Bambisanani Partnership brings water to Thembinfundo Special School
Imagine you had no running water? Imagine the implications for drinking, cooking, cleaning, using a toilet?
Imagine you were a Principal of a Residential Special School in rural and remote South Africa with no running water and 280 learners?
This was the biggest challenge facing Thembimfundo Special School in KwaZulu-Natal and the Principal Mr Dalmini. Together with members of the local community, he identified getting clean water into the school as their number one priority.
After an initial visit to the school in January 2023 and two subsequent visits by members of the Bambisanani Partnership team and student volunteers from St. Mary’s School and Newcastle College, this also became an urgent priority for the partnership. Volunteers were shocked and outraged by the conditions and lack of appropriate sanitation. Member of the Bambisanani team, David Farmer, Deputy Headteacher from St. Joseph’s Primary School, Pudsey said “It’s absolutely deplorable; no child or teacher deserves to endure such conditions.” Bambisanani Trustee and Enrichment and Development Manager at Newcastle College, Brogan O’Connor said:. “The conditions are unhygienic and certainly not conducive to optimising teaching and learning; we have to be able to do better than this in this day and age. Having spent time at the school, students and staff from Newcastle are determined to work with all stakeholders in order to improve the situation.”
Resourcing and providing sports equipment for the school has been challenging enough for the partnership; but the purchasing, installation and sustaining of Water Tanks to provide this precious commodity was extremely difficult; but not impossible!
First step
Base being added
New water tanks
With the involvement of Eshowe Rotary Club and Nick Phillips’ expertise and with funds from the partnership, there are now Water Tanks in place for the whole school. On his return from South Africa, David Farmer began a sponsored project to raise funds for the Water Tanks by walking, running and climbing the equivalent distance and height of Africa’s three highest mountains. Earlier in the year Brogan and her team from Newcastle College raised funds for the project by completing the gruelling ultra endurance UK Three Peaks Challenge – ascending the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours.
Imagine the difference all this will make.
Mr Dalmini has said “I cannot express in words our thanks, appreciation and gratitude. The difference this will make to our Learners and Educators is beyond my wildest dreams.”
Bambisanani Trustee, Barbara Pounder was one of the first members of the partnership to visit Thembinfundo and has led the initiative to bring water to the school. “Here we came across a school and community who had identified a basic human need. Working in partnership we have made great progress – the school has some clean water now! We are delighted to have been part of the team that is helping to bring about transformative changes to the school but we would like to go further.”
For the moment the Water Tanks are being filled by Water Tanker vehicles from the Municipality. This is a short-term emergency measure and ideally for the future the drilling of a bore hole offers the possibility of a long-term solution.
Working with the school, local community, KZN Department of Education, Eshowe Rotary Club and potential sponsors the Bambisanani Partnership is currently exploring the feasibility of drilling a bore hole on the school site to access clean water on demand. The tanks already purchased will help store the water from the bore hole.
Just imagine what a difference this would make if this became a reality.
Just imagine!
Also see related articles:
St. Mary’s School raise the bar with two remarkable visits to South Africa this year (14/11/2023)
Teacher runs, swims, cycles and rows his virtual way to Africa to raise funds for Special School (29/03/2024)
Newcastle College Team Triumphs in UK 3 Peaks Challenge, Raising £2,845 for The Bambisanani Partnership (21/05/2024)
