Monthly Update: October I

It's been an uncharacteristically rainy October, but that hasn't affected us! We've had some great fundraisers, special events and of course our current projects are going well. Let's see what our 15 volunteers have been up to during the month of October...

Crèche 

Holiday Club at Khula opened the month of October for our community volunteers because children were on school holidays. Volunteers planned and executed a number of activities including flower making, water races, musical statues, football and a talent show.

After the holidays, volunteers taught at Khula Nomathiya and Ndabenhle crèches. As you will know from previous blogs our massive influx of volunteers this year have allowed us to teach at each of our eight crèches for an eight week period and offer each crèche an additional four weeks. This month we completed our additional four weeks at Khula Nomathiya and commenced our additional four weeks at Ndabenhle Crèche.

Volunteers finished at Khula Nomathiya satisfied with the level of knowledge of the children and felt comfortable that they will perform well at their graduation ceremony. Volunteers used new and creative ways to test the children on what they had learned throughout the year such as having them put coloured blocks in the correct colour bucket and playing a game that meant them having to get into groups with a certain number of people to test their understanding of numbers.

At both crèches volunteers taught the fun and exciting topic of 'The 5 Senses'. This allowed volunteers to get creative and the children to have immense fun while learning. Volunteers used blind folds, music, various foods and objects to engage all the children's senses. The laughs and giggles from the children in the class were infectious and definitely a highlight of the month for our community volunteers.

As it is nearing graduation for the older children at crèche it's practice, practice, practice as they will be expected to present what they have learned over the past year before beginning primary school next year. This is allowing the volunteers to pin point the areas that the children are struggling in and spend more time focusing on those particular topics before graduation. Community coordinator Shwele has said that the teachers at Ndabenhle Crèche have continued to teach our lessons and was so surprised and happy that the learners seem to have remembered everything they had been taught from our previous time there.

Let's not forget to update you on Inkanyezi Crèche, which we teach at every Friday. Since the new crèche was been built in July the learners are constantly increasing. However, this has not affected the quality of learning. Community coordinator Shwele and volunteers both agree that the children at this crèche are exceptional and credit should be given to the hard work of Principal Mama Gumede and her teachers.

All dressed up and ready for Halloween!

Afterschool Club

Let the madness begin! As the year draws to a close you would think children would start to tire after a long year in school but not our kids from our Afterschool Clubs. If anything they seem to have more energy, keeping our volunteers busy by wanting to play various ball games, make cards for volunteers and friendship bracelets, among other activities.

Lucky for us Halloween fell on a Wednesday this year so staff and volunteers dressed up as skeletons, lions, zebra and butterflies and gave the children of Khula Afterschool club the treat of an afternoon of facepainting. Let's just say there was a lot of skeletons and South African flags walking through Khula that day!

Not so far away at Ezwenelish Afterschool Club volunteers were busy making flowers using old egg cartons, crepe paper and pipe cleaners and animal masks from paper plates. Also at Ezwenelisha our iPod and speakers may have broken but that did not stop volunteer Karen from teaching them the dance to 'Stop' by the spice girls. The children here in Zululand are so musically gifted that they remembered every move the following week and have continued to perform the dance each week. 

HIV Education 

Community volunteer Elsbeth practicing the weekly
condom demonstration for our adult learners.

With the help of Inkanyezi Creche's Principal Mama Gumede, we have had an absolutely amazing turnout for Adult HIV education this month in Dukuduku. We have had an incredible 45 students complete and pass our HIV Education course. At the beginning of October volunteer Keith and Gabby had a class of 13 students, and later in the month community volunteer Elsbeth taught a large class of 17.

Community coordinator Shwele has been very impressed with the variety of teaching techniques and new ideas that volunteers have come up with. Volunteer Elsbeth even put in extra efforts, by practising her condom demonstration over lunch. 

Volunteers Sarah and Karen were were excited to report that 12 out of 14 learners who took the first  Primary HIV Education course in October passed the test with flying colours! And 10 out of 13 learners passed our second Primary HIV Education course in October.

Furthermore we had a student at our Adult HIV Education course who had also taken our Primary School class. She happily reported to Shwele that she now has certificates from both of our courses – a great accomplishment!

Adult Literacy Club

Adult Literacy Club commenced again this month in Ezwenelisha. In addition after the teachers from Khula Nomathiya Creche expressed interest in advancing their English skills we have also began teaching ALC in Khula. The learners are very keen and dedicated to improving their English skills. The volunteers have also reviewed the way in which they teach the students by trying to build their confidence when speaking English in front of others.