The Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park conducted its Donation Outreach Programme on 15 August.
This initiative aimed to meet the essential educational needs of Krakeel Primary School, which is located approximately 100 kilometres from the Tsitsikamma National Park.
The donation included 100 pairs of school shoes and socks, 100 shirts and trousers, and 36 packs of sanitary towels.
The donation was made possible through the support of MPM Enviro Enterprise, which sourced and provided all the items.
Krakeel Primary is the sole primary school serving the broader Krakeel community, where residents face significant socio-economic challenges, such as unemployment, substance abuse and single-parent households.
While some of the local farmers provide support to the school, many parents rely on seasonal farm work at these farms to support their families, which is not a sustainable or stable source of income.
This initiative follows the donation of 200 pairs of school shoes to five schools in the Tsitsikamma area in early 2024, as part of the park’s Back to School Programme, which supports learners from underprivileged communities in accessing quality education with dignity.
Such initiatives form part of the broader SANParks Vision 2040, which seeks to foster socio-economic transformation by creating stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors to uplift communities adjacent to national parks.
Through Vision 2040, SANParks envisions sustainable collaboration that not only protects biodiversity but also empowers neighbouring communities through education, skills and enterprise development, SMME opportunities, and improved livelihoods.
