Keep Platfontein clean - update and thanks

"Keep Platfontein clean" - photo collage from an internal SABC  update

This is an update of the SABC Platfontein involvement with "Keep Platfontein clean" as well as a feeding scheme.
The campaign was officially launched on 20 April 2012, and it was a day of great celebration about the success and future hope for the programme.

By Rena Maghundu
RBF Production Services
Northern Cape


"KEEP PLATFONTEIN CLEAN" INITIATIVE PROGRAMME: SABC, ISIBINDI, SASI, KEEP KIMBERLEY CLEAN, BUILDERS MARKET, PLASCON, NUMAIN AND WILDEKLAWER

INTRODUCTION

We have all witnessed the first launch of the keep Platfontein clean campaign, a programme that will continue from today by us, businesses and other stakeholders. 
An iniative out of one person’s inspiration...

BACKGROUND OF THE DAY

We planned to launch the keep Platfontein clean campaign in 2009 and Keep Kimberley clean donated us with 10 gabage bins but the campaign was on hold until further notice.


The inspiration comes out of a day’s observation when I decided to go and see the school surroundings, because pupils were complaining about drinking water at the school. When I was at the school ground, I decided firstly to go into the toilets while many of the children were busy using it.


You won’t believe me but that day was a shock to me. I hardly could breath when I saw how dirty these toilets were. It was from here that I said to myself, that there is something that I can do to change this situation for these children.  Even if it took me to go around and to ask for donations.


I spoke to some people to help conquer this situation. Thanks to all of you who believed in me before I could even explain to you what my plan was. 
With this I would like to thank the ISIBINDI team who could come out freely to take the initiative in cleaning the dirty toilets with me. Thanks guys!


A special thank you to all the following people mentioned:

!XUNKHWESA COMBINED SCHOOL 

The principal of the school who accepted my ideas in the first place when I approached him. 
Sir, your faith in believing that I can make a difference is mostly appreciated.  Mr.Jomo Jonkers was my teacher and principal back in Schmidtsdrift. The one very important thing he did in my life, was when he was there for me in time when I needed most help by paying my registration fees for my further studies. I remember sitting under the tree hopeless of wanting to go for further studies when Mr Jomo Jonkers stopped and asked me whether I will go to JHB. It’s because of his good deeds that I have become whom I am today ,Sir! All the credit goes back to you.

PLASCON

I like to thank the Corporate Social Investment & PR Manager of Plascon, Mr.Patrick Seager for understanding in a very short notice in sponsoring our project. Sir, the paint you donated did its function and we are very thankful for your contribution and hope we will extend this relationship in the future as well.

BUILDERS MARKET KIMBERLEY

Johan – the manager of Builders Market, thank you very much for believing in me and sponsoring the paints. Your contribution to the project is not unnoticed and we appreciate it and are hoping to extend this relationship in the future as well.

NUMAIN WHOLESALES

Mr Daya – for your contribution with the swiping stuffs. You made it easier for the school; they have some tools to clean the school with now. We thank you for the efford you made to make it available. We know the pressure you were working in, but you still did not forget us.

WILDEKLAWER

I thank Danielle du Toit for providing us with the following: pumpkins, butternuts and watermelons. Thank you very much for your help, we appreciate your help and I hope we will extend our relationship in the future as well.

KEEP KIMBERLEY CLEAN - MOTHER OF KEEP PLATFONTEIN CLEAN.

I would like to thank Wendy Peine who has done a very good job by providing us moral support and the followings;
a) Paints of different colours we used to paint the gabage bins we used for the competition.
b) Garbage plastic bags
c) Gloves
d) Garbage bins


Wendy, thank you very much and I mean it from my heart for you believing in me to take part in this initiative. The school appreciate all that you have done and I believe that this won’t be the first time. We will work closely even in the future as well. 

KIMBERLEY MUNICIPALITY

I thank the municipality for adding 1 additional tap at the school, your contribution in this regard is highly appreciated and I believe we will work closely in the future.

RED CROSS

Thank you very much for contributing toilet paper to the school. We appreciate all that you have done, lets continue holding hands even in the future as well.

SASI

I would to thank the following people by their names for their contributions to this project;  


a) Meryl Joy – for giving me advice and motivating me not to give up. You were not like a director of  South African San Institute ,the ways you accommodated yourself with us, you were in meetings with us all the time, giving fruitful advices and opened something we ever needed, especially working hard towards the needs of Platfontein ‘s young artists. I appreciate it. 
b) Uncle Joe for taking his own initiative in arranging trees for us to plant at the school and delivering it personally to us. Thanks uncle for your hard work, we all appreciate all that you have done.
c) Billies Pamo for arranging some of the things even though he was busy with his exams, thank you very much.
c) Hennie Swart, we need more people like you, people who will listen to you with understanding and take what you have said in the next level without judging you. I know you left your important meetings to be with us in the meeting, and that only showed us how much you valued us and not only the project but the community of Platfontein have a very special place in your heart.


And for those who don’t know him, he’s  Mr.Hennie Swart who recently sponsored 16 desperate children aged 8 – 16 from Platfontein each with a movie tickets to have a sit inside the cinema and watch. Making the children’s day a very special day! They were the first group to be at the cinema.
d) Mario Mahongo (junior): You know we appreciate your contribution to the project and also to the modern music project. You will face many challenges working with the youth, I wish you all the best.

SABC
To my colleagues’ a whole hearted thanks for you standing behind me, especially;


a) William Heath - for moral support, making sure that I get all that I need, including the facilities , supervising and mentoring me in the process. I  thank you, Sir. I am what I am today because of you.
.
b) Grant - for fixing the taps at the school, you don’t know how much appreciation the kids have for you. They have access to clean drinking water now. 


c) Gloria - for believing and standing behind me, and also for allowing Grant to travel to Platfontein to fix the taps. I noticed your contribution to the project and all that you have done.


d) Sebolelo - for making sure that there’s news coverage (X-K fm current affair team). I have learned one thing from you and that is the importance of news.


e) X-K fm current affairs team. Thank you very much guys for contributing toilet papers out of your own pockets for this project. I know it was short notice but for you it was never too late. Lets keep this good relationship guys even in the future as well.


f) TV licence (Jacques Coetzee and Thelma): for making sure that the green water bottles and RSG sun hats to be delivered out of your costs of R1000. You are amazing and the fact that you believed in me personally, thanks a lot. I believe that our relationship will be extended even to the future as well.


g) X-K fm (Regina and Malton): for availing workforce and using stations budget to make sure that snacks and drinks be provided to the kids. Making competition prizes available and making time to be at the scène, all effort recognised. 


h) Louwtjie du Preez - for using his precious time and money to collect paints from Plascon in Bloemfontein depot - the paints we used for painting the toilets. 


i) Patricia Glade -  for providing all the sanitary products on a short notice, Patricia the girls of our school appreciate your helping hand and I personally believes that we will continue our relationship, that you are not going to drop me when I need you.


j) Karen du Toit – thank you very much for the updated stories about the project on the RBF website/Media library blog.


k) Keneiloe Mothobi – for believing in me and also for the article on the intercom. 




MPOWERCUP


Glenda Tutt - and lastly I would like to thank Glenda Tutt, for believing in me and for helping me with donations. 
Sustainable sanitary products are needed and Mpower cups are the solution to this problem. By supplying these Mcups to the school girls, Platfontein will avoid the environmental/waste disposal problem of 240 000 pads over 5 years of usage and will prevent toilets drains been blocked. 


I appeal to any body with helping heart to help donate at least one girl with this .


"You have given a girl the equivalent of 1 200 pads, saved the environment/waste collection and bought R2 280 worth of traditional sanitary ware. A good deal all round I would say!  Any donation amount is welcome-  R39 from 5 donors will buy 1 Mcup. R39 from 1 000 donors will secure 200 Mcups."
Contact: 079 8985 188
Email: Glenda@mpowercup.co.za 
www.mpowercup.co.za.


The banking details are:
Acc name: Glenda Tutt Productions
Acc no: 200 110 1651
Branch code: 104 709
Nedbank SAVINGS account
Please use the ref: PP008/your name




All who participated in the "keep Platfontein clean" efforts ARE highly appreciated. 


See also another update about the project on the SABC website: Platfontein "Clean-up" campaign