Help educares give SA children the start they need

As 2020 limps to an end with COVID-19 reappearing all over the world in a second wave, that in many cases is worse than the first, it is hard to feel hopeful. For township educares in South Africa - 2021 looks bleak. They have experienced a shocking 2020. Many have lost loved ones, many have had to close their educare doors and there is a feeling of sadness and despondency.

For Starting Chance, we are filled with a sense of gratitiude and humbleness. All 30 of our  educares managed to reopen in August/September and continued to the end of 2020. Children received food, education, love and nurturing. Teachers showed amazing resilience and tenacity as they continued with their vocation with a smile on thier face and love in their hearts. Why was this possible? How come other educares all over the Cape were closing their doors for ever and ours could continue? The answer is simple. 

Friends of Starting Chance all over the world rose to the challenge, dug deep in their pockets despite their own problems and lent a hand. Money came in each month as we paid out COVID-19 subsidies to 165 teachers across 30 schools, food vouchers were bought with money raised from Mandela Day, and above all messages of hope and support came pouring in - encouraging us to keep going. Together we gave over 1800 children the chance to continue with their education. Together we gave teachers and principals hope and energy to continue their outstanding work. Together we gave parents something to hold onto when all else looked empty and hollow.

We finished 2020 on a positive note. 70 to 80 teachers attended small group training each week. Our fieldworkers visited schools to help with appropriate programmes adhering to COVID-19 principles. Schools used food vouchers to ensure children had nourishing food. 

Now as we look forward to 2021, we hold onto hope. We plan with a positive spirit. We are grateful for a wonderful education team who are dedicated and well trained to support teachers and children in the schools we walk alongside. We are grateful for our Friends of Starting Chance who we know will continue to be there for us. 

We have an exciting year ahead of us:

• We will start building a brand new centre for the children who are differently-abled attending Lonwabo Special Care Centre.
• We will start building a new centre for 120 children of Mzamomhle Educare whose shack school has been burgled multiple times during the lockdown, it has been a 7 year struggle for the principal as she waited for this moment.
• We can't wait to learn together in our Training Teachers in Township workshops - new insights and ideas as to how we can improve our education in our classrooms.
• We hope to bring restoration to our embattled teachers and principals, build their strength, bring them joy.
• We envisage beautiful children playing in their playgrounds like children should with their parents happy and secure in the knowledge that their children are well cared for.

Please help us support the principals and teachers in getting their schools ready for a new beginning - many will not have received income since the end of November 2020. They have little left in reserve, and what they do have is needed for food to feed the children as they arrive back. By helping us, you will be helping children play and learn once more.

Help us to give 1800 children in Mfuleni the START they desperately need in 2021.

To everyone who helped us in 2020, thank you! Without your help, support adn encouragement we can do nothing. Together we can change a generation!

Links:

• Give us hope for 2021
• Give hope to the children of Lonwabo
• Help us to give our people hope