Hytec South Africa (Hytec SA), a Bosch Rexroth South Africa company, has again partnered with Participate for Good’s Mandela Day Library Project to deliver a digital library at Sishen Primary School in Kathu, Northern Cape. This marks the first digital library – and eleventh library in total – that Hytec SA has donated to South African communities, as part of its commitment to socially uplift the country.

"We have been proud to sponsor the Mandela Day Library Project for over a decade now and are pleased to support this inspiring community with this library – our first digital library and our first library being donated in the Northern Cape,” says Chris Riley, CEO, Bosch Rexroth South Africa at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on 21 September 2022.

The library is fitted with SMART Technology and a SMART Board to connect over 1 000 children in the school with the wider world of digital learning by allowing them remote access to the web-based system through their own tablets and smartphones, irrespective of their location. The software is one of the first to bring coding and robotics to the table, advancing digital age opportunities for the youth of this region.

To ensure that the pupils continue engaging with the technology, eleven teachers from the school received content training to integrate CAPS-aligned class lessons and remote learning across all subjects with the new software using Curiosity Stream, SMART Learning Suite and Google Classroom.

Hytec SA’s initiative forms part of Participate for Good’s digital library project alongside Nelson Mandela Day International, the Soul Buddyz Club and Rotary International to improve digital literacy among over 9000 children in poor communities.