Kodumela Day Two ~ Make Yourself Useful!

Our second day started with retail therapy as the beadwork ladies had brought all their beautiful products to the project headquarters compound. We just about cleared them out and spent the rest of our time in South Africa wearing colourful bracelets, belts and bangles!

A short distance from the creche was a meeting centre for people with special needs. This proved to be one of the most harrowing experiences of the whole visit.

If the disabled centre was harrowing then the creche we visited next was the the most surreal.

The rest of the group went on to Metz School where we were introduced to the staff and the children performed Choral Verse for us; they have won several trophies for this which the headmistress was very proud to show us.

Lily is barely out of her teens and looks after her own child and her younger siblings as there are no living adults in her immediate family.

The family has been given goats and chickens from the World Vision Alternative Gift Catalogue so they can start a milk and eggs business to generate income.

Choko recently provided a new roof for Lily's house when the existing one was lost in a storm.

 

Once again we were treated to a display of traditional dancing by the school children. They, and their teachers, were eager and very proud to show us their skills and talents both inside and outside the class rooms.

Some of the group stayed at this school to visit class rooms and chat to teachers and students. One member even ended up making an impromptu speech to the school next door when we made a quick visit there!

 


The remainder of the group went to another school before we all gathered together again for a visit to Lily, a young woman who is the head of a household of children in the absence of living parents.

Some of the children were given Santa hats to wear for a photo shoot for the 2007 Choko Christmas cards!

Some members of the group stayed at the creche and painted parts of the building that need freshening up.

One member, Graham, became Pied Piper to playful children as he led them dancing round the yard!

The youngsters and their helpers welcomed us with song, just as most other people had. It proved quite challenging for some of them but they all did a fantastic job.

They can only meet when the weather is good because a section of the roof of the building they use is missing.

 

 

Our first visit of the day was to a creche where children were quietly playing with Lego style building bricks. Some of the toys and equipment had been supplied by Choko.

One brave little girl stood and told us "...this is my hair, these are my eyes, this is my nose....." right down to her feet. We replied by singing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!