Our Projects - South Africa
Homestead Project
Capetown, South Africa
Background
Homestead has an 18 year history of providing services to street children in Cape Town. Eight seperate projects make up Homestead ranging from outreach work on the streets to a long stay centre for children who have no other home. Homestead is one of the most respected street children projects not only in South Africa, but in the World.
Informal settlements around Cape Town
Homestead Report March 2011 - August 2011
Education
Throughout this year we have seen a change in the children’s attitudes toward schooling. At the beginning of the year we placed 46 children back in school, and since then we have also had 5 new admissions. All of these children are still in school and doing well. Some of these young men were extremely difficult to settle in school because of their extended period on the street. It took a fantastic relationship with the school and dedication from the staff in the home to settle these boys. Thanks to this achievement most of them will be progressing to the next grade next year.
Three of the boys have show such dedication and commitment that they have been selected to be part of a school exchange to London at the end of September. We are very proud of these three, especially because two years ago it was them that were causing my grey hair! But though stabilization and mentoring they have achieved miracles and are now role models for all our young men.
We have also introduced an after school tutoring programme which is offering extra tuition at the children’s home in the afternoons to the boys that are struggling in school. This year we have 17 boys getting one on one help, but as from next year we hope it will be most of the boys. The school reports at the end of the year will be a clear indication of the benefit of this work.
Another exciting development this year is that for the first time ever I have been attending career guidance and college open days with boys. This is because before now we never had children with high enough school grades to access college. But next year we hope to send 2 boys to college, one child will be in Matric (A levels) and the majority of the house will be in high school.
Currently three of the younger boys are attending a bridging school, but as from next year they will be in a skills school doing plumbing and electrics. This will not only help their self esteem but also give them an employable skill. We also have our own two resident trainee chefs, who will complete their hospitality training in December and then do a six month work placement in a hotel. They are very excited about the food they are learning to cook, and occasionally bring us some to sample!
To get to the point that we are today has taken two years, and it is amazing to see the accomplishments of these young men, but my hope is that is another two years we will be starting to look for university placements for our youth. Because the reality is that in South Africa to obtain employment is very difficult, and without education you have no opportunities, but with a degree the world opens up opportunities. And in this way they not only walk away from the street, but more importantly the cycle of poverty.
Recreation
The boys have been playing soccer every week and are doing well. We are achieving not only in winning matches, but more importantly in creating good sportsmen. This week the boys completed their community service, which contributes to their fair play points for soccer. The U19’s went to the hospice to help the people there and the U15’ s went to clean at the crèche. It is nice to see that the youth are starting to develop an attitude of giving back.
This year we played rugby for the first year and the boys participated in a local team. They did well and one child brought back the man of the tournament. We also had a child bringing home the ballroom dancing cup this year and one of our young men just returned from Paris, where he represented South Africa in the homeless world cup.
Summer sport is about to start in we are going to introduce swimming; the boys will attend twice a week. This is not only a great life skill, but hopefully in time they will also be able to compete.
At the end of September one of the boys will get his Bronze Presidents Award (Duke Of Edinburgh Award), and hopefully his friends will get theirs early next year. For their community service the boys are organizing a soup kitchen to run from outside the children’s home every Friday. In this way the children are giving back to their own community.
We also introduced a new development programme where the children earn different amounts of pocket money depending on their achievement. If they are a bronze then they get R7, and to achieve this they must make their bed, clean their shoes, wake up on time, do their chores and go to school. For an extra R1 they must do their homework and for an extra R3 they must be drug free, no fighting and respect everyone. It is working well and most of the boys are achieving the extra R3 every week.
Over the last few months I have put together a complete after schools programme that ensures that every child has something to do every day. There are a variety of educational and recreational programs, which include literacy, homework support, anger management skills, art, games and drama. There are a variety of students and child care workers that are helping to implement this programme.
The recreation programme combined with the education helps us to holistically develop all the children in our care are to offer them a packed where every child can shine. It also means they have very little time to get up to mischief!
Report by Leonora Reid, volunteer Education and Recreation Coordinator
Updated Case Studies
Child A (13) was born in Zimbabwe, where he lived with his Grandmother. When he was 12 years old he and his cousin decided they wanted more from the lives and that they should come to South Africa. They ran to the border and waited for night. Once it was dark they ran over the bridge and under the border gate. The security tried to catch them but they were too fast. The child says he was scared they were going to shoot him. When arriving in South Africa he made his way down to Cape Town and was picked up by the shelter. They then transferred him to Khayelitsha so he could complete his education. He is currently doing the last year of junior school and has settled in well.
Education update: When he came to us he had been out of school for two years. This year he will complete grade 6. Next year I will move him to a school that will help him to catch up on his schooling quickly. He is an exceptionally bright child, with very good manners. For the second school term he received the prize for the best school report in primary school for the children’s home, the reward was to go on an outing including food and mini golf!
Child B (15) was placed in the children’s home 4 years ago. He is originally from Kraaifontein where he lived with his mother, father and two siblings. The situation in the house was very bad due to alcohol abuse and domestic violence. He ran to the street to follow his older brother who was already in the children’s home. The shelter picked him up and he was sent to Khayelitsha. It took him a long time to settle as the situation at home was putting him under a lot of stress. His two younger brothers and sister were also removed and placed in foster care. He was illiterate, due to absenteeism from school. In 2009 he started at City Mission School, he is now doing high school and is nearly age appropriate. He is playing for a good local soccer club and aspires to be a professional player. In June he went to Germany to play in a soccer tournament.
Education update: Two years ago this child was illiterate, and now he is our top achiever in Grade 8. With the right amount of support and development he could get a soccer scholarship to do tertiary studies overseas. The achievements made by this child are phenomenal. In his tutoring the tutor is doing grade 9 work with him because he is already able to do all the grade 8 work. He is a young man that excels in all he touches!
Child C (18) was born in Khayelitsha where he lived with his mother, sister and his two brothers. His younger brother ran first to the street and child C followed due to the situation at home. There was continuous alcohol abuse and neglect in the home. He was picked up by the outreach workers and placed at the shelter. From there he was transferred to Khayelitsha. His youngest brother was then also placed, but the middle one is still on the street and in and out of juvenile facilities. Child C has since excelled in school and will complete his education next year. He aims to go to university. He won the award for the top achiever last year and sits on the youth governing body.
Education update: This year he is still doing well, but is struggling with maths. We are doing all we can to assist him by offering extra classes. He will move into independent living at the end of the year.
Dear David and Trustees,
I can’t let 2010 come to a close without thanking you for your consistent support for our work with street children in Cape Town.
Looking back at the year, I can see that in so many ways the services that we provide for the children have improved in quality, and the outcomes for the kids are much better than they were in the past. This is in no small measure due to your support which gives us the opportunity to be more creative in the way we work as we have more resources available.
All of us at The Homestead wish all of you a good year in 2011, and we look forward to seeing you!
Warm regards,
Sandra
Sandra Morreira
Director
The Homestead Projects for Street Children
Chairperson Western Cape Street Children's Forum
Tel. (021) 419 9763
Fax (021) 419 2600
www.homestead.org.za
