Bag project puts smiles on little faces
A staff member at the North-West University’s Language Directorate is on a mission to distribute unused conference and school bags to children in the Ikageng community near Potchefstroom.
Johan Zerwick, language practitioner for Setswana, says nothing can describe the joy on the children’s faces when they receive a school bag. “In most cases these children use plastic bags for their school necessities.
A good-quality bag, new or second-hand, makes a huge difference in their lives.”
It all started in church
Johan says he had the idea of collecting bags at the NWU while working on a community project at his church, the Duet congregation in Potchefstroom. “The church has a project we call #Impaksaam. The purpose is to gather old school bags and then give them to children in need.
“I realised that many academic and support staff of the NWU frequently attend conferences and workshops and almost never use the bags and stationery they receive at these events.”
So, with the help of the NWU’s Corporate Communication department, he sent out a request to staff, asking for donations of bags, notebooks and pens. “The response was overwhelming and we have received nearly 250 bags so far.”
These are some of the many conference bags that staff members donated.
These bags will now be put to good use... Johan Zerwick hands out some of the bags that he collected.
An ongoing project
The bags are mostly given to primary school children. “Conference bags are perfect for these children who do not have a lot of text books to carry. We try to distribute the bigger school bags and cases to high school students who have more school books.”
He asks staff members to donate bags regularly throughout the year. Johan aims to distribute most of these bags in January and February next year when the new school year starts. “We encourage staff from each campus to continue to donate the bags and stationery. With your assistance these can then be distributed in each of the residential areas surrounding the NWU campuses,” he says.
“Those bags may just be in your way or cluttering your office but for a needy school pupil they are valued treasures.” Staff who would like to make donations can deliver them to the following offices:
Institutional Office – Johan Zerwick, C1 building, office 236
Mahikeng - Mafumani Tlhapi, Robinson Room
Potchefstroom – Vincent Eastes or Martie van der Merwe, room 116, first floor, Joon van Rooy building (F1)
Vanderbijlpark – Annette Willemse, building 23, G14