Eight to Twelve for Life Initiative

Melco pays all school fees from Grade 8 to Grade 12 for these learners, covers all extra mural activities, cost of daily transport to and from school, and supplies all school books and stationery. The learners make use of Melco’s offices and internet facilities for project and study purposes and Melco staff members provide extra tutoring, if necessary.

The learners were selected on merit from the top achievers at Ekurhuleni Primary School, which is situated only a few hundred metres away from Melco. They started attending Germiston High School in 2011. All six learners completed their first year of high school successfully, and were excited to be able to choose their own subjects in Grade 9. Extra mural activities enjoyed by the pupils include; karate, rowing and basketball, and Melco assists in purchasing kit and pays for the learners to attend coaching sessions and tournaments.

“Our goal for these young learners is that we give them every opportunity to fulfil their obvious potential,” says Melco managing director Gavin Hall. “We are deeply humbled by how hard they have worked in their young lives to overcome very obvious hardships. The least we can do is helping them continue to achieve, by taking away the burden of the cost of schooling for the duration of their high school careers.”

Two of the learners have ambitions to become social workers, two wish to become engineers, one to be a doctor, and one wants to become a teacher. “If these learners achieve their goals, whatever they may be, then Melco will have played a small part in helping our local community and our country” he concludes.

Melco wishes all the girls the very best of luck with the year to come.