Project Details

Game’s Tools 2 Play project comprises custom-built storage units packed with educational toys, These are donated to pre-school centres in disadvantaged areas.

Since the successful launch of the project in 2009 with 20 units being donated to Educare centres in KZN, a further 45 units have already been donated to needy children’s facilities around South Africa in 2010.

This means that more than 3 000 young South African learners are benefiting from the educational toy kits that facilitate learning.

In addition, a further 40 units will be donated to 10 African countries, bringing the value of Game’s contribution to R1,275,000 for this project and the number of child beneficiaries to 5 000 across Africa.

Each Tools 2 Play unit comprises a portable wooden cupboard containing a range of specially-selected educational toys, puzzles, musical instruments and games for children 0 – 6 years old. Valued at around R15 000 each, the units were developed by Game in consultation with education specialists.

Game MD, Jan Potgieter, says, “A child’s early years are critical in the developmental process. These disadvantaged learners deserve the best possible grounding for their education as this will pave the way for a brighter future for them.”

Ina Cronje, MEC for Education KZN attending the handover with Game MD, Jan Potgieter.

Children playing with their new educational toys, helped by Game employees.

Teachers receiving training.

Units being built by Game Staff as part of a team building exercise.

Project Details

The Tools 2 Teach initiative began in 2004 when the need to provide basic stationery to disadvantaged rural schools was identified.

McCarthy Holdings run a CSI initiative called Rally to Read, which is aimed at improving the quality of education, with a focus on literacy, in over 400 remote, rural schools of South Africa.

Apart from the much needed reading books, teachers were also desperate for stationery for their learners to use. Without the basic pen and pencil, students can not learn to write and this is preventing teachers from providing productive lessons.

The Tools 2 Teach programme provides a stationery box to every teacher on the Rally to Read programme. This means that each year over 1200 teachers and more than 60 000 learners benefit from a stationery bag which contains enough basic stationery for a class of 50. The bag contains items such as pens, pencils, rulers, crayons and glue to calculators, math sets and scissors. Each year Game has added more value to the packs and currently they are an estimated cost of over R1000 each.

The main success of this programme is due to Game’s loyal customers who utilise the Gift Wrap service at Christmas time. Proceeds from this service go towards the Tools 2 Teach boxes. Over the past 7 years, customers’ gift wrap contributions have accumulated to over R1.5 million.