Siyasizana programme aims to reach 5-million children by 2030

TimesLIVE

5 days ago

Children at Glenhills Primary School in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, cheered as a new jungle gym was unveiled in their playground on Wednesday morning as part of the PepsiCo Siyasizana initiative.
The school is one of 1,000 beneficiaries across the country that have received new or upgraded playgrounds since the "Play Better" campaign was launched in 2023.
The playground is part of PepsiCo's Sasco's Siyasizana initiative, aimed at helping children from underprivileged communities learn and grow through play.
"People who care make things better," said a Sasko representative.
Children of Glenhills were singing and dancing with SASKO Sam after the handing over of the Jungle gym
Image: SUPPLIED
Glenhills principal Hansrajh Hurilal, told TimesLIVE Sasko donates bread for pupils in his school for lunch.
"Sasko has come to our aid when we needed them the most. They have provided us with a jungle gym and bread on a regular basis." said Hurilal.
"The jungle gym really has assisted our children because they need some physical activities besides being in the classroom and they also get out in the fresh air."
The event also included a tour of the Sasko bakery in Shakaskraal, which produces 8,000 loaves of bread every hour.
PepsiCo's chief marketing officer Bella Chesaney said the playgrounds were more than just a fun space.
"They are safe spaces. In some areas they've become places where communities gather, run feeding programmes and even support women's groups," she said. "Children are the heart and soul of our future. When you invest in schools, you invest in the nation."
Cornel Vermeulen, general manager of the Sasko baking business, said the Shakaskraal facility is the most modern of the 13 Sasko bakeries in South Africa.
He called it the heartbeat of Sasko's business in KwaZulu-Natal and a key player in food security for the region.
About 2.4-billion loaves of bread are consumed in South Africa every year. Vermeulen said one out of every four loaves sold is a Sasko loaf.
The company's distribution system includes more than 1,300 trucks delivering to more than 40,000 customers every day, travelling more than four million kilometres a month.
Most of these deliveries go to informal traders and township stores, which make up 70% of the market.
Teachers from Ikaneng Combined School in Diepkloof, Soweto, another school honoured with a playground on Friday during a Mandela Month event, said the donations went beyond infrastructure.
"Most of our learners come to school hungry. The bread donations from Sasko help them focus in class. The jungle gym gives them a reason to look forward to school," one teacher said.
A symbolic 1,000-slice loaf of bread was displayed to celebrate the milestone of 1,000 playgrounds.
Marking the 1,000 playgrounds built or renovated by the Siyasizana 'play better' initiative was the playground in Ikaneng Combined School in Diepkloof, Soweto
Image: Refilwe Kholomonyane
The event also focused on anti-bullying awareness. Asked what bullying was, some children said it was when someone took one's lunch or called one bad names.
Sandwiches were made from 1,000 slices of bread for the children at Ikaneng, known as the "first born" of the initiative.
Vermeulen said the campaign was proof that commercial success and community upliftment could go hand in hand.
PepsiCo's goal is to reach five million children by 2030.
TimesLIVE