Nineteen young learners from across the country were recently recognised in the annual Pick n Pay Hero Awards which rewards those who have made a positive impact in their communities amidst adversity, or have gone above and beyond to help others in the past year.
The winners displayed exceptional kindness, courage, and responsibility. One used their pocket money to bake cupcakes for children with cancer, while another rescued stray animals and protected wildlife at school. A third championed environmental awareness through cleanups and recycling initiatives, and two others showed remarkable bravery during a traumatic shooting. Their actions serve as powerful examples of compassion and resilience, inspiring others to make a positive difference.
Pick n Pay School Club launched the Hero Awards 15 years ago in schools as a way to foster a culture of self and social awareness in classrooms, schools and communities and echoes Pick n Pay’s philosophy that ‘doing good is good business’. Throughout the year, teachers from the 2 600 participating schools in School Club network identify learners weekly for various acts of bravery, kindness, or everyday acts of heroism, and award them with certificates and button badges recognising their positive actions. This accumulates in the annual Hero Awards competition whereby teachers submit entries for learners across seven categories to stand the chance of winning their share of R35 000 in Pick n Pay vouchers.
Primary schools in every province across South Africa submitted over 1 000 learner entries.
The winning 19 learners were awarded a share of R35 000 in Pick n Pay vouchers as well as a large Hero certificate for their positive actions.
The Awards programme has become an integral component of Pick n Pay School Club – SA’s largest brand-funded educational programme providing free curriculum-compliant educational support to a network of 3 280 schools nationally.
“Watching these learners overcome personal challenges with optimism, excellence and courage is a lesson to us all. The winning learners are celebrated in their communities and this is the aim of the Hero Awards, to spark that same spirit of goodness and inspiration in communities,” says Vaughan Pierce, Executive for ESG at Pick n Pay.
Pick n Pay School Club Hero Awards recognises learners across the following categories:
- Courage (being brave in the face of difficulty)
- Selflessness (putting others first)
- Kindness/Caring (to/for people, animals and the world; being supportive of others)
- Respectfulness (honouring other people and treating them with dignity and/or thinking/acting in a way that shows others one cares about their feelings and their wellbeing)
- Honesty (speaks truth and owns up when they make a mistake)
- Team player (works well with others in the classroom, and plays fairly on the playground and in sports)
- Environmental Awareness (displaying care for the environment e.g. picking up litter and implementing the 4 R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
“The fact that every year more and more learners are being entered into the awards tells us that doing good has a chain reaction, ultimately reaching more communities. Teachers have seen how the Hero Awards programme improves attitudes and thus behaviour, which is a movement Pick n Pay is proud to be encouraging through this initiative,” concludes Pierce.
Kwa-Zulu Natal Pick n Pay annual Hero Awards winners include:
- Andisiwe Ngema a quiet Grade 6 learner from Esselen Heights Primary School won in the courage category for overcoming personal challenges and was awarded with a R2 500 Pick n Pay voucher
Adhir Singh (Pick n Pay Assistant Store Manager) and Andisiwe Ngema (Hero)
- Khethelo Mdamba | Grade 6 | Mzingazi Primary School | Team player | R3 000 Pick n Pay voucher
Evienne Snyers (Pick n Pay Store Manager Meerensee) and Khethelo Mdamba (Hero)
Khethelo stands out for his public speaking abilities and is often chosen to deliver speeches at school events, which he crafts himself. He is a dynamic member of the Mzingazi Dance Club where he demonstrates outstanding skills in Ballroom and Latin dance, earning him numerous medals and trophies. He engages with the community, encouraging others to join and excel in dance. He actively assists his coach in training other dancers, ensures the venue is clean and organised, and helps to maintain a productive practice environment.
- Romario Valentine | Grade 7 | Reddam House Umhlanga | Environmental Awareness | R3 000 Pick n Pay voucher
