Diepsloot Township Project
27th March, 2016
When last out in Johannesburg, I was priviledged to spend a day 'teaching' (I have very few teaching skills!) English at the school in Diepsloot township.
Helen, my ex-pat friend who put me up in Dainfern - 3 miles away geographically but light years apart in standard of living - volunteers there and as part of Edufun a charity that provides English language teaching to grade 3 and 4 kids from the township. Diepsloot is a sprawling shantytown home to some 150,000 people.
The kids don't have it easy. Diepsloot has extremely high crime levels including murder and rape. Many of the kids came to school without eating and often only had one meal a day. Some had no other clothes but their school uniform. But despite that they were (or at least seemed to be) happy and it was a joy to spend time with them.
The charity also helps older kids and young adults and one major barrier for them is getting into University. There is a strict policy of having to own a laptop before a student can be enrolled on a course.
Despite these very able students having passed the entrance exams and managing to raise the necessary bursary, owning something like this is beyond their means.
So last time I visited I brought my old machine out - embarrased at the state of the case which was held together in part by duct tape - and met the student who was to take ownership of it. Actually I didn't realise it was the student, I thought it was a teacher. She'd worn her best clothes and was as grateful to receive it as I was embarrased by the state of it.
This time I brought out a couple more thanks to the generous gifts from @runtoomuch and Demo3D with luggage allowances preventng me bringing over more. Next time! Unfortunately as it's Easter, the school isn't open so I've not been able to visit this time round but they will find a couple of students and the machines will both go to good homes.
It's a drop in the ocean of course, but I'd rather that than do nothing at all.
If you have an old machine or tablet you no longer need please get in touch and I'll see that it gets to the project and gives someone a chance to get themselves and their family a better life.
Helen, my ex-pat friend who put me up in Dainfern - 3 miles away geographically but light years apart in standard of living - volunteers there and as part of Edufun a charity that provides English language teaching to grade 3 and 4 kids from the township. Diepsloot is a sprawling shantytown home to some 150,000 people.
The kids don't have it easy. Diepsloot has extremely high crime levels including murder and rape. Many of the kids came to school without eating and often only had one meal a day. Some had no other clothes but their school uniform. But despite that they were (or at least seemed to be) happy and it was a joy to spend time with them.
The charity also helps older kids and young adults and one major barrier for them is getting into University. There is a strict policy of having to own a laptop before a student can be enrolled on a course.
Despite these very able students having passed the entrance exams and managing to raise the necessary bursary, owning something like this is beyond their means.
So last time I visited I brought my old machine out - embarrased at the state of the case which was held together in part by duct tape - and met the student who was to take ownership of it. Actually I didn't realise it was the student, I thought it was a teacher. She'd worn her best clothes and was as grateful to receive it as I was embarrased by the state of it.
This time I brought out a couple more thanks to the generous gifts from @runtoomuch and Demo3D with luggage allowances preventng me bringing over more. Next time! Unfortunately as it's Easter, the school isn't open so I've not been able to visit this time round but they will find a couple of students and the machines will both go to good homes.
It's a drop in the ocean of course, but I'd rather that than do nothing at all.
If you have an old machine or tablet you no longer need please get in touch and I'll see that it gets to the project and gives someone a chance to get themselves and their family a better life.
