30 children from the Ikamva Labantu Afternoon Angels programme kept busy drawing on World Rhino Day and earned a beautiful Relate bracelet for their efforts.
Cape Town, South Africa (23 September 2020) – Can you imagine a world without rhinos? How would you describe these magnificent creatures to a generation of people who have never seen one? That is the lesson that Relate and Ikamva Labantu set out to teach 30 young children in their Afternoon Angels programme, an after-school care programme that provides safety and security for children once the school day has ended.
Following their daily lessons, the children got busy creating their best possible drawings of these endangered animals – effectively experiencing a critical extra lesson in the importance of protecting the species for future generations. Their beautiful drawings also serve as an important reminder to all South Africans that we all have a role to play in caring for our wildlife, and taking the time to support conservation efforts however we can.
Ikamva Labantu was founded in 1963 to address the unjust and inhumane conditions of Apartheid. Launched by activists, the organisation helped young and old in need. Now decades later, the organisation has several projects still working to protect the young and old of Cape Town’s townships.
“Ikamva Labantu, means ‘The Future of the People’ in isiXhosa. By working hand-in-hand with community members, we seek to empower individuals and communities to become self-sufficient through the provision of training, support and resources.”
The Afternoon Angels programme was established to offer a haven for children after school. Many parents work until late, meaning their children roam the streets and go unsupervised for hours. This leads to less than desirable circumstances.
The programme was started by a group of 53 women from Cape Town’s townships as a response to the rise of physical and sexual abuse towards children. These women have opened their homes to local children to provide a place of safety where they can receive a nutritious meal, emotional support, and a space to play in the afternoons.
This is a preventative measure that keeps children away from the dangers of the streets and provides a warm, nurturing environment for them to feel safe, supported and free.
A group of 30 children got to share their drawings of rhino for World Rhino Day and received beautiful Relate bracelets by Endangered Wildlife Trust for their efforts. You can get yours here.
Sources: Supplied
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