Back to school supplies

Children in Southern Africa had a very difficult time during this COVID-19 pandemic and the various stages of lockdown. Their school years for 2020 and 2021 have been disruppted immensely. Many children began to return to school in September 2020 when we appealed to you to support our campaign for school supplies, especially shoes.

In 2021 the school year began for many children in March. This past winter has been extreemly harsh for many, but we are extreemly grateful for the support you have given us to allow these children to have a decent pair of shoes to get to school, especially in the winter.

100 pairs of shoes have been distributed to children in the most rural parts of South Africa in the karoo areas. We need much more support as the parents and care givers of these learners are still experiencing the hardships faced as a result of the impact of the global pandemic.

There has not been much support for this appeal and even less so since our last report.

HOPE Africa raises funds annually to supply school shoes to the most vulnerable children in our communities. It is our belief that education is one of the tools or platforms needed to pull a person’s or community’s life out of poverty. By providing shoes or uniform to a child who would otherwise walk barefoot or with broken shoes – is to provide him or her a better opportunity or stepping stone to success.  He or she will not feel like a failure, will not be bullied by his or her peers and will focus much better on schoolwork than his or her appearance.  They will walk proudly.

As not much funds for this project have come in for this project, HOPE Africa just purchased 100 pairs of school shoes which will be distributed to two primary schools in the rural town of Mothibistad – Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman, during the next few days.  Due to the locality of the schools, the local supplier did not have enough supplies to provide the schools with the necessary shoes.  HOPE Africa had to purchase shoes in the Western Cape and it is due to leave the supplier in the next day or two en route to Mothibistad.  

Many of you would have hear about the tragedy that struck University students in Cape Town, who had to be evacuated as a fire raged across the mountain and destroyed many university buildings. Many of you donated specifically to help these students and HOPE Africa worked hard to ensure that 100 students received a care package.

We have supplied 40 learners at St Pauls Primary with tracksuits that have kept them warm in winter. Winter is here and many many more learners need warm jerseys, shoes as well as stationery.