Cape Town - Sunnyside Primary School in Athlone has launched a BackaBuddy campaign to raise funds for its school governing body, teachers and support staff who are reliant on school fees and fund-raising campaigns for salaries.
The campaign was launched earlier this week and suggested by educator Chantal Bredenkamp during a staff meeting. The campaign has raised R10 000 since going live.
Bredenkamp said: “We are in need of a huge amount of money and if many contribute small amounts we can manage to reach our target. The majority of businesses have suffered losses due to Covid-19 so I figured it was pointless to just approach them.”
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers with co-morbidities were unable to return to school, leaving the school with fewer educators.
“We currently have 17 educators, with four that are not here due to co-morbidities, like diabetes, hypertension, respiratory illnesses. So we need to employ educators to fill that position come July 6,” said principal Nathaniel Brache.
Brache added: “Normally, we
are able to sustain ourselves. Even though we get a very small amount from the Western Cape Education Department in terms of running the school, we depend quite heavily on school fees and even more so on fund-raising but obviously this can’t take place.”
Purchasing of additional personal protective equipment and hygiene products will also be made possible through the funds raised.
Brache said unemployment among parents is one of the major challenges the school faces at this time.
The school had just managed to recover after a harrowing storm had severely damaged the building, making it unsafe to reopen in 2017.
To donate, click on the BackaBuddy link under “Save Sunnyside Primary”: www.backabuddy.co.za/sunnyside-primary-school