Teachers from one of the most deprived townships in South Africa have this week been visiting a Dublin school which is raising funds to improve educational facilities in the Cape Town area.
Students, teachers and parents at Kildare Place primary school in Rathmines have launched a campaign to buy computers and other equipment for a primary school at Qingqa Mntwana Crossroads township, which is struggling to combat issues such as poverty and Aids.
Kildare Place principal Hazel Allen said its association with the South African school was aimed at improving facilities for students in Cape Town, as well as promoting a greater sense of understanding among Irish students on African issues.
"For our students, it help them realise that not all schools are like our own. It's about building up mutual understanding and fostering a sense of appreciation of giving," Ms Allen said.
"It's also fantastic for the teachers there to come here. They've been overwhelmed by the welcome they've received and they can see what's possible for their own school further down the road."
There are up between 50 and 70 students to each teacher at the Qingqa Mntwana school, one of the poorest districts in the Cape Town area.
Parents of children attending the Kildare Place school have visited the township and plan to help equip the school's empty computer room.
Yesterday, students at the Rathmines school held a céilí for the visiting teachers, who are taking part in an educational and cultural exchange programme this week.
Former South African ambassador Melanie Verwoerd is due to take part in a function today to mark the relationship between the two schools.
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