Education South Africa Project #21813

Education Programmes for Kids &Teachers, Cape Town

by Children's Helpers Worldwide

Project Report | Nov 26, 2024
Thank you for helping schoolchildren to learn!

By Catherine Franks | Founder of Children's Helpers Worldwide

Visit to a teacher who attended a training session

We are incredibly grateful to you for supporting ORT SA CAPE's educational programmes in Cape Town, South Africa. Your help is making it possible to improve the quality of education that children receive in the classroom.

Below is an update from Bev at ORT SA CAPE, about how your support is making such an important difference:

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For the past 30 years, ORT SA CAPE has been changing lives through education. We are committed to supporting the education sector. Our mission is simple yet profound: to equip teachers with the tools and training they need to inspire the next generation. This allows them not only to thrive but also to instil resilience and creativity in their learners [i.e. pupils].

At ORT SA CAPE, we offer various opportunities for teachers through our range of short courses with a focus on learning through play, perceptual and computational skills, as well as social and emotional development in young learners. In the past 5 years, we have played a part in the development of 15000 educators, impacting over 500 000 learners.

Our training equips teachers not only with the skills they need to succeed but also with the confidence and enthusiasm to experiment and innovate.

Our youth programmes include learnerships in Early Childhood Development (ECD) and 12-month Internships as teaching assistants in early education. We impact close to 800 unemployed youth annually through these initiatives.

We also offer regular networking and training events for ECD principals, to strengthen and invigorate the sector.

We all know, that in a world that's constantly changing, the ability to adapt and tackle challenges head-on has never been more crucial. We are excited to launch our very own ''Unplugged Coding'' solution, The Dory Code. We have developed teacher and classroom kits as well as training on this important topic for educators. The Dory Code turns teaching into an adventure, with Dory the Dragon, coding is accessible and fun, helping educators bring it to life. The Dory Code provides engaging training and resources to support and inspire teachers.

2024 marks ORT SA CAPE's 30th year of operation. For the past three decades, ORT SA CAPE has changed lives through our various initiatives which all have a strong focus on education. Our mission is on equipping and empowering people through training, work experience, support and networking.

To celebrate this milestone, we held a very successful Tech and Connect Breakfast in October (see press release below), which focused on innovation in Early Education. We also hosted a 90's style birthday party to thank our dedicated staff.

Since our last report in July 2024, we have continued to offer our various short courses for ECD practitioners and Foundation Phase teachers. These include our Purposeful Play, Perceptual Skills and Unplugged Coding workshops. We also piloted our new Classroom Management course to 39 practitioners and this course will form part of our offering going forward. Between July and November, our short courses have reached 620 teachers. Your donations were allocated towards these training sessions.

This is feedback from the Grade R team at West End Primary in Lentegeur, who attended training earlier this year.

"We are excited to share the joy and educational benefits our Grade R learners are experiencing with their new Lego blocks, generously provided by ORT SA CAPE. These creative and engaging blocks have quickly become a favorite in the classroom, sparking not only enthusiasm but also fostering essential developmental skills.

Recently, our theme was Dinosaurs, and the learners were thrilled to build their very own prehistoric forest, complete with waterfalls, all made from the Lego blocks. Watching the children explore, create, and build independently has shown us just how imaginative and innovative they can be when given the tools to express themselves. Each activity brings out different facets of their creativity, motor skills, and problem-solving abilities.

Lego time has become something the children eagerly anticipate. When they hear it's time to build, their faces light up with contentment and excitement. It has truly been one of the best additions to our classroom, allowing us to explore new levels of engagement and learning. We are immensely grateful to ORT for this valuable experience and for helping us create a learning environment that nurtures both joy and discovery."

The following feedback is from Square Hill Primary School in Retreat:

"Our learners develop their perceptual skills through touching the various objects and features. By using LEGO, they can create and complete scenes, such as an airplane with wings or a house with a garage. They also learn spatial awareness, as they position objects in front of, behind, or on top of others within settings like gardens or buildings. In addition, their vocabulary grows as they discuss and interact with friends while constructing their creations.

All our learners show great creativity and imagination using LEGO in the Grade R class. They enjoy building different things, and this has helped them: Think of new ideas and solve problems. Improve their hand and finger skills and share their thoughts by building with LEGO. They also practice thinking and figuring things out and definitely work well with friends, sharing and talking about their ideas while building."

Thank you to CHW for the continued support of our various programmes, your belief in our mission allows us to provide essential resources, training, and support to the education sector. Your contributions are not just financial; they are investments in potential, hope, and change.

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As you can see, your support is having such a wonderful effect on the children's education!

On 3 December, it will be Giving Tuesday, a global day of doing good. GlobalGiving will be partially matching all donations from 5 am UK time, or 7 am in South Africa. The campaign will last for 24 hours. We have a special project page just for this campaign, which you can see here: http://goto.gg/67721

We hope it will be possible to raise £550, to sponsor places for 25 teachers to attend ORT SA CAPE's workshops. This will give children in 25 classrooms access to a better education - and the number of children impacted will grow, as each teacher will be teaching many classes of children throughout their careers.

If you would like to get involved, please could you help us to reach more people, by sharing this project with others in time for the campaign?

If you would like to donate, please make sure to do so on 3 December, when the campaign is live, as that is the only time your contribution will be partially matched by GlobalGiving, making your generosity go even further!

Thank you again for all you have already done, to help children in Cape Town have a better quality of education!

Press release for the Tech and Connect Breakfast

Primary school in Retreat (Cape Town)

ORT SA CAPE's 30th Birthday Party!

During a school support visit

Unplugged Coding Workshop

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Jul 30, 2024
Thank you for supporting children's education in South Africa!

By Catherine Franks | Founder of Children's Helpers Worldwide

Supplies distributed on Mandela Day

We are so grateful to you for supporting ORT SA CAPE's programmes in South Africa, through CHW's page on GlobalGiving. You are making such an impact for schoolchildren in Cape Town and the surrounding areas!

Bev, from ORT SA CAPE, has given the following update, showing how your kindness is making a difference:

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At ORT SA CAPE we believe in the transformative power of education and the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, should have access to a quality education.

Many of our teacher training programmes have a strong focus on Learning through Play and we believe in the power of play to foster holistic development in children. Over 2 billion children worldwide lack sufficient access to enriching play opportunities. Its more crucial than ever that we put play back on the agenda.

This year we commemorated the first International Day of Play on the 11th of June by hosting various teacher training and staff development workshops. Your contributions helped to support two of these teacher training workshops, held on 28 May and 7 June, for 84 teachers. Play is not just fun, it is a game-changer for confidence, creativity and building a brighter future.

One teacher said, "Thank you so much for the Workshop, it was interactive and well executed. We enjoyed it very much."

Our ''Principals Networking Sessions'' continue to grow. This July, in celebration of Mandela Day, we hosted a networking session for principals on the 24th of July. The theme for this Mandela Day was "It is in your hands". We highlighted the importance of the role we all play in equipping the youth of our country with the tools they need to make a success of their lives.

Our staff came together on Mandela Day to pack care packages for distribution to the needy. We focused on organisations supporting displaced women and children, among others. The care packages included hygiene items, blankets, stationary/educational resources and everyday essentials. Staff delivered these packages to the various beneficiaries and spent time interacting with the residents. Your contributions also went towards this initiative. Together we can build on a brighter future for all.

A social worker at a shelter for abused women and children wrote, "Good morning, hope you are doing well... Thank you very much for choosing Carehaven as your Mandela Day project. Really appreciate the time spent with the children as they tend to be neglected and we forget that they have also experienced trauma. Your contribution of toiletries and cleaning equipment is greatly appreciated as it allows for some financial relief."

Collaboration has been a strong focus of ours for many years. It enables us to reach more beneficiaries and support like-minded organisations.

Thank you to CHW for the continued support of our various programmes. Your ongoing commitment will ensure we are able to strengthen communities and change more lives through education.

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Thank you again for your wonderful support, for the children and teachers benefitting from these programmes!

Teachers at a "Learning Through Play" workshop

Care package being prepared on Mandela Day

Feedback from a workshop

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Apr 3, 2024
Thank you for supporting education in Cape Town!

By Catherine Franks | Founder of Children's Helpers Worldwide

At a Principals' Networking Session

Thank you so much for supporting ORT SA CAPE's programmes in Cape Town, through CHW's GlobalGiving page. You are making sure that the children have access to a higher quality of education in the classroom!

Below is an update from Bev, at ORT SA CAPE, on how your contributions have been helping:

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We continue with our mission to provide quality education and equitable opportunities to the underprivileged children and youth of South Africa.

At ORT SA CAPE we believe in the transformative power of education and the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, should have access to a quality education.

Our focus is on equipping and empowering people through training, work experience, support and networking.

ORT SA CAPE's integrated educational approach encompasses:

* Youth development
* Education programmes
* Entrepreneur support

Last year, we expanded our reach to more communities, impacting the lives of over 90,000 children and our programmes reached over 900 ECD [Early Childhood Development] centres and primary schools across the Western Cape. Our programmes improved the skills and confidence of 3042 teachers, ultimately benefitting the learners in their care.

We continue to implement models that focus on play-based learning, cognitive development, and social-emotional growth. In response to the changing educational landscape, we successfully integrated technology into our training programmes. We continue to equip teachers with the skills to navigate the new digital curriculum of Coding and Robotics.

In 2023 Our learnership programmes allowed 160 students to pursue a diploma in Early Childhood Development, helping them break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

Our youth employment programmes have provided critical life and employability skills training to 405 young individuals, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in the job market and in life.

We continue to implement community engagement initiatives, fostering partnerships with local businesses, government agencies, and other NGOs [non-governmental organisations]. These collaborations have led to a more holistic and sustainable approach to education and have contributed to our success. Not only has this enabled us to reach more beneficiaries, but also a more diverse group of beneficiaries. We are working towards cementing these partnerships as well as looking at new opportunities to work with like-minded organisations.

Through our collaboration with other organisations, we ran Lego Six Bricks training for Outliers on 28 Feb 2024, an organisation that supports after school programmes in under resourced communities. The Lego resources are a powerful tool for supporting learners who experience difficulties with certain concepts and are used to consolidate these skills.

After the training with ORT SA CAPE, Outliers shared the following: "The tutors in our community put so much effort into finding new ways to connect with [pupils]. Here's to more safe spaces filled with laughter and learning."

We continue our ''Principals Networking Sessions'' and have expanded into other areas. ORT SA CAPE launched its Saldanha Bay Principals Networking Sessions on 5 March 2024. 45 ECD Principals and visiting NGOs from different areas on the Westcoast gathered together. The theme for the launch was; "completing and not competing". Something magical happens when principals get together and brainstorm on real-life issues affecting them and their schools. Together we can build on a brighter future for all.

We continue our Purposeful Play workshops and between January and March we have trained 87 ECD practitioners

With gratitude for the support, we look forward to the continued funding from CHW driven by the belief that positive change is not just possible but imminent. Your ongoing commitment will ensure we are able to strengthen communities and change more lives through education.

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Thank you so much for improving the quality of education that children will receive in schools and in Early Childhood Development centres and creches.

We are excited to let you know that from 8 April until 12 April, GlobalGiving is running its Little By Little campaign, where donations up to £39 will be partially matched. If you would like to continue to make a difference for the children and contribute again during that week, your kindness will go extra far!

Thank you for your amazing support!

At a Purposeful Play workshop

At a Principals' Networking Session

At the session for Outliers

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