PPC hands over Mobile Science and IT Lab to Hammanskraal Secondary School

PRESS RELEASE
PPC hands over Mobile Science and IT Lab to Hammanskraal Secondary School
27 July 2017. PPC prides itself on creating and supporting corporate social investment
campaigns that make a real difference in the lives of the communities. It is against this
backdrop that the company has recently handed over another of its flagship Mobile Science
and IT Lab to Hammanskraal Secondary School outside Pretoria. The mobile lab, an ideal
alternative for underprivileged schools such as this one, incorporates both technology and the
science equipment needed to conduct experiments covered in the high school science
syllabus – bringing physics and chemistry to life as never before.
The handover of the lab to the school is amongst one of the several such initiatives planned
to benefit schools countrywide. Through this initiative, PPC has already positively impacted
over 10 000 learners countrywide, opening up their career paths to becoming South Africa’s
next generation of engineers, scientists and technicians. For PPC, the Mobile Science Lab
initiative is a direct response to supporting talented budding scientists, providing them with the
tools to develop their skills.
Excited grade 9, 10 and 11 pupils at Hammanskraal Secondary School got to see science in
action today – thanks to their new Mobile Science and IT laboratory handed over to them by
PPC. The lab (a self-sufficient portable structure on wheels) will be used to teach science to
learners at the school going forward, enabling practical interactive demonstrations, as well as
appropriate revision in preparations for exams.
PPC CSI Manager Kabira Akoob presented Hammanskraal Secondary School’s new mobile
science lab to excited learners and school principal Mrs Sithole thanking the various partners
that had collaborated with PPC on the rollout of this project.
“Providing access to quality, meaningful education remains one of our continent and country’s
greatest challenges,” Akoob noted. “For education to create tangible opportunities to the lives
of our children, corporates need to collaborate with government and communities in
developing the skills they will require to achieve their dreams. It is our hope as a business that
today’s handover will unlock new career options for many of these learners, and impact their
lives well into the future.”
A major development in the evolutionary process of the PPC Mobile Science & IT Lab initiative
has been the collaboration with the project partner, Diebold Nixdorf. Commenting on the
partnership, Jean Christophe Bouche, managing director East and Southern Africa, Diebold
Nixdorf said, “At Diebold Nixdorf, we are committed to contributing to youth development
through initiatives such as the PPC Mobile Science and IT Lab project. Education is a powerful
tool for youth development and as such, pivotal to transforming the economy. We are thrilled
to collaborate with PPC in helping deliver the Mobile Science and IT Lab, which incorporates
science equipment for the high school science syllabus, to Hammanskraal Secondary School.”
In a drive to provide holistic support to the learners, PPC has taken the mobile science lab
initiative a step further, partnering with Caster Semenya’s Princess D Foundation to support
the girl child’s uninterrupted access to education through the provision of menstrual cups.
PPC also joined hands with government as well as other corporate stakeholders to provide
the critical infrastructure needed for this school. These include the Hip Hope Foundation who
are the foundation partner, Department of Basic Education and Department of Mineral
Resources.
With sustainability a key focus of the initiative, PPC has put various measures in place to
ensure the most effective use of the lab possible. Brainwave will offer workshops and
psychometric analysis to assist learners at the school with their subject selection and provide
them with career guidance going forward. “Through this assessment, they will be better
equipped to select subjects that are suited to their personality, helping them to embark on the
career path that’s right for them,” explained Akoob.
A memorandum of understanding with the Department of Basic Education enables PPC to
monitor outputs and the impact of this and other labs they roll-out across South Africa. This
speaks directly to the corporate’s short to medium-term plan of then offering bursaries to
deserving matriculants from these schools who want to pursue PPC-related careers.
“PPC aims to deliver lasting benefits to local communities. As a legacy brand, celebrating 125
years in existence, it’s important that we leave an equally lasting legacy in communities across
the country - one that demonstrates that there’s far more to us as a brand. We look forward to
working with our partners to rolling out this initiative across the country – thereby shaping
futures in a positive and meaningful way,” concludes Akoob.
Ends