Last Day of School (for me, for this trip, that is!)

It's been another warm day in KwaZulu Natal and I was early to school this morning as I had lots of deliveries to make.  Thanks to the wonderful support you give us, we have been able to add a few little extras to First Step Right this visit.  I went to "Build It" early to collect some bags of compost for the school veggie garden, they have plans to grow onions, beetroot, spinach, courgettes and butternut squash!  I played a game with Grade R this afternoon, giving each child one of these five words in turn and then asked them to stand when their veggie was called out to see how well they grew!! They thought this was quite good fun (sadly spinach didn't do so well as most of the children who were "spinach" forgot about it)

GAGA supporters also provided 150 new cups and bowls for the children, as well as pencils and erasers, some wall charts for the early years classes and some items for hygiene too, like buckets and toilet brushes.  Thank you all so much for your regular donations as these help us to plan for this type of replacement items.

As it was my last day with the school for this visit, I also brought some fruit for the children and the teachers.  Some of it supplemented the lunch today and the rest was an afternoon break snack.  Here are some of the Grade R children enjoying their bananas! There are two Grade R classes, these are their teachers, and we had a lovely time this afternoon singing songs in the shade of one of the trees in the playground.  The children joined in enthusiastically with "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "The Wheels on the Bus" amongst other songs.

Today was a little different from a standard Thursday, as there was a parent's meeting from 10 am in the school.  This first meeting of the year was very well attended and, as every person who has Primary School children with recall, the parents all gathered in the school and perched on the little chairs! The meeting started with a wonderfully melodic song of blessing and a brief prayer.  The meeting covered all of the administrative items that are common in schools the world over, a reminder to put names in school uniform, a request to support their child with their homework...but not to do it for them!  There was also a discussion about learning to read and some hints for the parents of smaller children to point out words on packaging around the house and signs on the streets and a request that the older children practice reading for at least 15 minutes a night. 

All of these items were well received, first Gael spoke in English and then Khanyisile repeated it all in isiZulu.  I took a small time to say hello from GAGA and to express how much our supporters enjoy hearing lovely stories from First Step Right and how we are delighted to work in partnership with the school team, themselves as parents and their lovely children.  I didn't say too much as it was getting really warm and stuffy in the classroom and the parent's had been in the meeting for a while!  Then followed a question and answer session, and the ubiquitous request for member of the Parents' Committee.... as in schools all over, initial nominations were slow to come but eventually all of the posts were filled!



The children were outside during the Parents Meeting and some of the teachers were singing and dancing with them under the shade of a tree.  They had all run around in the sun for a long time and it was a welcome relief for them to be in the shade for a while.  As the parents left the meeting the children ran to see their Mum or Dad or Gogo.  As expected some of the smaller children wanted to leave at the same time as their carers, not really understanding that there was some of the school day left to complete!

 

"It makes you realise that people are the same wherever you go."  Nicholas Lea

Thank you to the staff and children of First Step Right for making me so welcome in their school!  I can't wait to come back and see how they are all progressing and how the veggie garden is growing!