Alumna donates vegetable garden and chess court to Bellville South’s Goeie Hoop Primary
Gift of the Givers and Avery Dennison have donated a vegetable garden and chess court to Goeie Hoop Primary School in Bellville South, marking a significant milestone in a growing corporate-community partnership aimed at empowering disadvantaged students.
The donations address both immediate needs and long-term development goals at the 63-year-old institution. The vegetable garden will provide nutrition for students from disadvantaged backgrounds while teaching sustainability, entrepreneurship and responsibility skills that could help break cycles of poverty.
“The vegetable garden will foster more than just fresh produce – it’s a symbol of self-sustainability, entrepreneurship, and dignity,” said principal Henry Tarentaal.
The chess court promotes intellectual development and serves as a unifying activity for the school’s diverse student population. “In a diverse school such as ours chess becomes a universal language, bringing children together regardless of their background,” Tarentaal noted.
The initiative was sparked by alumna and learning support teacher Sue-Lindie Solomons, who started a garden project with limited resources before attracting major external support. Her story exemplifies how individual vision can catalyse community transformation.
Warren Pearce of Avery Dennison emphasised the partnership goes beyond charitable giving, representing shared values around equality, diversity and community empowerment. “The partnership with Gift of the Givers continues to strengthen year on year,” he said.
Gift of the Givers selects schools based on existing positive characteristics including cleanliness, discipline and initiative, qualities Goeie Hoop demonstrated even before receiving support.
The school has served Bellville South for more than six decades, surviving apartheid-era challenges while consistently producing professionals in medicine, law and education. This latest partnership represents continued investment in an institution that has proven its commitment to educational excellence and community service.
The holistic approach combines practical nutrition support with intellectual development, creating sustainable change that builds community capacity.
