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The Philippi Children's Centre Nestled in
a small farming community outside of Cape Town, South Africa lies the Philippi Children's Centre. It is a "pre-school"
to over 130 children ages 3 months to 7 years of age. Most of the children come from neighboring farms. Some come from the
nearest townships (squatter camps). All come together to spend their days in this environment which provides them
shelter, safety, food, and nurturing. While the children are physically cared for at The Philippi Children's Centre, until
recently, due to lack of money, education was not facilitated. The surrounding community does not have enough financial resources
to support the "creche", as the Centre is called. For many months it was barely surviving. In
January 2006, I received a small educational "out of the box" grant from the Ojai Valley School, where I have been
a primary teacher for the past 18 years. The grant money provided me with round trip airfare to and from South Africa and
funds to buy classroom materials and resources. This was in preparation to facilitate an educational change within the creche. My
objective was to provide a year's worth of curriculum to the children, train the teachers, implement educational materials
and activities and to provide an environment that was conducive to facilitating the developmental needs of children, ages 3
months to 7 years of age. In addition to the grant, Heide Boyden, children's author and humanitarian, gave a "tea"
in my honor. Through the generosity of the women who attended, we raised over $1800.00 for the children. My kindergarten class
at Ojai Valley School did a lollipop and popcorn sale and raised $436.00. In all I took $5000.00. With this money, we
were able to change one educational year of the Philippi Children's lives. I spent 7 weeks over
the summer in South Africa living with my daughter and her husband. My daughter, Autumn is a Speech and Language
Pathologist. It was her medical team's intervention at the Centre that initially inspired me to help disadvantaged children
of South Africa. Her husband, Volkmar oversees the family flower farm. It is because of them that I have spent time within
the farming community and have first hand experience with the culture. Each time I journey to South Africa, I learn more about
this beautiful, diverse, culturally rich, yet financially poor country. Together, Autumn and
I began the transformation of the creche, from a 3rd world environment into a 1st world educational environment. We began,
literally at the ground floor by painting six classrooms, carpeting each room, and implementing materials, curriculum, activities,
and resources needed by the teachers and the children. Once the classrooms were remodeled, I
began educating the teachers on child development, meeting educational standards, curriculum, and providing professional development.
I left South Africa with the hope that the teachers would continue to utilize the curriculum until I returned in 2007 to
facilitate them and further their skills in education. I also left Lizanne Shultz, a board member of A.F.R.I.C.A., Inc and
board member of the creche, to monitor the daily teachings of the faculty. I returned in
June of 2007, 2010, and 2011. In 2007, I bought the Directress a new computer and a printer/copier. Now they can copy
language arts and math papers for the children. In the 4 and 5 year old classrooms, I introduced the children to
writing their names, number symbols, and simple one digit addition and subtraction papers. For many
of the children, it was their first formal educational instruction. In three of the classrooms, I set up donated computers
that run Windows 95. The teachers are now able to type on the computers; however, they do not have printers. I am
continuing to fund raise donations for the creche to keep them functioning and to provide materials to facilitate the education
of these precious children. In 2011 I shipped over 3,445 children's picture and chapter books. Our first library will be set
up in the Phillipi Children's Centre and dedicated to the Ojai Valley School for all of their support and commitment to the
education of the children in South Africa. The second library will be in Wellington at the Pinnochio Creche. I will donate
the chapter books to many of the schools nearby that have limited books. I believe that compassion for children is not defined by borders. Our mission is to provide educational
curriculum, resources, materials, and staff training to disadvantaged farming community pre-schools in South Africa, just
like the Philippi Children's Centre. For current information and updates,please check out the Publishing page. Dana DeYoung CEO of A.F.R.I.C.A., Inc |
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What single
thought, compassionate wish, and recognized reality can bring people together to change the world? It is knowing that
education is one of the most powerful key components to lifting children out of a system of poverty and giving them hope for
a better future. The children of these communities do not have the support of a system that can meet their needs. Most
will live and die within the community of poverty. To be educated gives hope, direction, empowerment, and a choice to
live a better life than previously offered. Through donations, materials, resources, and a lot of dedication, the following
people have generously made a difference in the lives of the children of The Philippi Children's Centre. With less than ten
thousand American dollars, we changed five years of their educational lives. Many, many thanks to: Mark and MacKenzie McIntire, Michelle Ayans, Ann and Matt Inman, Sarah MCune, Laurel and Doug Colborn,
Sherrie and John McNeil, Sarah and Colin Duncan, Sheri and James Usher, Jenny and Taylor Whitsitt, Ed and Erin Kowalczyk,
Steve and Patty McGillivray, Ron MacFarlane, Stacy Shiffman, Sally Pollet, Ron and Lisa Futterman, Carolyn Debrower,
Heide and David Boyden, Beth and Terry Maas, Janet and Courtney Harris, Kirste and Johnny Johnston, Mary and Dave Neville,
Tracy Wilson and Fred Alvarez, Jane and Jordan Arthur, Nancy and Craig Marcus, Darcie and Alan George, Sarah, Sam, Brendan,
and Hayden Houseman, Nita and Jeff Tracy, Trudie and John Town, Tracy and Dave Bettles, Jetta, Darren and Cole
Zellner, Kitty Johnston, Caitlin Johnston, Valerie Gogol and Rob Wademan, Roger and Gretchen Avary, Lee Smith, Lola and Robert
Weaver, Mary Miller Blaksee, Tessie and Bim Goddard, Gary and Linda Gartrell, Mike and Laurie Fitzgerald, Ed and Michelle
Buchman, Jay Bornand, Sue and Ted Fleet, Bernice Nance-Miller, Paul and Loretta Roberts, Scott and Patty Campbell, Bob
Wright, Bryce Skaling, Elaine Bornand, John and Linda DeYoung, Maryellen McEachen, Brian Reekie, Lisa Gordon, Ely and
Jessica Neiderhiser, Marie and Brian Haase, Linda Vogel, Dan and Janice Lang, The Cleggs at Ojai Van Lines, Charles at Custom
Printing in Oxnard, and the students and families of Ojai Valley School. |
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It begins
with a change in environment. |
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