Tags: Breadline Africa, children, Containers, Converted shipping containers, Donations, Mandela Day Container Library, Renovated Containers
Container Libraries, Containers, Education, Online Giving, children | Edna Titus September 5, 2011 | 
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Here at Breadline Africa I am always called out to communities who have an urgent need for proper infrastructure. Their desperate plea is to have better and more spacious facilities for their children. They are anxious to have better classrooms than just a little shack which is extremely hazardous to fire. They need proper and more hygienic toilets. Many of the children in the educare centres are still exposed to the bucket system. The lack of proper ablution facilities is a big worry as it is extremely unhygienic and one of the major causes of diarrhoea . Many of the educare centers also do not have a proper kitchen. The cooks have to cook in one of the classrooms with the big gas stoves on the floor and the washing bucket on the side of a table. The kids then have to pile into a corner to make space.
Recently, we were approached by the Principal of the Zukolwethu Educare Centre in an informal settlement in Monwabisi, Khayelitsha.
She was at her wits end as parents kept bringing their children for enrolment at her school but her facilities were not at all suitable. She did not have a proper classroom or a safe kitchen. However with the help of our Irish Advisory Committee who raised funds for this project, we were able to have the most amazing make-over happening in this community.
We renovated two second hand shipping containers into a beautiful classroom and a safe kitchen for this Educare Centre.
Before The Zukolwethu Educare Centre, Monwabisi.
After The Zukolwethu Educare Centre, Monwabisi, Khayelitsha
A big thank you comes your way from all the children and teachers at Zukolwetho Educare.
The Principal, the teachers and the community living in this informal settlement could not believe it when these two containers arrived for delivery. It was extremely difficult to get the truck up the road to deliver the containers, but with much perseverance and the help of everyone the containers were successfully put into place.
The children as well as the teachers were extremely happy. They could not believe that these containers could make such a huge difference. We are very proud of our achievement and grateful to our Irish Advisory Committee and their friends for helping us make this make-over happen.
Thank you for responding so generously to our recent interview with Cape Talk.
It is kind and compassionate people like you that inspire us to do so much more for those less fortunate than ourselves. Two container classrooms in Khayelitsha have been beautifully fitted out with brand new carpets. This makeover came just in time for the children’s graduation celebration. Thank you for reaching out to us, you have done us proud!
We will be updating you with more news about the other classroom makeovers which will benefit from Albert Carpets magnificent gift.
One of the 2x6m containers before
One of the generous rolls of carpets that we received
The new look classrooms with the beautifully fitted carpet
We recently decided that we needed to work more energetically in the field of skills development to make a contribution to the unacceptably high levels of unemployment we face here in Africa – which is a major cause of keeping people in impoverished conditions. We have the extraordinary situation of both a skills shortage and high unemployment. It’s time for us to get the unemployed properly skilled in something that can earn them a living.
With this in mind Breadline Africa has launched a new offensive against unemployment in Africa called Cans4Skills.
Congratulations to our Graduates who has completed a basic bricklayers course
Congratulations to our Graduates who has completed a basic Plumbers course
Patiswa, her teachers and the children extend a big thank you to our board of Trustees and their friends for making this little school possible here on the tip of Africa.
Patiswa Bangani, who lives in Delft on the Cape Flats, has become the ‘mother’ in her community. She started collecting the children that were walking in the street and invited them into her little wooden structured house. Many of the parents were out looking for work and the children had to look after one another. Patiswa started to look after the children and cook a nutritious meal for them. But then more children started coming as the little ones brought their sisters, brothers and friends who were at home and needed this basic care as well. The children ranged in age from two to six years old and soon there were more than eighty children at one time.
Patiswa’s little house was getting too small for all the children. She heard about Breadline Africa who assists communities in need with refurbished containers. We met with Patiswa and all the children in her care. She needed extra space urgently and with the help of our Board of Trustees and their friends they raised enough funds to help build a little container school for the children of Delft.
Patiswa is the Principal of this beautiful little container school, called Ulwazi (which mean “knowledge” ) Educate Centre. She is very proud that she could help the little children in her care with such lovely classrooms and a beautiful ablution block. One of her greatest concerns is the issue of health and hygiene but with proper toilets and sanitation she is now able to teach the little ones proper hygiene care.
The toilet that is currently being used by the children
- One of the three containers that have been converted into a proper toilet for the children.
The Principal, Patiswa Bangani outside her educare centre. This container will be used as a classroom.
Frances Greathead, one of the founding trustees of Breadline Africa, has written a beautiful children’s book. Frances is a popular writer with many years of writing experience under her belt. A Song for Thabo’ is a story filled with hope, aimed at children but also with an important message for the adults. It shows us the plight of our AIDS orphans but also how these children are far more than victims of their circumstances.
A Song For Thabo has all the ingredients to enchant young readers from eight years old and beyond. Twelve year old Lindi is bringing up her baby brother, Thabo, and sister, Rosie, single-handed, until one day, a teacher hears Lindi sing. Follow Lindi’s rise to fame and acclaim in this heart-warming story of everyday living in today’s South Africa.
This book will make for a great Christmas stocking filler for your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. All profits from this book will be donated to Breadline Africa. You can find this book in all major book stores in South Africa or email Wendy at our Breadline Africa offices in the UK breadlineafricauk@btconnect.com to request a copy.
So those that follow me on Twitter would have seen a few mentions about The BBC. We at Breadline Africa have been in touch with some of the staff of The BBC Box project to discuss all the details about the last leg of this container’s journey. We are delighted to announce that the BBC in conjunction with The Box project is donating their container to us! The container will arrive on the shores of Cape Town at the end of October and Breadline Africa will convert the container into a soup kitchen and a playschool. The converted container will be placed in a poor community that lives in a shanty town in the Western Cape.
BBC News has been following this container around the world for a year to tell stories of globalisation and the world economy. The journey started with a consignment of Scotch whisky and the box has since travelled to countries including China, the US, Japan and Brazil. The BBC and Breadline Africa initiative is a fitting partnership as Breadline Africa is the one of the biggest converters of containers into useful community structures.
We are incredibly grateful to the BBC for this generous donation as it will change the lives of so many people. This much needed container will help the impoverished community to start cooking meals for their most vulnerable members especially during winter time.
