Rassie Erasmus scores a try for Helping Hand’s School Case Project
Solidarity Helping Hand

Scoring a try in life demands a lot of hard work. This is how beloved Stormers coach and former Springbok rugby player Rassie Erasmus introduced Solidarity Helping Hand’s School Case Project to learners of the Ruyterwacht Preparatory School in the Western Cape.

Erasmus, the official patron of the School Case Project in the Western Cape, “kicked off” the project in the region. According to him, it is only through hard work that one achieves success in life, and for this a school education with all the necessary stationery is essential.

The School Case Project is aimed at providing needy Afrikaans grade one learners with the necessary stationery. The project was undertaken for the first time in November last year and in January, Helping Hand was able to provide school cases to about 2 000 needy children. Helping Hand aims to collect at least 4 000 school cases this year.

The project will again, like this year, assist children in all nine provinces. Helping Hand identified the need because similar assistance from government has declined drastically.

“The excitement of the first school day is one of the memories that will stay with a child for a long time. The smell of new school clothes, school shoes and a brand new school case will let the person recollect that first school day for many years to come. However, the reality is that thousands of Afrikaans children do not have this privilege. Many must face the first school day without any of the essential equipment – something which could possibly put children at a disadvantage from day one,” explains Dr. Danie Langner, executive director of Solidarity Helping Hand. “Helping Hand believes, however, that with a pencil in hand the world will open up for these grade ones.”

Solidarity School Case Project: You can also make a difference in the life of a needy little Afrikaans grade one.

You can do it in the following ways: • SMS the word “Skooltassie” to 35960 (SMS costs R1,50) and sponsor a school case. • Visit our website at www.helpinghandfund.co.za • Direct deposit:

Account name: Solidarity Helping Hand Fund Branch: Absa Centurion Account number: 407 225 0017 Branch number: 632005 Reference: Tassie

Please fax deposit slip to 012 664 1295 (for attention Mariana Kriel).

• Contact Solidarity Helping Hand at 0861 25 24 23 or send a fax to 012 664 1295 or send an e-mail to helpendehand@solidariteit.co.za