Lula Isandla has been going for nearly 5 years, and everyday we are grateful for everybody who has contributed to this sustainability. Claire has written a brief update on what is happening in Mpophomeni.
We feed about 210 children every week day, during term time and over the holidays. They get a balanced cooked meal; stews with either beans, beef, pork or free range chicken pieces – how lucky! – and veggies, plus a vegetarian meal, and a piece of fruit as they leave to go home.
We are presently updating the data base, so far 182 are registered using their ID books or date of birth and adding what school, what grade, where they live etc. The remaining few may have some facts missing – some live with their Grandmother, no ID book as the Mother has absconded with it to draw the grant for herself!
Lubunjwa Luseva is the after school initiative that is run at the Community Center. This is what it entails at the moment:
- Loom Knitting = currently 15 children, boys and girls are learning this type of knitting with the view to making school scarves and beanies. This they do in the short time available after lunch and before going home to do their homework. Once school holidays start next month more will taught the craft.
- Young teenage girls group = chat about the facts of life, speak in English where possible to improve their language skills, and will take home English books in the holiday for the same reason and be required to give a brief summary of the book, also in English – at their request.
- We are buying new school uniforms where we see fit. Next week I will supply a young teenage girl and also a boy, with a complete outfit each. She should be part of the Young teenage group by may feel incorrectly dressed to keep coming…………
- Owing to my huge work load in other matters I have not succeeded in setting up the Computer Club, yet. As soon as I have cleared my desk I will concentrate on this again as I feel very strongly about the children having this skill. To do so I need to re-connect with Future4Kids and get 8 new laptops. What we have are old and awful and drive me crazy as they breakdown too often.