It was a momentous occasion for the community of Strand last Thursday (24 February), when the newly established library at the Dr GJ Joubert Primary School was officially opened by former principal Martin Leukes.
The school’s choir provided a beautiful performance in celebration of the new chapter created for the children before a ribbon cutting ceremony marked the official opening.
This comes after a fire gutted the Southern Strand library during February last year.
Just two months later, in April 2021, the Gordon’s Bay Lions Club, the Strong Schools Community Collaborative and the Dr GJ Joubert Primary School in Strand joined forces to establish a new library facility for the nearby learners in search of a quiet place to study and have access to books for their school projects.
The opening was attended by delegates of the Western Cape Education Department and donor organisations, as well as the Lions Club District Governor Aidan Ewers.
With the interior structure set up, an ongoing book drive was put into action and each book received a long-lasting plastic cover, under the watchful eye and guidance of the project manager and deputy principal of the school, Tauhira Fanie and Annette Botha from Strong Schools Community Collaborative.
Jeanette Kruger from the Gordon’s Bay Lions Club organised the volunteers, including two experienced librarians Karen Vermeulen and Gretel Marais from the Friends of Gordon’s Bay Library. All the books were coded and listed by Jeanette Kruger and Rika de Lange.
“The Gordon’s Bay Lions Club donated books, a carpet, projector with a screen, as well as a computer and stationery,” read a statement from the Lions Club. “Community members committed their time to serve as librarians and to support the learners visiting the library. The book drive is on-going, and the current need is Afrikaans books for primary school children.”
Strong Schools ZA also released a statement congratulating the school on the opening of this long-awaited library.
It said: “Today was a joyous celebration of a story of hope when a community stands together, joins forces and empowers a school to give its children the opportunity to read. Thank you to everyone who worked together and donated funds to celebrate this occasion with them today.” The group added that it was privileged to be a part of this beautiful project.
At the moment the library has a total of 4 414 books which consist of 1 553 Afrikaans fiction books, 544 Afrikaans non-fiction, and 2 317 English fiction books.
This is an ongoing project, and there is still a need for Afrikaans fiction books for primary schoolchildren.
Books can be dropped off at the Dr GJ Joubert Primary School on Thursdays between 08:00 and 15:00. Contact Annette Botha on 072 189 9360 for more information on the possibility of a library for your school.
