Thanks to a generous donation of R20 000, learners at the Mbaleni Primary School, in Limpopo's Vhembe district, will no longer have to walk eight kilometers to a river every day to fetch water.

The welcome sponsorship, which resulted in a borehole being sunk at the school, came from insurance giant Old Mutual, as part of its programme to assist communities with urgent needs.

A company spokesperson said the policy of setting aside more than R200 000 each year had helped to make a significant contribution to community development. He explained that deserving projects were selected from thousands of applications received each year. Old Mutual was happy to invest in areas where it did business, he said.

The company will regularly monitor the functioning of the borehole, which is to be used for watering the school’s garden, for cooking purposes, and to maintain flushing toilets. Mbaleni was brought to the attention of Old Mutual when one of the company's workers noticed that learners were carrying buckets of water to school every day.

Acting principal Helen Masotsha said the donation, allocated after the submission of a business plan and motivational letter, came at a crucial time, when the water shortage at the school was becoming critical.