Since March of this year, Masicorp volunteer Paul Dibley has been kept busy with a major project to makeover Ukhanyo Primary School’s 35 classrooms. Paul has committed three years of his time to make the learning environment cleaner, safer and more attractive for Masiphumelele’s primary school pupils. The project, which is funded in large part by generous donations from The Rotary Club of Torquay, is repairing broken windows, painting old walls, installing shelving and replacing old blackboards with modern whiteboards.

Look carefully in the picture above and you will see how the old blackboards have been transformed once the modern whiteboards are in place. They are being used for a series of murals to encourage ownership of the upgraded facilities. In the school reception and each of the Grade 6 and 7 classes (the rest are yet to be done) there is a board that says “This is our Class” and each learner has handprinted and signed the board. Teachers, learners, parents and support staff (security, cooks, cleaners, admin, sports coaches) are all taking part.

The boards are interactive – every afternoon as the children depart they walk along the wall placing their hands into other known hands, playing, comparing sizes and roles – who’s who in the school. Many thanks to Masicorp’s Fran Louden (Paul’s sister) for highlighting the project. Fran volunteers in the schools science lab. Now when she comes into class and holds up her hand and asks “Whose class is this?”, in unison the students put up their hands, open palmed, and say “This is our class!”