Pastor Christopher Dick (left) and Bruce Jackman at Hope and Light school hall unveiling
Hope and Light Community Welfare NPC celebrated its 21st anniversary on Saturday 6 September by unveiling the new Centre of Hope in the school hall.
The organisation marked the milestone with a service that reflected on the past two decades and the journey to reach this point.
It all began with one woman’s desire to improve the lives of young people by giving children a sense of purpose and hope. After emigrating from Germany, the late Barbara Tofaute started a soup kitchen for needy children in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village in 2004.
The kitchen later evolved into an early childhood development (ECD) centre in March that year. After five years, Tofaute and the Hope and Light ECD team recognised the need to establish a haven for children due to social issues in the area.
The Hope and Light Children’s Village emerged in 2009, housing eight children. Seeing the need for another educational facility, as Sir Lowry’s Pass has only one school, the organisation established Hope and Light School in 2011.
The school started with mobile classrooms and a Grade 1 class of 25 learners. It has since moved to Alpine Crescent in Somerset West after acquiring two hectares of land, reopening in 2019.
Today, the school educates 400 learners, Hope and Light’s ECD is home to 120 children, and the village provides shelter for 25 children.
Pictured at the unveiling of the school hall are Pastor Christopher Dick (left) and Bruce Jackman.During the service, Bruce Jackman delivered a passionate speech about the organisation’s late founder Barbara Tofaute’s struggles and her immeasurable strength of character, speaking of the adversity she endured to bring Hope and Light to where it is now. Tofaute died in June 2021.Throughout the service, musical performances were delivered by the Hope and Light school choir, ECD teacher Lezl Rooi, and the school band.During the service, the Hope and Light ECD learners performed a special spiritual dance.Hope and Light ECD’s current staff in a celebratory mood (from left) Tiffany Coetzee, Ronde Cupido, Irene Daniels, Abrameshia Daniels, Lezl Rooi and Prudence Makhaula.The current staff at Hope and Light School celebrating the 21st anniversary and two decades of instilling the late Tofaute’s values into learners.Hope and Light’s four leaders (from left) are Vuyani Jebese (village facility manager), Blackie Swart (school principal), Abrameshia Daniels (ECD principal) and Nonty Magena (deputy school principal).Hope and Light Community Welfare directors with German partners from Hope and Light Germany, who have supported the project from the start. (Back from left) Deon van Vuuren (non-executive director), Jürgen Bitterhof (Hope and Light Germany) and Niel Immelman (CFO). Front: Judith Hill (CEO) and Stefanie Bitterhof (Hope and Light Germany).
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