The Seaview Lion Park has been involved, for many years, in assisting the Bethel Babes Educare Centre in an under-priviledged area in Port Elizabeth.
We take our volunteers to the school every Wednesday. The children love to show them what they’ve learnt and enjoy the interaction with our volunteers.
Charlene, the principal, not only runs the school but also teaches the children and even collects them from their “houses”, gives them 2 meals a day and then takes them home again, as they all come from very impoverished backgrounds.
Presently, the school enrollment is 69 children, and most of them start at this school when they are 2 or 3 years old, knowing absolutely nothing, but progress so rapidly that, by the time they are ready to enter formal education at 7 years old, they have achieved dignity, self confidence and a desire to learn, which is so impressive.
All this is due to the dedicated effort from the group of caring teachers under Charlene’s leadership.
The children, at Bethel Babes School, need more than the usual “school readiness” activities, such as sitting at tables, using crayons, scissors etc., but also basic training in such things as personal hygiene, how to use a toilet, how to put on shoes and how to eat correctly, as they are all from very underprivileged homes.
At the end of each year the school concert is a joy to watch. As expected, the younger children are very shy but still manage to play their parts, on the stage, but the 5 to 6 year olds show the confidence of a “trooper”, as they sing and act out the theme of the concert, and this brings a tear to many an eye.
As of September 2010, they no longer have transport since the old vehicle can no longer be repaired. ‘Bethel Babes School’ cannot continue their good work without a reliable vehicle, and, because there is no public transport available, we are appealing, to you, for donations of any size to help them to purchase one.
Although they have raised half of the finance they need to purchase this new vehicle they are still short of R80, 000.00 and, for this reason, we are appealing for your donation to this very worthy cause.
Their banking details are:
First National Bank
Branch: Cleary Park
Account number: 6210 0946 914
Branch No: 211517
Swift Code FIR NZA JJ
