The new school year started off on a jubilant note for the children attending Hoopsig, Paternoster’s life skills centre. On Friday 20 January they were kitted out for academic success.
The local community and the Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM) pooled resources to demonstrate their support to the children of the village. The SBM donated much-needed stationery, and members of the SBM Youth Council spent the afternoon covering scores of school books. Local barber Charlton Sampson was on hand with his hair clippers for those in need of a cut and Adrian Venter took studio pictures of every child.
In her address Alderman Eventhia Vaughan of the SBM urged the children to make use of all the opportunities at their disposal and realise nothing is more important than education. She also thanked Hoopsig’s staff and volunteers for their sacrifices and their investment in the future of the children. “My wish is that you will go from strength to strength and serve as an example to others,” she said.
Speaker Olwene Daniels and ward councillor Sharon Scholtz, regular visitors to events at Hoopsig, expressed their admiration for the programmes offered at Hoopsig. “I salute the spirit of love and community service that is tangible here,” Daniels said.
The event, organised by Hoopsig’s staff and volunteer interns from Germany, was lauded by all as an example of how local authorities and communities can work together. “We are grateful for the ongoing support we receive from the SBM,” said Hoopsig programme manager Shemoné Bokhary. “It strengthens our resolve to give the very best to our children.”
Hoopsig provides lunch to 60 primary schoolchildren every day and organises activities ranging from robotics and literacy to baking, arts and crafts and ballet. Homework is supervised by the volunteers before the children leave the centre in the afternoon.
