Ahead of the Trading Live Week, an annual initiative by Rhodes University’s Community Engagement center, local businesses have shown tremendous interest in participating in this relationship of reciprocity inspired by the Mandela Day.
Although the Trading Live week is on 24 -28 July, Buco Hardware and Buildware has already donated paint and painting material worth up to R3 000 to Luzuko pre-primary school in Fingo village. They have also offered their expertise in the painting of the pre-school. This is the first time a local business is taking part in this annual campaign.
The school has been operating since 2002, with currently 37 children from the surrounding areas of Tantyi, Vukani, Victoria road, Raglan road and I street. The pre-school is run by a staff complement of three women; Pamella Sandi (supervisor) Nomathemba Gampu (practitioner) and Thandeka Jela (volunteer).
In return, the staff members of Luzuko will cook homely meals for the elders of Raglan Road Elderly Center and for the Home of Joy children during Trading Live.
The Trading Love conceptis about staff, students and community organisations, businesses and schools should donate at least 67 minutes of their time during this week to build new relationships of reciprocity with the Grahamstown community and Rhodes University.
The Trading Live week is officially on 24 to 28 July, and this year we have a bumper 143 events over 172 hours that will happen over six days in Grahamstown. In line with the central objective of Mandela Day, this initiative is about making and accepting offers to trade skills, talents, and interests with other interested parties.
The Rhodes community has been creative as some of the departments have already made their offers and requests include Commerce, Chemistry, the School of Languages and the Centre for Biological Control, Centre for Social Development and the Institute for Water Research.
Last year over 50 community based organisations, student groups and departments came together to participate in 118 Trading Live events across 59 locations and in over 257 hours.