Dell recently partnered with the United States National Basketball Association (NBA) to unveil a Reading and Learning Centre at Ithuteng Trust, a school for troubled youth in Pimville, Soweto.
The Reading and Learning Centre, the first that the NBA and Dell have created outside of North America, will provide thousands of donated books, resources guides and materials to children attending the Ithuteng Trust School. Dell donated 10 desktop computers, a printer and a server as part of the Dell education initiative. The donation, made possible by the Dell Foundation, also includes education software and ongoing maintenance and support.
Rob Nunn, Chairman of the Dell Foundation in South Africa, comments: "It is very exciting that the strong partnership between Dell in the US and the NBA has achieved global status by expanding into Africa. Ithuteng is a wonderful and very necessary initiative and we are very proud to support it."
Well known NBA players, many of whom are from Africa originally, who made the trip to SA in support of the Reading and Learning Centre and Read to Achieve programme initiatives included:
* Bob Lanier - NBA Legend and Community Ambassador
* Dikembe Mutombo (Congo) - New Jersey Nets Centre
* Ruben Boumtje Boumtje (Cameroon) - Portland Trail Blazers Centre
* DeSagana Diop (Senegal) - Cleveland Cavaliers Centre
* Mamadou N`diaye (Senegal) - Toronto Raptors Centre
* Olumide Oyedeji (Nigeria) - Orlando Magic Centre
* Michael Curry (USA) - Detroit Pistons Forward-Guard
The Ithuteng Trust is a youth empowerment programme founded in Soweto in 1990 by Jackey Maarohanye or `Mama Jackey` as she is known to her students. Ithuteng works to assist `at risk youth` with life skills and education. Most of the 2 500 students come from extremely poverty-stricken families and the majority are orphans due to political violence, crime and AIDS.
To date, the NBA and its partners have created 62 Reading and Learning Centres and 70 Reading Corners to enhance Local Reading across North America. Bob Lanier, NBA legend and programme spokesperson, concludes: "This is a great opportunity to bring our Read to Achieve Message beyond US borders. We`ve seen the difference it makes and we know that the Ithuteng Trust Reading and Learning Centre will touch kids` lives for years to come."
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