SPINACH DAY at the MKHANYISELI PRIMARY SCHOOL

In November 2022 I had the privilege to meet Maxwell Funo, the principal at the Mkhanyiseli Primary School in Nyanga, SA. This happened because Tony Zappa, a friend and donor to Acacia Global, came for a visit to Cape Town. In 2007, Tony volunteered as a pharmacist at the Browns Farm Clinic in a township outside Cape Town for one year.

Besides working at the clinic, Tony also worked at the JL Zwane Centre assisting where needed. He met Maxwell, who at that time was a teacher at the Mkhanyiseli Primary School, and together they started a baseball team — yes, baseball! Tony should be the one telling this story because he has a lot of stories to tell about his rag-tag team! But he loved it and he and Maxwell bonded over baseball. As we were driving around the township with Noxie Totoyi, Acacia Global’s Community Liaison, Tony asked Noxie if we could stop at the school and see if Maxwell was still teaching there. Tony wanted to say hi and see if Maxwell would remember him. Well, it turns out Maxwell is now the principal at Mkhanyiseli and had been for two years. (Noxie had also been at the school as a Deputy Principal when Maxwell first started teaching.)

 Maxwell remembered Tony and was so happy to see him and Noxie after all these years. Maxwell gave us a tour of the school and we noticed a garden area that was not being utilized. We started to discuss the possibility of developing the garden and if it succeeded the yields could be incorporated into the lunch program and the site could also be a space to teach the children about gardening and nutrition.

 With a very generous donation from Tony and Cindy Zappa and family in honor of Tony’s parents, Joe and Kathy, the garden came to fruition! Today, the garden, under the care of Vuyani Qamata, produced the first crop of spinach and the outside teaching area is near completion. The kitchen staff and Maxwell celebrated with Spinach Day! One of the students came to Maxwell and said: “Principal, that was the best lunch I ever had, I love spinach!” and rubbed her tummy. As she walked away Maxwell said he was beaming and knew that he was at the school for the children, not a paycheck!