‘The Travelling Classroom—the school that comes to you’—are two mobile computer and library classrooms that have significantly impacted rural areas in the Cape Winelands District of the Western Cape, South Africa.
This inspiring initiative, initiated by leading premium wine producer DGB, has doubled its capacity with the recent unveiling by Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, of a second state-of-the-art mobile learning facility, which took place at Alfons Primary School in Paarl on 10 February 2025.
‘South Africa faces three major challenges: unemployment, inequality and poverty. I think education is the key to the remedy for each of those three particular problems facing us. Making sure that every child in South Africa, no matter their background, is able to access a good quality education surely has to be one of the easiest ways to level the playing field in our country. The reality is that the government cannot do it on its own. Limited resources mean that we have to partner with the private sector, with organisations like DGB and others, to be able to meet the huge need that we have to make sure that our children are learning and that the opportunities exist for them to succeed and go forth to become the leaders of tomorrow,’ said Steenhuisen.
Each classroom travels across the winelands every day and visits each of the 19 schools on the program bi-weekly during school hours. The learning facilities comprise two impressive 15m trailer trucks which cost R4,5 million each to kit out and R750 000 a year to run and operate. Both are fully equipped with a multitude of books as well as a computer center aiming to bridge the educational gap and uplift over 5 000 primary school children and 153 teachers from 19 regional primary schools each year.
Over 80% of Grade 4 students at schools in these areas struggle to comprehend what they read. This stark reality is a barrier to their academic success and future potential. ‘The Travelling Classroom’ serves as a beacon of hope, igniting a flame of curiosity in each child it reaches, to nurture children’s educational experiences and address their challenges head-on by bringing vital educational resources and holistic development to the heart of the communities that need them most.
‘The Travelling Classroom’
Key Components:
- Language and Literacy Development: A wide range of educational reading materials are available to encourage love for books and reading. Research shows strong reading skills lead to improved school performance and self-confidence.
- Maths and Computer Literacy: Each classroom is equipped with 20 laptops with internet access and the Green Shoots MCO online mathematics programme is offered. It is aligned with the South African curriculum while addressing the lack of access to technology in communities in need.
- Social Conscience: The third component focuses on nurturing emerging moral values amongst children, emphasising the importance of responsible citizenship.
Financial Investment:
‘This second Travelling Classroom’ is made possible through a financial investment equally shared between the DGB Charitable Trust, and the DGB Executive Chairman’s family trust Hutch – Giving Children A Chance Trust. It is further backed by leading donors, Daimler Truck, Ardagh Glass Packaging and Rhenus Logistics, as well as an ever-expanding network of passionate individuals, businesses and organisations who share a common ethos – ‘if we can change the beginning of the story, we can change the whole story.’
‘To replicate and further grow the drive to improve early childhood development in underprivileged communities we invite donors to join and help pave the way to brighter futures,’ explains Tim Hutchinson, Executive Chairman at DGB. ‘If we can see children progress to higher education while remembering the lessons they’ve learnt at our facility, then we will all be better people for it.’
DGB is South Africa’s premium wine producer and distributor, with a heritage deeply rooted in the Cape Winelands and has always been passionate about driving positive change through initiatives like this. Ree du Toit, the Production Director of DGB, states, ‘We are dedicated to transforming education by providing essential tools and knowledge to the youth of the Cape Winelands. Our commitment is to inspire students to overcome the barriers of poverty and resource scarcity and to help them write a new story for themselves and their community.’
Principals Applaud the Mobile Centre’s Impact On Education
The impact of ‘The Travelling Classroom’ is already being felt in the community, with school principals expressing their gratitude and seeing tangible improvements in student engagement and performance. Mr Solomons, Principal of Alfons Primary School, praised the project for providing excellent learning tools, while Mr Forbes, Principal of Rondeheuwel Primary School, Hermon, noted the significant improvement in attendance on days when the mobile classroom visits.
Kinderland Akademie’s Role In Empowering the Youth
Kinderland Akademie, the registered community outreach of the Kinderland Trust, coordinates the day-to-day activities. The dedicated project team, led by Dr Thys Smith and Mrs Ilse Human, oversees the logistics, educational oversight, organisational management, and administrative support, ensuring the seamless operation and success of the project.
Through the unwavering investment of expertise and commitment of all role players, ‘The Travelling Classroom’ looks forward to growing from strength to strength.
To share in its successes, DGB invites organisations, government, trusts, foundations and
Individuals to consider joining hands and partnering with this initiative as it plays its part in transforming the educational landscape for young learners. To become a part of ‘The Travelling Classroom’, please reach out to DGB at Charitable.Trust@dgb.co.za or contact 021 864 5303 to chat to Ree du Toit.
