By Khethiwe Khuzwayo | Director, Siyabonga Centre
The social and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting lockdowns, have taken a heavy toll on people worldwide. The effects have been particularly difficult, however, in communities already suffering from extreme poverty, high unemployment, and significant public health challenges. In the area where Siyabonga is located, the community has experienced significant food shortages and the unemployment rate, already at nearly 50%, has worsened. Only a few of the parents we serve were working prior to the lockdown and nearly all have now lost their jobs. The situation is amplified by the continuing water crisis, which makes it even more difficult to prevent the spread of the virus. Many people in our community do not have water for hand washing and cannot afford hand sanitizer.
Over the past six months, Siyabonga has been unable to open its center due to restrictive lockdown regulations. However, we have been working to help ensure the safety of our learners at home by providing much-needed soap and water to families in the community. On August 16, the South African government finally announced that schools would be allowed to re-open once they are able to meet a set of safety measures. Given the difficult situations many of our students and families are facing, we are working to open Siyabonga as quickly as possible. In addition to providing high-quality education, Siyabonga offers three meals a day, thus helping to relieve the food shortages many families face.
We are working with the South African Department of Social Development to implement the recommended safety measures and plan to be ready to open within the week. The steps we have taken include:
1. Holding a parent information session to discuss the plan for reopening and address any concerns they may have, which 52 parents attended.
2. Limiting attendance numbers to 60 percent of our standard classroom size to enable distancing.
3. Setting up a station at the gate to take temperatures and ensure that everyone has a mask and is sanitized before entering.
4. Developing a careful plan to ensure social distancing and hygiene inside classrooms, including special masks for school, regular handwashing, and separate tables and chairs for each child.
5. Changing daily programming to avoid crowding in the playground and other spaces.
We look forward to welcoming the children back to school and feel confident we can do so safely. However, as always, we depend on our donors to have the resources to do so sustainably. If we have sufficient funds, we would also like to be able to provide meals to other vulnerable young people in the community. And from Monday, September 14, 9:00 am EDT, through Friday, September 19, EDT, you have a chance to make even more of a difference by donating during GlobalGiving’s Little by Little Matching Campaign. During the Little by Little Campaign, all donations up to $50 will be matched at 50%.
We are living in uncertain times but together we can still make a positive difference in the lives of children. Please help Siyabonga again provide much needed services to families in our community by donating this coming week.
Thank you!
By Khethiwe Khuzwayo | Director, Siyabonga
By Khethiwe Khuzwayo | Director, Siyabonga Centre
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