A newly remodelled kitchen at Seupe Primary School was officially handed over earlier this month, amid much excitement from children, teachers, school staff and hundreds of parents who joined funders, partners and representatives of the Department of Education for the occasion. Together, they can now be assured that over 750 learners at the school are receiving nutritious meals every day, prepared in a facility built to support them properly.
The kitchen, which was built from scratch and includes a newly constructed septic tank, is the first of five school kitchen remodels being completed under Kathu Solar Park’s (KSP) collaborative Nutritional Breakfast Programme, delivered in partnership with the Tiger Brands Foundation and the Department of Education.
Speaking on the significance of the project, KSP’s Socio-Economic Development Manager, Sandisiwe Mntonintshi, said, “For KSP, it is more than providing infrastructure; it is about responding to a practical need that can make a lasting difference to the school and its learners. The support and involvement of Chief Seupe, the local chief, together with the full participation and commitment of the School Governing Body, made this project particularly significant. Their support ensured that the initiative was locally owned and aligned with the needs of the school and community.”
The need for the remodel at Seupe Primary was driven by real, practical challenges. The school’s existing kitchen facilities were inadequate to support the safe and efficient preparation of nutritious meals for learners, with limitations in food safety, hygiene and capacity that made it difficult for the nutritional programme to reach every child effectively. The upgraded kitchen addresses these challenges directly, creating a safer, more efficient space for preparing and serving learners’ breakfast each day, and ensuring the facility meets the necessary health and safety standards.
Kathu Solar Park carried the costs of the project as funder, with the Tiger Brands Foundation serving as implementer. Furthermore, local contractors were employed to carry out the construction, bringing an added benefit to the broader economic development of the area alongside the improvements to the school itself.
Speaking at the official handover, Seupe Primary School principal Mr Moatlhodiemang Mogolegeng reflected on what the new kitchen means for the school community, saying, “I am delighted to share that our newly remodelled kitchen signifies a major milestone for our school. This upgrade not only enhances our ability to provide nutritious meals for our learners, but also reflects our commitment to creating a healthier, more engaging learning environment. The new facilities will support our nutritional programmes, encourage healthy eating habits and serve as a valuable resource for educational activities related to food and health. We are excited about the positive impact this development will have on our learners’ well-being and overall school experience.”
Kitchen upgrades and remodels are next planned for the other schools in the breakfast programme, extending the same commitment to safe, well-equipped kitchens — and nutritious daily meals — to learners across communities in the region.
Kathu Solar Park’s Nutritional Breakfast Programme is a collaborative initiative with the Tiger Brands Foundation and the Department of Basic Education, aimed at improving school kitchen infrastructure and supporting the delivery of nutritious daily meals to learners at beneficiary schools in the region.
