Spes Bona High School alumni are on a mission to give back to the school.
They have already raised
R20 000 for their former school and say they plan to do this annually.
Spes Bona High School started out in 1963 in Harrington Street in Cape Town and moved to the current premises in Huntely Road, Athlone, once the building was completed a year later.
One of the ex pupils, Gavin Benjamin, who was part of the first group of matriculants in 1968, said last year he visited the school and asked for the “green book”, which had all the ex-pupils’ numbers.
He contacted them and they gathered at his house in Belhar where the idea for a fundraiser was born.
“Everyone bought into it and we aimed at raising R20 000. We started our planning in February and in September we hosted the event to honour those from 1964 to 1968 and we lit a candle for those who had passed on,” said Mr Benjamin.
The alumni hosted a dance in the school hall on Friday September 21 and sold tickets for R150 each. That’s how they were able to reach their R20 000 target and handed the cheque over to the school on Tuesday November 6.
Mr Benjamin said the group planned on hosting annual fundraisers as a way of giving back to their alma mater.
“We are very grateful for what the school has done for us. We met so many more friends of the school at the fundraiser and they will help us to raise funds” he said.
Acting principal of the school, Abdusamad Ahmed, said the money would go towards completing the kitchen in their hall, which is rented out for functions.
“That is away of fundraising for the school and if we have a kitchen to add we can rent it out for more. Other things that need an upgrade are our windows and curtains for the hall. Our prefabs also need work but we are working with the department,” he said.
School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson, Vuyiswa Ndzakana, said Spes Bona was one of the poorer schools in the area and that they needed funds to at least pay the salary of one more teacher.
“Not many ex-pupils think about giving back to the school, we are very lucky to have them. After 50 years they still care about the school. This school together with its teachers, SGB and pupils are a team and we support each other and we are positive that many things will improve as time goes on. One of our goals is to have a permanent principal post,” she said.
Mr Ahmed said he was looking forward to working with the school’s alumni to raise more funds.
“This will really make a difference to the school,” he said.
