PSFA Donates More Kitchens to Schools

Recognising the dire need in our schools for safe, hygienic and adequate preparation facilities for our feeding programme, PSFA’s Management Committee allocated R3million in the current financial year to build kitchens at schools.  Over the past year, we have improved our model, to include wall and floor tiling.  We now have two sound options which we use, depending on the number of children fed in each school.  All the kitchens are equipped with stainless steel industrial sinks, hot and cold running water, electricity, extraction fans, a gas manifold, storage cupboards, preparation space as well as the required stoves, utensils and equipment needed to produce the daily menus.

The Concretex model is the more expensive of the two models, costing approximately R160,000 when completed.  At the end of last year, we donated 20 kitchens to schools, one of which was handed over to Vuyani Primary School in Gugulethu, where we serve 774 learners daily.  The preparers were using a very small converted storage space to prepare the food with no running water, before they were selected to receive a kitchen, due largely to the tenacity of their school feeding co-ordinator, Nombeni.

The R3million reserve was depleted by December 2010 and PSFA’s Management Committee decided to dedicate a further R5.8million to building 50 more kitchens.  At the start of 2011, 15 schools, predominately in the Wellington, Gugulethu, Langa, Phillipi East and Du Noon areas, were identified to receive kitchens, which will be ready by the end of March.

PSFA is proud to offer this additional service to our schools as it ensures the sustainability of the vital feeding programme to our children.  We are currently using our own funds to erect and equip these structures.  We welcome any partnership to continue this programme into the future to meet the full extent of the need.  Each kitchen is handed over with a plaque to identify the donor.  For more information, please contact Kristi at PSFA.