“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Fourways, South Africa (16 June 2020) – The worldwide spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to claim lives and create havoc and mayhem in South Africa. It has also claimed the ability for children to get an education in the poorer areas of our country and that will also have a long term impact.
According to Unicef – From birth to the final year of high school, children born into poverty face a range of obstacles that their wealthy peers do not.
During the lockdown, the children in the informal settlements haven’t had access to the type of resources that other children have. They have been at home during lockdown without the ability to carry on their studies. This organisation believes that nobody should be left behind. With that in mind, the FourwaysCAN has been handing out basic activity packs which have included brand new materials such as activity books, reading books, stationery sets and paper.
They also have a section on their website that has videos and sound recordings of stories and books being read. This was done with the intention that at least during this time kids could have access to something. The CAN is planning on adding more free resources for younger children who won’t go back to school any time soon.
“Whilst food has been a focus we have also built in a strategy to help kids get educational stimulation even if it’s only at a basic level. With more, we can do more.”
Current events have illustrated that we are all linked – our individual and collective actions affect each other and our shared planet. We’re seeing, in real-time, that the solutions to our greatest challenges lie within each of us and our communities.
As we face this challenge and crisis together, it is critical that the very people in crisis are empowered to address it powerfully in their communities – no matter where they live. On the back-end of the educational packs, FourwaysCAN is helping individuals start micro-businesses so that parents can afford to carry on educating their children.
FourwaysCAN (Community Action Network) started by Janna Couto has to date with the help of donors – fed 1500 people within the Diepsloot and Kya Sands communities.
“We utilise local community members “Ambassadors” to help distribute food, and identify the most critical community members. The approach is one of Locals Helping Local. We have handed out nearly 200 educational packs.”
The educational learning packs encourage children in informal communities to carry on learning whilst in lockdown.
“At FourwaysCAN We want to make a difference.”
You can find out more about FourwaysCAN via their website or their Facebook page.
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