The children at Limpopo’s Motlhasedi Primary School in Bossche Deisch, north of Lephalale on the Botswana border, are enjoying a new library thanks to a donation made via the Nelson Mandela School Library Project.

Motlhasedi Primary 4721
(Image: Robert Coutts)

The formal library opening took place on the morning of 14 March, when the children first got a look at their new books, donated by Rotary International, and Qualibooks’ Setswana early learning readers, donated by local company Kaefer Energy Projects. Eskom is also a sponsor.

The children had decorated their school with posters displaying some of Mandela’s quotes. They entertained their guests with poetry recitals and songs.

Among the books are 10 sets English and local language Mandela comics – included in every Nelson Mandela School Library Project library launch to encourage the children to “dream big”, said project leader Robert Coutts.

“Literacy is a critical problem in South Africa and when Mandela retired he believed that educating children to read and write would make continuous and positive change in our country,” said Coutts. “So, inspiring children in all sectors of our country to read is the Mandela School Library Projects’ primary focus.”

Kaefer Energy Projects’ commercial manager, Mkhokheli Moyo, attended the function, along with representatives from the Department of Basic Education and the school’s governing body.