What have been some of the key milestones or achievements of the campaign to date? We were able to create a science room for one of the schools, Kgadimo Secondary School (Ga Mafefe, Lepelle Nkumpi), to enable learners from Grades 10 to 12 to do practicals in life sciences. We also partnered with NGOs that have a countrywide footprint, so that donated items that are in abundance can have a wider reach. 11 What challenges has the campaign faced since its inception, and how have these been addressed? As mentioned, the campaign operates without direct funding and is coordinated by me, along with my other projects at Future Africa, leaving me limited time to actively seek new donors. What is the long-term vision for the Donate4 Education campaign? Having a larger donor base will enable us to donate to more schools in the future. How can other individuals or organisations contribute to and support the initiative? Interested donors can gather items that they would like to donate (lab equipment, stationery, books, toys) and contact me at tedson.nkoana@up.ac.za. They can also drop donations off at our dedicated donation boxes at the Future Africa offices and the Department of Zoology at UP. Why is this initiative important for the community? A quality learning experience is, unfortunately, expensive. Under-resourced schools are usually situated in poor communities where parents often can’t afford to support their children’s learning outside of what the school can provide. The Donate4Education campaign is a much-needed relief for parents who want a quality learning experience for their children but cannot afford it. Future Africa Community Engagement in One Health How does the campaign operate in practice, and what kinds of donations are typically made? We have a donation call once a year (around November) when people usually get rid of old stock. We target laboratories, offices and, to some extent, private schools. Our donation requests include laboratory equipment (suitable for high school level), stationery, books and educational toys and games. Donate4Education has donated STEM learning materials and has ensured a wider national impact of these donations through collaborations with NGOs such as Maharishi Institute and Protec STEM (Johannesburg), and S4HD (Westonaria township).
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