Delportshoop – South Africa’s leading construction and building materials producer, AfriSam, lent a generous helping hand to the Delportshoop Combined School in the Northern Cape on Friday, 18 February 2022.

This initiative was in support of the global trend of digital and online learning. AfriSam supplied 35 of the latest Lenovo computers, installed hardware and software components – including a projector – and revamped the school library.

This project is in line with AfriSam’s slogan of ‘Creating Concrete Possibilities’. “We believe that computer literacy is essential to enable learners to thrive in the modern-day and to open doors of possibilities for them in the future.  This new computer centre is our pledge to creating concrete possibilities for our future generations,” says Johan Fourie, General Manager, AfriSam Ulco.

Delportshoop Combined school is located 15km from the cement giant’s factory in Ulco and is home to 732 learners from grades 1 to 12. School principal Mr. N Snyders said they had been facing a serious shortage of staff and teaching and learning materials, among other issues.

He added that the donation had come at a perfect time because it was the start of a new school year. “We are grateful for what AfriSam has done for our learners and the community. This donation will certainly help to take the pressure off our educators. We are confident we’ll be able to improve our matric pass rate from last year’s 66%,” added Snyders.

The school will now provide computer lessons for grades 1 to 7 as well as training for the senior phase. 

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has visited the school and assessed AfriSam’s initiative. The company is proud to confirm that the donation met all the department’s stipulated requirements. 

“At AfriSam, our aim is to make positive contributions in and surrounding the communities in which we operate. We hope that this donation makes a constructive difference to the lives of people in the Delportshoop community,” Fourie concluded.