“Hope and Light, Hope and Light, we will bring into this world!”
The harmonic sound resonates from inside the hall as I open the
door. Young learners sing the school hymn with enthusiasm in
their voices, while the older boys respond to the call with their
deep bass voices …
Dear Friends of Hope and Light
What started as a soup kitchen 20 years ago has now become a full-fledged organisation with more than 500 children under our care every day. Over the years, Hope and Light went through many ups and downs. Time and again we experienced hope where there seemed to be no hope. Always at just the right time there were beams of light in situations that seemed bleak beyond measure.
A look behind the scenes
Twenty learners will write their matric examinations over the next few weeks. For six of them, their journey with Hope and Light started in our Early Childhood Development Centre/kindergarten. Back then they were wide-eyed, but with
great hope in the midst of difficult everyday circumstances – having to live in a sparsely divided living space, often with no running water. In most cases, the low household income is simply not enough to cover the monthly expenses. Some children have lost one or even both parents in recent years and often have to carry the additional burden of looking after their siblings. Unemployment, drugs and alcohol continue to be a reality in their environment.
Yet despite all this, they have not lost heart and made it this far … now they are ready for the next step. Like our motto says: Your door to the future! Their dreams for the future are manifold, ranging from acting to doing interior design, from joining the fire brigade to becoming the next CEO. We look forward to seeing what awaits our hopefuls in the future.
News in a nutshell
School
In September, our fundraising team put in a lot of time and effort to stage a spectacular event. It was an evening full of glitz and glamour, but it was preceded by hard work two evenings before, as our candidates were allowed to serve dinner guests at the nearby Spur restaurant and in turn receive part of the turnover as a donation. Many relatives and teachers attended the evening, contributing to a successful fundraising event where the new Mister and Miss Hope and Light were crowned.
Another success was when 21 of our students participated across the categories of visual arts, dance and drama. These learners represented their school very well achieving bronze, silver and gold awards for their art work and performance pieces.
ECD (Kindergarten)
The ECD is bursting at the seams! We now have no less than 115 children who come together every day to play and learn at our beautiful premises. Since last quarter, coding and robotics technology are offered at the ECD. Another successful fundraising event was the ECD ball, where every child had a chance to be in the spotlight.
CYCC (Children’s Village)
Over the past few weeks, our team has been working on individual programmes for our children under the guidance of volunteer Louis Barnard, a retired headmaster and educational specialist. This personalised approach aims to meet the basic needs that every child requires for healthy growth, such as belonging, and develop much needed skills, such as independence. During the short school holidays, there were also trips to the beach, the cheetah project and many craft activities.
General
In August, we took part in our first book fair at Somerset Mall. Donated books were sold by various charities to raise funds, and it was nice to see our staff members voluntarily taking over shifts at the stall despite their already busy schedules. We also
recently started a collaboration with StrongSchools, an NPC with a mission to strengthen and empower educators and support schools in various ways.
How your donation makes a difference
Without teachers there would be no school. No cook would mean no nutritious meals. Without our carers there would be no 24-hour supervision at the children’s village. As managers of the organisation, we realise our staff are our greatest asset and being able to pay them is often our biggest concern. In September, we received a pledge for a monthly donation equal to the salary of a socialworker. This lifted a huge weight off our shoulders.
Your donation brings hope!
Best wishes from Judith, Neville and Anthea
and the entire team at Hope and Light
Thank you!
To our many supporters, volunteers and donors from near and far
To Karin for the salary donation pledge
To Essence for the lipstick donation
To The Dwelling Place for supplying new bathroom doors
To Dress It Forward, who donated festive clothes to our learners for the matric dance
To StrongSchools for partnering with us
To our staff, without whom Hope and Light would not exist
Videos and other links
To stay in touch with the latest developments at Hope and Light, please subscribe to our social media channels:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hopeandlight4321
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069700135643