Victor Mecoamere

Victor Mecoamere

Philips' social responsibility programme called Supply Opportunities and Achieve Results (Soar) in short, continues to do good work in Gauteng schools.

Sowetan as media sponsor is one of Soar's many partners. Over the past few years, Soar has cleaned, renovated, refurbished and supported academic, cultural and outreach activities of teachers and pupils.

Staff at the electronics company are actively involved in the programme. They frequently take time off their hectic schedules and don overalls to help in the many activities of this nation-building programme.

One of the activities is a yearly art competition for the seven "adopted" schools. The theme this year was Woman and Child Abuse.

The schools are Dowlinglaan and Everest primary schools in Newclare, Masakhane Primary School in Honeydew, Westbury Primary School in Westbury, Wilhelmina Hoskins in Riverlea and Sonitus School for the Hearing Impaired in Pretoria.

Through their artwork, pupils demonstrated creativity, skill, thoughtfulness and concern about women and child abuse.

Ereet Lehutso from Dowlinglaan Primary School took first prize, John Scholtz from Wilhelmina Hoskins took second prize and Ismael Magumbo from Everest Primary School took third prize.

Bongani Maseko, Philips' warehouse manager, said that all the entries demonstrated a huge talent and a wish to stop child and woman abuse.