A week or so before Nelson Mandela International Day 2013, Magel van de Venter, education marketing executive at Maropeng, got hold of Flow CEO Tara Turkington to discuss jungle gyms, Nelson Mandela and soup.
The jungle gyms in question were being prepped for delivery to Maloney’s Eye Primary School, which Maropeng supports as part of its CSI programme. The subject of Nelson Mandela came up in the conversation, as the playground equipment was being donated to the school in honour of his 95th birthday. And the soup … well … let’s get back to that a little later.
Maloney’s Eye is a rural school situated some 12km from Maropeng, near the village of Magaliesburg. The school caters for approximately 300 learners, all of whom come from extremely impoverished communities where few or no recreational facilities are available. For Maropeng, this represented a great opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of these kids. And so they got together with a number of suppliers, including Flow Communications, to donate two jungle gyms to the school.
“The new equipment will not only help with the kids’ physical development – particularly when it comes to fine and gross motor skills – but will also provide them with hours of fun and enjoyment before and after school, and during their breaks,” said Magel.
For the kids, it’s all about the fun, though. On the day the equipment arrived, they could barely contain their excitement: “All they wanted to do was go outside to play,” said Maloney’s Eye principal Mpho Sechoto.
Unfortunately for them, lessons were in progress at the time. But when Tara and a team of Flowstars joined Maropeng at Maloney’s Eye on 17 July 2013 for the official handover, school was definitely out!
Said Tara: “Visiting Maloney’s Eye and being part of the handover of the new playground equipment was a truly memorable experience. Watching the kids’ joy and excitement as they swung, slid and climbed all over the jungle gyms was incredible.
“It was also a great honour for us to have been invited by Maropeng to participate in this project. They were our first client, and we have come a long way together. Being a part of their Mandela Day activities bears testament to the strength and nature of our relationship, and reminds us what amazing clients we have.”
About the soup: Maropeng’s food and beverage team prepared a delicious beef and vegetable soup for pupils and visitors. The soup was served with buttered rolls to ensure the kids had the energy they needed for a hearty afternoon’s jungle-gymming session.
Read more about the Maloney’s Eye jungle gyms on the Maropeng blog.