Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: It was smiles all around on Thursday, 16 February 2023, as Proteas spin bowler and Hollywood Foundation Brand Ambassador Keshav Maharaj joined the Purple Team for a special handover. Keshav was delighted to accompany the Hollywood Foundation, as part of the Back to School campaign.
The start of the new schooling year may be an exciting time for learners, however, it is usually a stressful period for parents who have to purchase a long list of school items for their children. For this reason, the Hollywood Foundation launched the Back to School campaign in November last year, with a R4 million pledge in basic school supplies to assist learners who are based in predominantly disadvantaged communities in South Africa. The campaign has already touched the lives of many learners and parents across the country, through contributions that included shoes, uniform and stationery supplies.
Keshav nominated two schools in Durban to receive much-needed support from the Back to School campaign, Highstone Primary School in Phoenix and Kusa Kusa Primary School in Malagazi. Both of these schools are comprised of hardworking learners, who come from households where purchasing school items is usually a challenging task. News that the star cricketer will be visiting Highstone Primary School sparked excitement for learners, especially for the young boys and girls who look up to him as a role model. The learners welcomed him and the Purple Team to their school with a loud cheer, as they eagerly waited to hear a few words of encouragement from him. At the school, Keshav motivated the learners to succeed in their studies this year.
The Hollywood Foundation Team were also treated to a special entertainment item from the learners at Kusa Kusa Primary School as a token of appreciation for the warm visit. Through the Back to School campaign, Keshav and the Team were proud to contribute shoes, uniform and stationery supplies for learners at both of these schools. Speaking about Highstone Primary School, Keshav said, “I went to this school before, my dad is an Educator at this school, so I sort of understand the struggles that these kids are faced with. Also, from the school’s position, I can see some of the upgrades that need to be done, that is why I identified Highstone Primary School as a school that I would like to be part of going forward.”
