Every year learners from two schools – Haugaland Vidergående Skole in Haugesund and Oddemarka Junior School in Kristiansand ,Norway raise funds by working one day of the year and donating these funds to a project called Action South Africa.
The funds raised are managed by a committee of Wynberg Rotary led by PP Are Hovstad for the benefit of 5 primary schools and 2 secondary schools in the Grassy Park, Lotus River and Zeekoevlei communities. In this year alone the Norwegian Committee gave out bursaries to the value of R940 000!
Friday 7th November saw one of the highlights of the calendar for the Wynberg Rotary Club and six schools in the Grassy Park – Lotus River area:- the annual Bursary evening. At this event bursaries worth R455 000 were handed out to learners in need – those from families who could not otherwise afford to maintain the child at school.
On Wednesday November 6, Wynberg Rotary Club handed out 450 bursaries to children from primary schools and one high school in Grassy Park and Retreat.
The bursaries are funded by two sponsors in Norway Oddemarka Junior School and Haugaland College, who raise money through their Solidarity Day, when all the students go out and work for a day. The project was started in Grassy Park 14 years ago to help two primary schools with funding for computer equipment and books. The project, facilitated by Wynberg Rotary Club through the Norwegian Liaison Committee (NLC), has gone from strength to strength and now includes Montagu’s Gift, Perivale, Lotus River, Die Duine, Stephen Road primary schools and Fairmount High School. Over the 14 years, this school project has raised approximately R4 million.
This was a special occasion for the recipients, the donor schools and Wynberg Rotary Club. For the first time all 42 teachers (including the principal) from Oddemarka visited South Africa, and Cape Town. They were joined by 4 scholars and two teachers from Haugaland, albeit in a separate tour party.
Are Hovstad presenting Bursaries to Fairmount Secondary learner
Late Are Hovstad presenting a bursary to Stephen Road student at the annual Bursary Night.
The week of 4 to 10 November was hectic for all the visitors. They toured the Western Cape, from Cape Point, through the wine routes, to Game Farms, Robben Island and Tablemountain. They stopped off at the Aquarium, the Waterfront, and Greenmarket square.
In their travels the party performed three very important functions: the reason for the visit.
In the evening of Wednesday 6th November, the whole group joined the Norwegian Liaison Committee and members of Wynberg Rotary Club at Hyde Park Primary to hand out the bursaries. It was a fantastic evening, enjoyed by all, especially the children.
On Thursday 7th November the party split up into 6 groups, each travelling with a member of Wynberg Rotary to a different school. There they spent two hours getting to know, and be known by, the principal, staff and in many cases enthusiastic learners.
Finally on the evening of the 7th the tour party joined Wynberg Rotary at Palms Guest House for their weekly meeting. It was a convivial evening, a few speeches, a good meal, much talking and making of friends.
On behalf of Wynberg Rotary Club we thank all members of Oddemarka and Haugaland, both staff and learners, for this fantastic, gift they brought to our Cape Town learners. We hope they took back many pleasant memories.
