It’s our financial year-end and we are getting your certificates ready. Some of you, have donated and we don’t have details for you, so if you want a certificate for your valuable and so appreciated donation – please send your details to me at bonnie@hlanganani.org.
Hopscotch schooling – that is the only way I can describe it. Some weeks- 3 days a week at school and two days off. Some weeks 2 days a week at school and 3 days off. Our children are certainly not having a fair deal in education and without the ability to be online, either. No access to even training in the technology of the present. I feel overwhelmed at thinking about how to prepare them for this present world of work?
Our two matrics of 2020 passed! One with a distinction in History and aims to study law. But with no funding available from the government, we are going to try online with UNISA? Their reward for passing is that if they do their learners license, I will help them get their drivers license.
The other received her matric results after application closing dates so could not submit to start studying this term but only available next term. What a mess and the children suffer!
We have 3 matrics this year who have smart outfits to wear this year – that is their accolade for reaching this point, which not many children do. Especially orphaned ones.
We have a young lady (an orphan herself) volunteering to tutor Maths and Science to the one young matriculant – I hope that turns out successfully. The other two are on cell phones with online classes. A young man that was in Hlanganani is also offering to tutor one of our Gr 11’s. I thank God for the “pass it on mentality”.
Another child in transfer from one school to another was not booked into a school by a social worker and so now we are to try online for him too! We have created a space on one of the Home Based Carers properties for him to begin. The wendy house is up and waiting to be occupied by hopefully, a studious young learner!
Some of our junior school children were at school for a week and then some community members robbed and trashed their school and water pipes – so they were off school for the next week while repairs were done. Two of our children that have left school now, are going to join the YES program at Witkoppen Clinic which allows them to job shadow various aspects of the clinic which will apparently become a vaccination center.
Please pray for these children to recover and be whole in their studying processes.
Two of our Homebased Carers have put together their own pre-schools and have 12 – 15 children in each and growing. There is such a desperate need for this, I am very proud of them.
Hlanganani team managed to put together another shack for one of the children and their family – see the before and after photo.
We have had a Hlanganani research project on the go, by a Development Studies Honors Graduate who has interviewed Home Based Carers; the guardians and their children, to find out the efficacy of our model – herewith, is a link to her findings and a summary of what she had to say.
Below are some photos of Ryan and Kirsten Gray interacting with our children. They have seen all the groups twice now and have had to sacrifice their Saturdays to enable this. We are so appreciative of their input. Here is a report back from them.
Laughter and water bounced off the walls as the kids threw water balloons at one another. Their pure glee was contagious. We were hanging out with the kids in Lanseria during their monthly mentor group. Once they had settled down after the fun (and rather wet) “ice-breaker”, we dug into the topic for the day: “Ngikhethekile. UJesu uyangithanda” – I am special. Jesus loves me. The kids sat quietly, for the most part, a few giggles were heard but mostly they paid attention, as we spoke briefly on this simple but fundamental topic. They are loved. They are created in God’s image. They are valued. We ended the circle time with questions as well as colouring sheets, word searches, and crosswords pertaining to the topic. Delicious sandwiches and fruit juice were then guzzled down as we finished our time together. Groups such as this one are held monthly for the Hlanganani kids across Lanseria, Cosmo, and Diepsloot; with slight differences in the activities and discussion topics given their age group. However, the primary goal remains the same: giving the children the forum to learn about God and a safe space to discuss any topic on their minds.
I hope this letter blessed you in some way – please pass the blessing on to others.
Take care ’til next time.
Bonnie