Cape Town – South Africa

Together with our colleagues from Lufthansa’s service center in Cape Town (Lufthansa Global Tele Sales) HelpAlliance assists preschoolers in a township on the way to a good education.  

Cape Town’s townships are still facing plenty of problems. 70% unemployment, high rates of HIV/AIDS infection as well as alcohol and drug addiction, domestic violence and crime, make them anything but idyllic suburbs and create much misery and many needs. The inhabitants, about 12.000, of Vrygrond (free earth) township, located next to the Capricorn industrial area south of Cape Town, are eagerly working on a solution. They share one vision: A better future for their children and only a good education can take them there. But in South Africa it is not a matter of course to obtain it. Research has shown that children from townships lag behind about 2 to 3 years in comparison to their counterparts. A preschool providing English lessons in particular will have a positive effect for sure.

After a thorough search some real estate could be purchased in Vrygrond/Capricorn and in summer of 2009 the building of the preschool was initiated. The iThemba School Capricorn with its pre-fabricated construction was finished in less than seven months and accommodates 50 children. It provides 3 classes for children of the ages from 3 up to about 6 years, the age of school enrollment. The basics for a successful learning process are not only various means of teaching or game-playing, but also being well cared for and a healthy meal three times a day.

In March 2009 the soccer players of Lufthansa Sports club Cologne paved the way with their donation. The children could start on 13th January 2010 with the beginning of the new school year.

The support from the colleagues from Lufthansa´s service center in Cape Town (Global Tele Sales) as well as from the management of the worldwide service centers is overwhelming and a very good example for corporate social commitment of the Lufthansa Group employees.