More than 400 volunteers from Europe, America, and South Africa are converging on the Lwandle township this week for an unprecedented educational infrastructure transformation that will benefit over 1 000 students at two local schools.
The week-long “Building Blitz,” running from Saturday 15 to 22 November, represents one of the largest Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in the Western Cape, with Saint-Gobain Africa and Ireland partnering with the Mellon Educate School Building Project in a €75 000 investment funded by the Saint-Gobain Foundation in Paris.
The ambitious project will simultaneously upgrade ACJ Phakade Primary School and Simanyene High School, addressing critical infrastructure shortages that have long hindered educational delivery in the community.
At the local primary school, volunteers will construct six new Grade R classrooms complete with toilets and storage facilities, alongside a dedicated Literacy Hub, learning support classroom, additional Grade 5 to 7 classrooms, feeding kitchen, protective canopies, and a children’s playground.
Simanyene High School will receive ten new classrooms, covered canopies including an outdoor gymnasium, a feeding kitchen, and a new toilet block designed to accommodate the school’s growing student population.
“This project reflects Saint-Gobain’s commitment to building beyond bricks. We are not only providing infrastructure but creating environments where learners and teachers can thrive,” said Rethabile Marweshi, Saint-Gobain Africa’s Transformation Project coordinator.
The initiative aligns with Saint-Gobain Africa’s “Make it in Africa to Build Africa” (MABA) commitment, specifically supporting the “Our People” strategic pillar focused on community empowerment and youth development.
James Dunne, area sales manager and co-sponsor from Saint-Gobain Ireland, emphasised the comprehensive approach: “Partnering with Mellon Educate allows us to make a meaningful contribution to education in South Africa. We are proud to support this comprehensive approach that combines infrastructure development with professional teacher training.”
The collaboration brings together Saint-Gobain’s sixth CSR project in South Africa with Mellon Educate’s 23 years of international experience, having engaged more than 27 000 volunteers worldwide. Mellon Educate operates a Community Literacy Programme serving 3 400 children weekly across 16 Western Cape schools, supporting struggling readers through local tutor engagement in fully equipped Literacy Hubs.
“Seeing over 400 volunteers unite to give back to the Lwandle community is truly inspiring, and it reinforces our focus on empowering people and supporting local communities,” Marweshi added.
All construction will comply with Western Cape Department of Education standards, with formal evaluation scheduled for December this year and an official inauguration planned for January 2026.
The project demonstrates the power of international collaboration in addressing South Africa’s educational challenges, combining immediate infrastructure improvements with sustainable community development programs that will benefit students for generations to come.
Saint-Gobain teams will work on-site throughout the Building Blitz alongside Mellon Educate founder Niall Mellon and his team to ensure successful project delivery.
- For more information, visit www.saint-gobain-africa.com.
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