Access to the right educational resources can make a significant difference to learners preparing for their final school examinations. For Grade 12 learners at Mandisa Shiceka School of Specialisation in Kagiso, a recent Mobil™ Give a Drop initiative has provided practical support in the form of mathematics textbooks and calculators.

African Group Lubricants (AG Lubricants) handed over the resources to the school on Thursday 10 September, as part of the ongoing Mobil™ Give a Drop campaign. The initiative focuses on responding to needs identified within communities by providing practical support where it can make a meaningful difference.

Addressing a practical barrier

For the school’s Mathematics Specialist, Phoenix Cassidy Moteke, the intervention addresses a very real challenge. “Starting with the resources, the calculators have been an issue, especially since we are a no-fee school. Most of the parents in this community are not working. So I think that was one of the biggest challenges,” he says.

The extent of the challenge became clear when Moteke recently surveyed one of his classes. Of approximately 45 learners, only six had calculators. “We believe that the lack of resources is actually hindering our success as a school, and we are grateful that the campaign has stepped in to assist us.”

The donation of mathematics textbooks and calculators therefore provides more than additional equipment. It gives learners access to resources that can support independent study and preparation for their final examinations.

Moteke says the intervention could have a meaningful impact on the school’s learners, particularly because of the broader challenges faced by a no-fee school. “I think, in my opinion, the campaign has solved 80% of our problems. By stepping in, believing in us, also assisting with resources, this will definitely assist the learners to study independently and hopefully improve the school’s pass rate.”

Beyond corporate social investment

For AG Lubricants, supporting education forms part of its broader commitment to communities and aligns with the company's focus on STEM initiatives. Zandi Sigabi, Head of HR and Transformation, says education is central to developing the skills needed for the future. “Development is the future and education is key. We must nurture these young minds now as the future pipeline.”

Sigabi notes that resources such as textbooks and calculators can easily be taken for granted, with an assumption that every learner has access to what they need. “Even a calculator is an assumption that people have what they need. Sometimes parents are so busy with all their other responsibilities that the best they can do is send a child to school.”

The intervention therefore aims to close a straightforward but potentially significant gap. “For me, if these kids get their textbooks and calculators and if that alone closes the gap, I am happy. That is enough,” says Sigabi.

She adds that businesses cannot separate themselves from the communities in which they operate. “We exist in our communities. Our customers are part of our community. You cannot exist without your community.”

Giving learners hope

For Moteke, the value of corporate involvement in schools extends beyond the resources themselves. “For me, it goes beyond corporate social investment. It shows that companies, they are part of our community. It gives us hope that learners who are completing their qualifications, there are companies out there that actually really care for them.”

He believes this message is particularly important for schools that have historically been disadvantaged. “I would highly recommend that they partner with schools that are previously disadvantaged. Such schools do not only lack resources, but they also lack motivation. They lack hope. They want to be told that someone believes in them.”

That sense of encouragement is also central to what Sigabi hopes learners and teachers take from the initiative. “I hope they will see that there are people who care and that organisations do care. They are not on their own. There is a broader community that exists around them.”

A role for business and community

The initiative also highlights how support for education can extend beyond once-off donations. Moteke believes companies can contribute their expertise through initiatives such as teacher workshops, while community members with relevant professional skills can assist learners after school.

The printing partner involved in producing the mathematics books likewise sees the initiative as an opportunity for businesses to contribute beyond their normal commercial activities. Mike Eiserman, who works in sales and key account management at the printing company involved in producing the books, says the project offered an opportunity to give back.

“We always just carry on with work. You come to work, you go to work, and nothing else. This just felt like a good thing and the right thing to do, just to now give back.” Eiserman says the mathematics books provided an opportunity for the company to contribute through its own expertise.

He also encourages other organisations to look beyond their day-to-day business activities and consider how they can contribute to their communities. “People are so busy these days. They should slow down a bit and try and come up with ideas of giving back,” he says.

For the learners at Mandisa Shiceka School of Specialisation, the result of this particular drop is tangible in the form of textbooks to support their mathematics studies and calculators that many previously did not have access to. For Mobil™ and AG Lubricants, it represents the practical philosophy behind Give a Drop in identifying a genuine need and providing targeted support that can help people take the next step.