REACH! report January 2025
Dear donors, friends,
On January 10th 2025 we delivered our 7th school, this year to the Hlabizulu School in the new community of Kumahasana in the Eastern Cape that lies to the north of Amajingqi. Kumahasana is run by Chief Nosizwe, who inherited the title from her late husband, per Xhosa tradition. After seeing the work we have done in Amajingqi over the past seven years, Chief Nosizwe approached Chief Dumalisele and ITEC and requested similar support for her community.
Currently there are eight ‘schools’ being run in Kumahasana, all of which we have committed to provide with new containers, and to support ITEC in teacher training. At a recent meeting to discuss early education, more than 100 parents attended, testament to the involvement and energy among the local families. We are very excited to be involved. We will also continue to support Chief Dumalisele and the Amajingqi community, and next year will return to deliver one last school. It is possible that we will need to deliver second containers to some schools since the numbers are beginning to outgrow the space per the Department of Education policy.
Our group of 12 volunteers arrived in East London on the 2nd January, and were put straight to work. Painting, carpentry, block-making… toys and manipulatives were categorized and boxed for transport. In seven days, the container was transformed, and on the evening of the 9th it was loaded and ready for delivery. All supplies were loaded into the trailer, and early on the 10th we set out for Kumahasana.
We were met by the usual excited singing and ululating and dancing. Teacher Zikona was overcome with joy, and told us she hadn’t slept for her excitement! She is a remarkable figure in the community, having graduated high school and returned to not only teach early childhood, but to run dance and music programs for local teens. We are blessed to have her, and will be collaborating closely with her in the future.
The children flooded the container, trying on dress-up clothes, playing with manipulatives, learning new games, while outside the soccer balls provided much laughter and fun for all ages. The energy and excitement were infectious!
The local community leaders had arranged a spread of traditional food, including chicken feet and sour milk that Mandindi described and invited us to sample! Then, Chief Dumalisele’s brother (Chief being called away to Pretoria on business) and Chief Nosizwe took turns to thank us for our continued support of their respective communities, and expressed their gratitude for all we are doing. When we asked if were indeed making a difference, the reply was overwhelmingly yes.
The following day, Shelley and I and Mandindi drove to the other schools to meet the teachers and assistants, to inspect the schools and to give them a Christmas present of cash, thanks to the very generous donation of long-time supporters Rick and Bonnie Gromlich. The teachers were teary-eyed with gratitude. We took inventory of each schools’ supplies, made lists and the following day back in Gonubie, we purchased what was needed and Mandindi will deliver on her next visit. Also, we inspected the maintenance work that had been delayed for months due to unseasonably wet weather. Rust was ground away, metal was primed and painted. Leaks were fixed, damaged roof and water systems were repaired. Two schools that were donated by Standard Bank and The Oppenheimer Foundation back in 2015 and then left, had fallen into bad shape. We have been supporting these teachers and students over the years and have now also undertaken the maintenance of those schools. It is a sad, though common sight to see. People and organizations come into communities, build a school or community center, put their name on it, and then leave, never to return. Without the resources or means to upkeep them, they fall into disrepair and are soon abandoned. It is small wonder there is a certain level of distrust. Together with ITEC, I believe we are changing that.
Shelley and I love what we are doing, and with your continued support will keep helping to build these communities one preschool at a time.
On behalf of these communities, we thank you all once again, we could not do this without you. It takes a village.
Ralph and Shelley
(Tax-deductible letters will be sent out shortly)
