Aphile, unser weiteres Patenkind, ist immer noch in Drakondale, einer innovativen Kunstschule. Drakondale’s Vision ist es, eine Schule für junge Erwachsene zu haben, die es ihnen ermöglicht, ihre Begabungen und Talente im Bereich der darstellenden Künste zu erforschen, ohne auf die Notwendigkeit eines starken akademischen Hintergrunds verzichten zu müssen.
Music Voyage, die wir in der Vergangenheit gesponsert haben, bietet unterprivilegierten Kindern Musikunterricht an. Die Organisation wurde von einer Freundin von mir ins Leben gerufen und hat in Südafrika enorme Dynamik und Anerkennung gefunden. Sie sahen in Aphile eine sehr talentierte Musikerin und Sängerin und suchten nach einer Patenschaft für sie, damit sie nach Drakondale gehen und sich dort weiterbilden konnte. Sie fragten mich/uns.
Es geht ihr sehr gut und sie ist sehr glücklich.
Wir finanzieren die Hälfte ihres Schulgeldes, was Vollpension, Unterkunft und Schulbesuch einschließt. Sie hat noch 3 weitere Jahre auf der High School.
Während des Lockdown haben sie es sehr gut geschafft Aphile Zuhause zu unterrichten und die Schule wurde online weitergeführt.
In der Schule ist Aphile sehr gut und bekam sogar eine akademische Auszeichnung in Grade 8. Ihre Dankbarkeit hat sie in einem sehr berührenden Dankesbrief an uns ausgedrückt.
Throughout 2019 we have been able to sponsor 2 children through school, thanks to the funding we have been receiving.
Action in Autism:
Daniel is a young boy with Autism and has done very well in the Action in Autism school system this year, in preparation for going into a regular school system in 2020. We are so pleased to have been able to support Daniel this year. Some words from Kirsty Miller, the Manager:
"Daniel is doing exceptionally well - we are so proud of him. He is passionate about books and reading, and will spend hours pouring over books and going through vocab with whichever adult is prepared to sit with him and model language. He is doing so beautifully in every area of development, and we are so thankful to you and Lucky Beans for providing the opportunity for him to receive the full intervention and therapy programme at our Centre. He is probably our brightest star to be graduating from us at year-end."
We wish Daniel all the very best in his new school!
We will be looking to sponsor another child or a program at AIA in 2020.
http://www.actioninautism.org.za
Our sponsored child, Aphilie, has nearly completed her first year at Drakondale Music School in South Africa, a unique schooling opportunity where music is the main focus alongside regular classes. She is doing very well. We are very proud of her commitment, her cheerful kind manner and enthusiasm.
Our objective is to support Aphile for the next 4 years.
Drakondale is looking for funding for a second child, Anele, whose family's financial situation has become very dire. Despite a very challenging family situation, she is a vey determined young lady who wishes to aspire to more than her background has allowed up until now. She is an exceptional student (one of their best) and whom they do not want to lose. If you are interested to find out more about her and the schooling costs, please feel free to contact me.
Lidgetton Community Project - our Soup Kitchen
Nokuthula is doing well in the Soup Kitchen. She is feeding about 30 children per week at the moment, as well as giving food parcels to 5 families.
Shine with Kindness Yoga Charity Event:
Our Shine with Kindness Yoga event on 15th September at Jardeco in Wachtberg was a great success!!
Thank you to all those who were involved in supporting this event. We were about 60 people moving and breathing to very inspiring live mantra Music for the benefit of others. It was a smooth happy event and we were able to raise €1400, which we will feed back into our educational programs above.
We still have limited stocks of our beautiful Shine with Kindness Tote Bags on offer for 10€. If you wish to purchase one, please let me know.
I specifically had them made from a very inspiring Brazilian company called From Belo - have a look at what they do! https://www.frombelo.com
When you buy a bag you support a meal, this time in Brazil. We are all connected.
A BIG thank you to our members who are quietly present and support us in a way that gives us motivation to continue believing in what we do. The fruits of this work will show themselves in the next generation.
Thank you for supporting us in a way that feels good for you. The magic about supporting our work is that we are personally connected to each project and know exactly where out funds are going, which means you will too.
To being inspired through helping others,
Fiona
Music Voyage contacted us about reaching out for sponsorship for this remarkable young girl....
"Aphile is a 12 year old girl living in an informal settlement in Lidgetton. She lives with her mother, grandmother and various children for which they are responsible. Her current circumstances mean a poor education and an extremely impoverished lifestyle.
Aphile started attending Church at a parish outside the settlement in which they offered Sunday School and Choir singing to local children. One of our Music Voyage teachers who is also a member of the parish, started to teach her and a few other children to play the recorder. She immediately noticed Aphile’s natural musical talent.
In the past 3 years, Aphile has proved herself to be diligent and committed and she makes a huge effort to attend her lessons each week. We have assisted Aphile in entering into Eisteddfods in Pietermaritzburg, the most recent of which, she received a gold certificate and was invited to play in the best of the Eisteddfod concert. This was a huge achievement for her as she was able to play alongside children from very different economic backgrounds from her own. Subsequent to the Eisteddfod we entered Aphile into the Trinity College London music exam, which she passed with distinction. She is so proud of this and so are we.
We have realised that Aphile needs to be supported in her music. We took a chance and applied to a neighbouring Choir school, Drakondale, for a bursary for Aphile. After numerous tests and auditions, she was accepted and granted a 50% scholarship! This school would not only take Aphile on the musical journey of her dreams, but also provide her with a solid education. It is also a boarding school which would provide meals, comfortable sleeping arrangements and hygiene, all of which she is not accustomed to in her present situation.
Aphile is a student who shows tremendous musical talent and there is no limit to her capability. We trust that we will help Aphile to realise her dreams and secure her musical and academic future".
Supporting...
Would you be inspired to support Aphile on something much more than just her music journey?
This is an opportunity for her to receive a remarkable education and excel in her passion for music.
Her fees for Drakondale are: €3233/year (pending on the present exchange rate). If 20 people support her, this would be €161 each per year. Her education is 5 years. This is an investment, not in something but in someone.
As we draw nearer to Christmas, please give this some thought - it is so easy to give money away at Christmas, for things that we probably don't always really need. This is an opportunity to give to a child who can live out a dream.
In Gratitude,
Fiona