Stepping into the school year with brand new shoes

The South African National Parks (SANParks) distributed 200 pairs of shoes to learners of five schools adjacent to the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park, as part of its Back-to-School campaign.

The programme aims at supporting the education and well-being of under-privileged children in communities surrounding national parks.

Storms River Primary School, Bluelilies Bush Primary School, Johan Hus Primary School, Coldstream Primary School, and Woodlands Primary School are the beneficiaries of the 2024 Tsitsikamma Back-to-School programme.

To ensure that this programme benefits those that are in need, schools identified children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and each received a pair of school shoes, contributing to their comfort, safety and overall educational experience.

The distribution of the 200 school shoes was made possible by a generous donation from Vusi “The Crazy Cyclist” Sindane, a South African solopreneur, teacher, and aspiring philosopher as part his 3 257.5km cycle from Musina to Cape Town on May 23, last year. Sindane cycled over 3 000km to raise funds for 10 000 pairs of school shoes. Tsitsikamma National Park is one of the places where he stopped over and he was warmly received. As a gesture of appreciation for the Tsitsikamma staff and the people of the area, he donated 200 pairs of shoes for local schools.

The Tsitsikamma area is marked by a high level of unemployment, and many children are forced to drop out of school prematurely. Recognising the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty, the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park, as the primary employer in the region, has taken a proactive role to support local communities through initiatives like the Back-to-School Programme.

The Back-to-School Programme was initially launched on Mandela Day last year, and due to its success and positive impact SANParks decided to continue with the initiative. By providing essential school items, SANParks aims at alleviating some of the challenges faced by families, and empower children to pursue their education.