In South Africa alone, 4.2 million children - almost 30% of all learners - do not have their own desks at school.
Softworx, a member of the EOH Group and master distributor of Infor in sub-Saharan Africa, partnered with The LapDesk Company in a challenge to solve this immense shortage, by equipping students with 1 500 LapDesks as a way to improve their learning conditions.
The brightly-coloured, educationally-branded LapDesks were donated to two underprivileged schools in informal settlement areas: Mvelaphanda Primary School, Tembisa, and Tiyimiseni Primary School, Soweto, with the remaining balance of LapDesks to be presented to a school in the Eastern Cape by the Softworx Port Elizabeth office.
Both these local schools and many other schools in rural areas have a serious desk-shortage, which results in learners working on the floor, using their laps or each other's backs to take notes in class.
"As an organisation, Softworx focuses its corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives around education, which made the relationship with The LapDesk Company a perfect fit," comments Jane Thomson, MD, Softworx.
"This is a very practical way in which we can provide a simple, yet beneficial instrument for education. The gratitude and the delight shown by the learners was overwhelming. It is such a privilege to be able to make a difference in these learners' lives."
The portable LapDesk - which is described as a "marvellous invention" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, patron of The LapDesk Company - is made from highly durable child-friendly material and is ergonomically designed to fit comfortably on the lap as a stand-in for a traditional school desk.
"Designed to relieve problems of overcrowding, its portability means the LapDesk can be used anywhere, even if the lesson takes place under a tree, offering a cost-effective and creative solution suitable to any type of learning environment," says Shane Immelman, chief executive, The LapDesk Company.
The LapDesks are donated to the learners and not to the school, which makes the sponsorship a personal commitment to the learners' educations. "Many of the learners come from informal housing settlements and do not have facilities at home to do homework. I am pleased that we have met not only a need in the classroom but have been able to address a need in the children's homes," says Thomson.
The World Bank says education is central to development. It empowers people and strengthens nations, and is a powerful "equaliser", which opens doors to all and lifts them out of poverty.
Thomson concludes: "Our country has an immense task ahead in improving the infrastructure of education, and in providing the means for all our children. Without the assistance and involvement of the corporate sector, the problem of fundamental educational tools may never be resolved. We would like to encourage other corporates to get involved and unleash the education potential in South Africa. This could be as simple as providing the basics elements, as we have done, such as desks."
Softworx is committed to finding additional ways through future CSI initiatives, in providing additional assistance to Mvelaphanda Primary School, Tembisa and to Tiyimiseni Primary School, Soweto.
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