Tzaneen. The School survives on donations and sponsorships - especially from overseas. The private school has 230 learners (Grade PR - Grade 7), with 35% of the children coming from very underprivileged backgrounds. Our listeners brought some supplies like food, clothes - anything that is needed to help a child grow up to be a happy, educated, nourished and cared for individual. Our special Good Morning Angels Friends, Darren Lloyd from Spar on behalf of the Spar stores in the region donated vouchers to the value of R30 000,00 en we added another R20 000,00 from the Good Morning Angel Fund. This morning we catch up with principal Marise Jordaan - who wrote us a beautiful email to let us know what has happened since ... and it sounds just amazing!

Read her mail below:
  

Dear Dianne, Rian and the Gang
 
I have been meaning to write this for a while but time just seems to run away from me.
 
Our precious school were the recipients of GMA when you did the LOVE TOUR to Tzaneen. You asked me then to keep you updated as to how things are going with us. We have had a really great year and thanks to you all and Radio Jacaranda, the people in Tzaneen and Modjadjiskloof are really getting to know us more and more. I have been approached by a resident from Tzaneen to make shoeboxes for our sponsored children for Christmas. We are having a Christmas party at the end of November for the sponsor children to hand these boxes over. Spar has been incredible and although our original donation from them has been used up, they continue to support us with discounts etc. The money we received from Radio Jacaranda GMA was used to benefit/supplement the sponsor children with all the extra things like books, uniforms, feeding scheme etc. We also support the families of our sponsor children with food parcels, clothing etc I cannot express how much it was appreciated.
We are now beneficiaries of the MySchool/MyVillage/MyPlanet programme with Woolworths as well – every little bit helps.
 
A Rotary Club in Johannesburg donated a lot of books for a library. Unfortunately we do not have a Library/Media Centre at present but am trusting that we will soon have one.
 
We have had a need to increase our school and currently have begun building 2 new classrooms to accommodate more children. The need for our services is growing as there are more and more families in dire need. We applied to Classrooms for Africa who have given us part of the money. Isn’t that great? We are taking a step in faith that we will be able to build a new toilet block as well.
 
So there it is in a nutshell. You guys were an incredible blessing to us all. Thank you for all the good that you do.
 
Blessings
 
Marise Jordaan
Principal

Original request (Jan 2014) 

Good morning from Pfunanane Academy in Modjadjiskloof (outside Tzaneen). We are a private school with 230 learners (Grade PR - Grade 7). 35% of our children come from very underprivileged backgrounds and we get sponsors for these children to be fed, clothed and educated. We would love for you to visit our school while on your "Love Tour". We are about 10km from the World's Biggest Baobab tree and not far from the Modjadi forest/rain queen. The school is already home to 19 children and we plan to build more housing for orphans and vulnerable children. 

 
Our sponsorship program is at the heart of our ministry. Currently making up more than 1/3 of our student population, each sponsored child has a unique story and a reason for being at Pfunanane.  Recommended to us by local pastors, social workers, and community health workers, there is a genuine need in each of these families – most make barely enough money to survive, living in tiny houses that are usually without running water, indoor plumbing, or electricity.  Some children walk several miles just to catch a local bus to school; others live at Pfunanane because they have nowhere else to go. 

 
Please have a look at our website to see what you will miss out on if you do not come to us www.pfunanane.org 
 
Looking forward to meeting you all.
 
Hope to see you soon!
Marise Jordaan, Principal