The Boks for Books campaign is a major new corporate social investment (CSI) initiative by SARU to supply fully stocked mobile or refurbished libraries to previously disadvantaged schools. SARU CEO Jurie Roux said the Boks for Books project was still in its infancy but he welcomed the opening of the first SARU-backed library. "This is just the first step of the campaign," said Roux. "Over the coming months and years we will be opening more libraries and announcing other initiatives to promote literacy among our children.
"I am also excited to announce that a number of our sponsors have immediately expressed their desire to partner in this project and we will be making further announcements in due course. We are committed to making a difference by putting something back into South African society," Roux said. SARU is planning to provide a minimum of 23 libraries per year across South Africa, which aligns with 23 players in a squad.
Renovation work on the Gcobani Higher Primary School started on 1 July 2013 and merely a month later is ready to be utilised, being fully shelved and stocked, and the training of the librarians is already completed. The decision to choose the school was based on a number of factors including the need in the Eastern Cape, the quality of leadership at the school, the needs of the learners and the welcoming of the project by the community at large.
"On behalf of the parents, learners and teachers I would like to thank SARU and the Springboks for their kindness and thoughtfulness in choosing our school as a recipient," said acting principal of the school, Mrs Mjila. "Receiving a library will be of great assistance to our learners as well as the community at large. We want to ensure that our learners become independent and are able to research information for their learning subjects as well as read for pleasure to broaden their minds."
"SARU is a caring corporate citizen and our teams have contributed to social cohesion and nation building by their performances on the field," said Roux. "But we wanted to find other ways to contribute to national life. We chose education and literacy as a focus area as it is priority for a national government and there are clear synergies with rugby. Springboks are made in schools and every one of them values the chances they have been given through their schooling."
The new library will officially be opened on the 22 August 2013, by Mark Alexander, deputy president of SARU.
