Category: Headlines

Educare parents, teachers and volunteers attended a 5 day intensive parent training programme this month. Early Years Services, a non-profit organisation, has facilitated this successful programme for many years. Group discussions covered topics about self-respect, self-care, self-love, nutrition, grief and loss, safety and protection, and domestic violence. Parents were very keen to participate in the discussions and to learn more about child development and childrens’ rights. They were informed about local support networks such as social workers, safe houses and clinics that are available to help them become responsible parents and positive role models for their children.

On completion of the programme each participant received a certificate of attendance.

 

 

 

The Colt birthday celebration was a joyous and special occasion on Friday the 15th. All the children and staff participated in a yajna / fire ceremony to give thanks to the Divine for sustaining the Educare. Then, after singing a few rounds of “Happy Birthday” everyone enjoyed tea, treats and a slice of birthday cake!

To make a donation towards our Birthday Campaign please click on this link http://colt.org.za/donate/

  

 

First Aid refresher training. Class assistant Siyasanga, teacher Nushfeekah and class assistant Juliet sat for their First Aid refresher training this weekend. We are in the process of registering with the department of social development and with increased criteria requirements we expect a further delay in our application. Our Birthday Campaign appeal will help Children of Light Educare remain open for another year until our application is successful.  Please visit our campaign post http://colt.org.za/birthday-campaign/ and help us raise R 170 000 to cover the cost of teacher’s salaries and transport for our children for the next 12 months. This means R 8 500 to sponsor one child for the year. Families and friends please group together and help us reach our target by October!

Today was the third and final day of a very successful Colt Winter Holiday Program, our first holiday program which will certainly be repeated annually! It was heart – warming to see our children after a two week break and also our past graduates who were invited to join the program. There were 30 children and the theme for this July – Mandela Month 2021, seemed really significant to us ‘One hand can feed another’. Our grateful thanks to the Colt donors who provided and delivered the three daily packed meals for the children, teachers, facilitators and volunteers.

Each day included Yoga with Jennifer, Eurythmy with Khanya, Music with Lilavan, Art with Devi and Khanya and Storytelling with Lisa. There was a large soft play free play area inside the hall and also space outside for games and activities.

Lilavan showed us fun ways to use body percussion to make noise like wind, rain and thunder while still keeping a beat. In art the children were invited to explore through the mediums of crayons, wet on wet painting and clay work. Yoga and breathing exercises were kept upbeat through stories about animals and healing verse. In eurythmy the children were very quick to learn a sequence which was done in a circle and then another shorter one which was done with a partner. After lunchtime the children, teachers and volunteers would gather around Lisa for storytelling. We are deeply appreciative of the four outside facilitators who straight away warmed to the Colt community and introduced the children to so many amazing new experiences.

     

  

On 6 February principal Mala Maitri attended a presentation of educational equipment to the Lansdowne, Kenwyn, Rondebosch East and Sybrand Park (LKRS) Forum of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres.

Ward 60 Councillor Mark Kleinschmidt stated, “Investment in our young learners is imperative. I’ve allocated R80 000 funding towards the purchase of the educational equipment for this financial year 2020/21.”

Principal Mala Maitri and Cllr Mark Kleinschmidt are centre in the picture above.

Transport has always been one of COLT’s highest costs. Children would not arrive for classes if transport was not provided because parents cannot afford to pay for it. Yesterday COLT took delivery of a 14 seater Toyota Quantum. Once the car registration process is complete and a tracker installed our driver Asim Rahman can use it for getting our children safely to and from the Educare. We can’t wait to see the excitement on their faces!

Below, principal Mala Maitri Makan can be seen trying out the driver seat for size.

Today was our annual soup seva in our three school communities. Children and adults each received a meal pack which contained a tub of hot vegetable soup, 4 slices of buttered bread and an orange. In past years all preparation and cooking was done by a team of volunteers in the school kitchen, but due to Covid-19 regulations we decided to ask volunteers to make their favourite vegetable soup at home and deliver it hot to the school in sealed tubs, where the meal packs were made up. This new process also meant that we were able to more than double the amount of meals that were provided, which on a typical cold and wet winters day in Cape Town spread some extra warmth.

This month our courageous staff has been training hard in preparation for reopening our Educare. Protocols and procedures as set out by the Department of Social Development are being implemented and the necessary resources obtained.

Objectives of the training are to gain a thorough understanding of the Covid-19 virus which will help to alleviate fears and anxiety. During training sessions teachers have the time to reflect and discuss their fears about the adjustments that have to be made to the Educare daily program. It is important that each one of us feels well supported during this time of transition.

This month, with the kind and generous support of our donors we have been able to deliver much needed food parcels and education packs to our children and their families. This assistance extends not only to our current families, but also to our past children and their families, twenty in total.

The children have missed being at school enormously during lock down! Two mothers in each community have offered to supervise the children while they work through the educational activities that Teacher Nushfeekah has organised for them. Bread, jam and juice are packed in for the moms to make a snack for the children while they work. In this way we aim to uplift and empower the parents in the three communities. After her visit on Tuesday Nushfeekah said that there is sense of accountability amongst the mothers now, because they are feeling well supported by the Educare staff.

Please see below how you can help us with our Covid-19 support project.

Wish list for Covid-19 support project

• Disposable gloves
• Disposable masks
• Plastic aprons
• 5L sanitiser 70-80%
• Sanitiser spray bottles
• Paper towels
• Wet wipes

All donations can be dropped off at the school every Tues 10h00 – 13h00. You do not have to get out of your car, just email info@colt.org.za to let Devi know what time you will deliver.

Cash donations will be used to cover petrol for distribution of goods, and to buy food and cleaning products. Twice a month each family receives the following items @ R600:-

• Milk x 4litres
• Cake of soap x 2
• Cake flour 2.5kg
• Sugar 2.5kg
• Mealie meal 2.5kg
• Rice 2kg
• Baked beans x 4 tins
• Tea bags x 100
• Lollipop sweets
• Cooking oil x 2litres
• Bag apples, bag of potatoes
• Cabbage, butternut, gem squash
• Bleach and dishwashing liquid
• Ace instant porridge 1kg
• Sugar beans

Please visit our Donate page http://colt.org.za/donate/ for donation options.

Teacher Nushfeekah, Asim and Juliet packing bags to deliver to our children and families living in Hadji Ebrahim, Pook se Bos and Flamingo Crescent informal settlements.

Last week when we visited the three communities where our children and their families live it became very clear that there was a dire need for food, detergent, masks and educational materials. We have committed to support our past and current children and their families, twenty in total. Christolene, who started at Children of Light when she was 3.5 years old graduated to Grade R at the end of 2019. Her mom was so proud and excited to show us a picture of her daughter dressed in her new school uniform.

Many individuals and organisations are assisting us with our Covid-19 Support project. We are most grateful for their kind and generous support.

Cape Town Hindu Seva Samaj are providing food parcels for our school families.

BAPS Cape Town provide 100 meals on a weekly basis to our families. They also offer support to our school driver who is collecting and distributing the meals to the three communities.

Through Verein-Ubuntu, Perone Nadja from Switzerland, and Jennifer Stephens provide food and hygiene parcels for our 20 families. Matchbox Africa is covering the costs for collection and distribution of these parcels.

Funds donated by Dharmic Samelan are being used to buy educational materials and winter clothes for our children. Two mothers in each community are co-ordinating the educational activities for the children. Their completed work will be collected by Teacher Nushfeekah when we visit the communities again next week.