Project: Christelike Maatskaplike Raad (CMR) Bloemendal, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Volunteer: Lesley-Anne
Student: Precious

“My friend Romano and I started the “OSWW Count-Me-In” programme in Bloemendal in October 2010 after attending a training course. The area we come from is poverty-stricken and is rife with drug and alcohol abuse. No one cares about what goes on here so the children do whatever they want to. It was very difficult initially to get children to come to the program but we did not give up despite others saying we were wasting our time!

We each have about thirty children in our groups now and we are very happy with their progress. Some children don’t want to go home after the lessons because they are having so much fun. Others know that there’s nothing but abuse at home.

Precious (name changed to protect her identity), who is 10 years old, is attending “school” for the first time in her life. She could not attend one of the local schools because she did not have a birth certificate. Her mother was terminally ill and like many children in this community, her father was non-resident. Precious spent most of her time tending to her mother. We were grateful that she got permission to attend the OSWW class.

One night her mother sent for me but I said I would see her the next day as it was a long, dangerous walk to her home. She insisted I come that night. When I got there, Precious’s mother made me promise that I would not stop teaching her daughter. She wanted a better future for her and she was very thankful we were taking the time to teach her. Of course I promised because I love teaching the children. I knew she was very sick, but did not realise that was her dying wish. The next day Precious’s mother passed away. I was so thankful that I went that night.”

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