The WB Rubusana Senior Secondary School class of 1996/97 recently reunited with a purpose as they launched the institution’s first-ever alumni association.
Founder Mfundo Lee Marasi said the aim was to support a network of current and former scholars who will, in turn, help to advance the school’s profile. The day’s events were to also honour 67 minutes in memory of Nelson Mandela, a gathering that was initially planned for July, but had to be postponed.
“The idea was to form an association to be a home for past and present pupils, teachers and school governing body members who served at the school in past years. It was to create a space where we all got an opportunity to network, run projects that will uplift and improve the matric pass rate and ensure academic excellence. The school has produced students who are playing leadership roles in different areas of society. When we decided to form the association, it was to also encourage a culture of giving back voluntarily for the betterment of the school,” he said.
The institution was recently nominated as a beneficiary of a sanitary towel campaign by Lukhanji Superspar to help girls stay at school through the pledge-a-pack campaign. Marasi said the initiative was part of the association’s Keep a Girl Child at School project. Hundreds of sanitary towels were handed over on Monday, as well as toiletries and school items. Marasi said a new security alarm system was installed, among other donations made by loyal sponsors who were approached for the cause.
“We want to see our school being an institution of choice, a home away from home, where they are provided with basic needs like toiletries, school items, internet and food. We want this to be a school that will equip a child, where all these needs, including sports facilities, are made available. We have received support from different stakeholders who are each playing a role in the effort of grooming young pupils to be good, responsible citizens who will, in turn, benefit the community.”
