School holidays are usually associated positively: Families have much free time together, do great activities or even go on holiday. In South Africa, and especially in the township of Grabouw where the Eagle’s Nest Kindergarten is located, the start of the school holidays marks the beginning of a tense and weighed-down time. There is no thought of holidays or special activities here – there is rather a lack of essential things and interpersonal relationships.
For many children, Eagle’s Nest is not just a kindergarten or pre-school. It is also a home. A home where they are provided with food and, if necessary, a fresh shower. The teachers are not “just teachers” for many children – they are close confidants with whom they can talk about all positive and negative thoughts – or just get a hug.
Families incur many additional costs during the school holidays: they have to pay school fees, new learning materials and school uniforms for the new school year. Considering that many of the families have more than two children, there are immense costs for a family at the beginning of the new year. In addition, they also have a significantly higher demand for food and other essentials such as electricity and water during this time. At around 400 Rand (approx. 21.90 Euro) per month per family, there is little left over, which unfortunately often leads to an increasing crime rate during the holiday season. To prevent this, the teachers Maria and Selwyn try to equip the children with a counteracting mindset and to defuse this well-known tense situation through effective actions.
This January, Leon and Julia from BuildingFuture were allowed to assist with one of these actions in the township. During their visit, they not only stocked up the kindergarten’s supplies, but also prepared a large pot of food and then distributed it to the community in a big action together with Maria and Selwyn. The direct contact with the people and children as well as the great appreciation they received made a deep impression on them. It again confirmed that BuildingFuture is needed – not only for the kindergarten or the preschool, but for the whole community.