South Africa Trip
Posted by Isabella Beane
on Nov 29, 2011
Our group have now returned from a very successful Rotary Friendship
exchange where we met with Rotary clubs from East London, Aliwal North,
Queenstown, Grahamstown and Cape Town.........
exchange where we met with Rotary clubs from East London, Aliwal North,
Queenstown, Grahamstown and Cape Town.........
Our group have now returned from a very successful Rotary Friendship
exchange where we met with Rotary clubs from East London, Aliwal North,
Queenstown, Grahamstown and Cape Town.
We visited many, many projects being cared for by the various Rotary clubs
and were able to see the results of our prior matching grants as well as see
the equipment and supplies shipped in the containers now in place in many
schools, hospitals, daycare centres and palliative care centres. Whilst in
Grahamstown we were already able to see results of the literacy matching
grant we completed this year which is the progamme that assists teachers in
teaching the children to read. A young grade two boy read to us in very
good English to show us that the progamme is working as we hoped, he is
speaking excellent English after only 2 years, he was part of the pilot
programme in the first year, our Matching Grant will fund this project for 5
years. It was most impressive.
We were able to identify a future project we would like to have the club
consider for a future matching grant and were able to assess the needs for
the next container shipment scheduled for February.
We met so many beautiful children and saw some wonderful people trying to
provide support for the most disadvantaged people in very difficult
circumstances, it really does make you wonder how they have the energy to
get up every day and work so hard at improving the lives of the people in
their communities.
In Cape Town we met up with Yashar who had presented to our club some months
ago, he introduced us to Rotarians from Cape Town who are assisting him in
his efforts to bring music and sport to some at risk youth in Cape Town. We
were also able to visit an incredible facility in a huge township, this
facility provides services to children and seniors in the township led by an
amazing lady called Mama Rosie. There are many stories to tell but not
enough room here so we will be creating a slide show presentation for the
club and hope to show it early in the new year.
Isabella
exchange where we met with Rotary clubs from East London, Aliwal North,
Queenstown, Grahamstown and Cape Town.
We visited many, many projects being cared for by the various Rotary clubs
and were able to see the results of our prior matching grants as well as see
the equipment and supplies shipped in the containers now in place in many
schools, hospitals, daycare centres and palliative care centres. Whilst in
Grahamstown we were already able to see results of the literacy matching
grant we completed this year which is the progamme that assists teachers in
teaching the children to read. A young grade two boy read to us in very
good English to show us that the progamme is working as we hoped, he is
speaking excellent English after only 2 years, he was part of the pilot
programme in the first year, our Matching Grant will fund this project for 5
years. It was most impressive.
We were able to identify a future project we would like to have the club
consider for a future matching grant and were able to assess the needs for
the next container shipment scheduled for February.
We met so many beautiful children and saw some wonderful people trying to
provide support for the most disadvantaged people in very difficult
circumstances, it really does make you wonder how they have the energy to
get up every day and work so hard at improving the lives of the people in
their communities.
In Cape Town we met up with Yashar who had presented to our club some months
ago, he introduced us to Rotarians from Cape Town who are assisting him in
his efforts to bring music and sport to some at risk youth in Cape Town. We
were also able to visit an incredible facility in a huge township, this
facility provides services to children and seniors in the township led by an
amazing lady called Mama Rosie. There are many stories to tell but not
enough room here so we will be creating a slide show presentation for the
club and hope to show it early in the new year.
Isabella