SOS Africa is pleased to announce the launch of The Grabouw High School Swimming Pool Appeal. The exciting new initiative aims to raise £50,000 required to redevelop the school’s 25 metre swimming pool and reopen it to the school students and wider community later this year.
Since first partnering with the school in 2013, SOS Africa has hosted fundraising initiatives to enhance the standard of education and care provided to its students. In addition to building an education centre at the school and sponsoring 40 of its students, more recently SOS Africa has also funded the construction of an IT Lab and two Grade R Classrooms.
Grabouw High School’s swimming complex used to be one of its most celebrated facilities, hosting competitive swimming galas for the region’s athletes and vital swimming lessons for beginners of all ages. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pool was forced to close; following regular break-ins and vandalism, it has remained inaccessible ever since. The loss of this invaluable resource has been felt both by the school, now forced to remove swimming lessons from its curriculum and the local community, currently without a public swimming pool.
The inclusion of swimming lessons as part of the school timetable is essential, not only because of the many health benefits, but also to teach the children a vital skill which may ultimately save their life. With so many unfenced dams located throughout Grabouw and the Elgin Valley plus high volumes of rainfall during the winter months, protecting the safety and wellbeing of children by teaching them how to swim must be a priority.
“It is unthinkable that the children of Grabouw will grow up without learning how to swim. If successful, this appeal will enable generations of children to learn this vital skill. We (SOS Africa) are proud to facilitate this impactful project and cannot wait to bring it to fruition by the start of the summer term!” (Matt Crowcombe, SOS Africa CEO/Founder)
The proposed renovations will include relining the pool, the installation of two new pumps, landscaping across the 2000 square meter site and in the installation of security features to prevent future break-ins.
Once the renovations are complete, the pool will host daily swimming lessons for Grabouw students and inter-school swimming competitions. The school also intends to allow regular supervised access to children from the wider community. Surrounded by a large grass area and many trees, the pool area can also function as an outside shaded learning space for Grabouw students during the summer months.
“We are reaching out to seek your support in the refurbishment of our school’s swimming pool, a vital project that extends beyond our institution. This facility will not only provide our students with essential swimming skills but will also be open to learners from neighbouring schools. Given the alarming number of drownings occurring annually on local farms, this initiative is crucial. By teaching both children and adults to swim, we can significantly reduce these tragic incidents. Additionally, the pool will serve as a community swimming club, fostering a spirit of unity and promoting a healthy lifestyle for all town residents. Your sponsorship will make a profound difference in enhancing safety and well-being in our community.” (Herholdt Bezuidenhout, Grabouw High School Principal)
SOS Africa and Grabouw High School would greatly appreciate your support to help make this ambitious and life-changing project possible. Donations can be made in the following ways:
- Donate via our JustGiving Fundraising Page or our BackaBuddy Fundraising Page.
- Donate via bank transfer to SOS Africa’s UK Account: SOS Africa / Bank: HSBC / Account Number: 40001589 / Sort Code: 401538.
- Donate via bank transfer to SOS Africa’s SA Account: SOS Africa / Bank: ABSA / Account Number: 9283811100 / Swift Code: 632005.
If you are donating via bank transfer, please use “Pool Appeal” as the reference.
Thank you for your support and please contact us if you have questions or require more information
