In lieu of Nelson Mandela Month as well as Marsh Africa’s ongoing commitment towards education, the firm handed over 590 DeskBags to underprivileged school children at the Sefikeng Primary School, which is based on the Leeuwkop Prison grounds, today.
The exciting programme for the day included a few members of the Lions rugby team, who ran two rugby clinics for the pupils. Marsh Africa also hosted a party for the children, with boerewors rolls, chips and cold drinks being amidst the fanfare.
“The late statesman and global icon, Nelson Mandela, once said that ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ At Marsh Africa, we share the same vision for South Africa. In this vision, schools perform with excellence and contribute to an environment in which young people transition into their post school lives equipped for the challenges ahead. They are ready to access and maximise opportunities for tertiary education, practical skills development and are eager and valuable entrants to the human resource pool,” says Jurie Erwee, chief executive officer, at Marsh Africa.
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Yet according to basic education minister, Angie Motshekga, South Africa still has over 3.1 million pupils who are without the fundamental necessity of a school desk. DeskBags are an innovative and viable alternative solution to the shortage of desks. Made from recycled vinyl billboard materials, DeskBags not only provide a portable desk solution but also have a dual function as eco-friendly school bags.
“Marsh Africa is proud of its history of service and support to the communities in which the organisation operates and where our employees live and work. Although we cannot transform education, we can however make a valuable contribution. This is seen in the way we approach the Marsh Boost a School programme.
“Our programme entails partnerships with a variety of schools across South Africa, where we provide support such as learner leadership and activation, teachers’ support and resilience, parental empowerment, career guidance and building cohesion throughout the schools and their communities,” adds Erwee.
Further to Marsh Africa’s investment towards education in South Africa, the global leader in insurance broking and risk management also runs a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme which involves a variety of once off projects that helps raise awareness and more often than not funds for various causes.
“We are a global player who is driven by the desire to develop the communities in which we operate through volunteering, philanthropy, innovation, and pro bono work. This is why the entire Marsh Group, worldwide, contributes towards International Mandela Month by fulfilling the needs which are most pressing to that region. At, Marsh Africa, our investment and commitment to education forms the core of our corporate citizenship which goes far beyond the call of Mandela Day,” continues Erwee.
Shannon Roscher, co-founder of DeskBags concludes, “Statistics prove that poverty, crime and a lack of education have a very intimate relationship. The text book solution is to increase education which leads to increased income, which reduces poverty and crime. But we also understand the severity of the situation that the 3,1 million deskless children in South Africa face. Not having a school desk not only hinders a child’s ability to learn but using the floor as a writing surface can lead to bad handwriting, poor eyesight, and unconventional posture which can lead to chronic back and neck ache.
While we strive to make a real and remarkable difference by donating DeskBags for free to as many underprivileged schools and communities as possible, we realise that this problem is just too big to try and tackle ourselves. It is only by partnering with corporate sponsors such as Marsh Africa, that we can truly help alleviate the educational struggles of tomorrow’s leaders.”
For more information visit https://africa.marsh.com/ or www.deskbags.co.za.
