Odinburg Community Centre - Mabopane

Another referral by Tshwane North Outreach, this facility is situated in Mabopane. The outside of the building is brightened up by lovely wall-paintings….an effort by the principal, Busisiwe, to bring some ‘glamour’ to the place.

The house is extremely small for the number of children it serves. There are two classrooms: one for the grade R-class and one for the babies (0-5 years old). The facility also offers after-school care for those children attending the local primary and high schools. There are two teachers, the principal and a cook. They also employ the services of a sports trainer, who trains the older kids in soccer and netball (something that they obviously enjoy, seeing as they won so many trophies already). Once again one notice the efforts of the teachers in the classrooms…they are not properly trained teachers, but one sees that they are putting all their energy into lifting these children out of the circumstances they exist in. The classrooms are decorated with some of the children’s drawings and other crafts, but there is an obvious lack of lovely, colorful posters. Black or white boards are non-existent and there are only a few plastic tables and chairs.

Throughout the house the floors are bare cement and the little ones that nap in the afternoons have to sleep on thin mattresses on the floor. There is no electricity and meals are cooked on a gas stove. They have one flushing toilet that the children share. The playground equipment consists of one swing and one swinging/crawling drum on chains.

Busisiwe offers meals to all the children on a daily basis and, while the parents are supposed to pay a fee of R 50-00 per month, they are not obligated to do so. She says that she will never turn a child away if the parent cannot afford the school fees. Most of the people in the community are on welfare and the money they receive must be used for rent and food for the families, but they still need someone to care for the children and to provide education….Busisiwe says that she feels everyone is entitled to education and I agree with her.

In addition to the day care and drop-in, Busisiwe runs a fundraising effort with the help of the elderly ladies in the community. They get together in one of the rooms at Odinburg and sew aprons and covers for mattresses. The aprons are sold at R 50-00 a piece and the funds used to buy food, clothes and  stationary for the children.

I list their basic needs below:

• -          Mattresses and/or beds for the children to nap on in the afternoons
• -          Cutlery, plates and cups to serve food and drink
• -          Donations of food and drinks
• -          Pots and pans for the kitchen
• -          Toiletries like soap, liquid soap, disinfectant, emergency medical kits
• -          Stationary
• -          Educational supplies and equipment: black or white board, educational posters and toys, puzzles, games, books to read, coloring books, age appropriate learning and work books (like Mastermind: Maths and All-in-one-series)
• -          Plastic tables and chairs
• -          Blankets and clothes for the children
• -          Carpets
• -          Playground equipment
• -          Sports equipment

If you can help at all, please contact me immediately.