ACE Insurance Limited brings joy to Alexandra school children

As one of the more rewarding aspects of its corporate social investment programmes, ACE Insurance Limited is closely involved with the Gordons Primary School in the township of Alexandra, close to Sandton. With its conviction that education presents perhaps the best opportunity for self-improvement and the chance of a better life, the specialist insurer sponsors prizes and certificates for the academic prowess of the children attending the school.

According to Heather Morris, financial lines and casualty underwriter at the company, the intention is to incentivise children to perform academically. “Rewarding children for their efforts at school has the ancillary benefit of encouraging them to reach their full potential. Over the course of our three-year involvement with the school, we have really seen the children taking to the programme: they value the recognition and strive to be among the prize winners,” she says.

Such is the enthusiasm for the programme, Morris notes, that the children look forward to the annual prize giving as early as January.

She explains that prizes are awarded to 108 children in grades 1 to 6, in categories including mathematics and literacy. “Certificates and gifts complement the prizes; class winners receive a lapel badge while the overall grade winner also gets a trophy,” she says.

Agreeing that education fundamentally underpins a properly functioning society, Morris says the motivation that recognition of effort brings is heartening. “The average marks coming out of Gordons School are high, which we believe is testament that the learners are trying hard to do their best under very trying circumstances.”

She adds that bringing joy to the children of the school is in itself rewarding, “CSI is, of course, intended to help those less fortunate to enjoy the same opportunities in life and employment as anyone else. For this reason, we believe the initiative potentially makes a difference not just during the school year, but also on the future prospects of these children.”