By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-The Cell C ‘Take a Girl Child to Work Day’ campaign is in it’s eleventh year and this campaign creates a platform to address the needs and aspirations of girls by opening up a bouquet of career opportunities, inspiring girl children to reach heights of success they never would have dreamed previously possible and to make them aware of the important role they can play in the South African economy.

The 2013 ‘Take a Girl Child to Work Day’ campaign was celebrated nationwide on Thursday, 30 May 2013. 

This year’s theme was ‘empower a girl, empower a nation’. 

The Northern Cape SAPS Provincial Human Resource Development (HRD) in conjunction with the Provincial Human Resource Utilisation (HRU) held a very successful career information sharing session with learners from five schools in the Kimberley area.  

“Brigadier Gilroy Tait ,head of the Provincial HRU welcomed the 15 learners and gave a brief overview of the objective of the campaign” colonel Priscilla Naidu said. 

The SAPS focussed on exposing a “Girl Child’ of different ages to the SAPS and also to introduce them to the different fields of policing within the organisation said Naidu.

The learners spent half a day with the SAPS and the programme included watching a video of the various careers within the SAPS; a display of illegal items that they should take note of; a personal identikit for each child was compiled (with fingerprints). 

Police said the children also witnessed a crime scene simulation.

At the end of the day, each girl received a complimentary parcel which included :

A SAPS lunchbox with a muffin, biltong and juice.

Pamphlets on the rights of children.

SAPS promotional items (included rulers, an educational boardgame, pens) Cell C sportsbag/beanie (sponsored by Cell C)

SAPS Vanderkloof also entertained 22 Grade 6 and 7 from Keurtjie Primary School. “The learners thoroughly enjoyed their educational tour of the police station” police said.      

The campaign affords South African girl children the opportunity to visit the workplace to experience first hand the ‘working world’ and various career opportunities available within the public service sectors. 

This campaign is well supported annually.

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