Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Heart FM crew drop the mic and lend a hand
CHILDREN from the Rooid- akke area in Grabouw have one more reason to smile.
They’ve been given a new toy library thanks to the Heart FM radio team, who rolled into town as part of their 16 days for youth campaign.
The previous toy library had been burgled and vandalised several times in the last few months.
The station’s programme manager, Denver Apollus, said the area now finally has “a lockable container that would not get broken into”.
“It was very overwhelming for the team from Early Years Services, in that a problem that has been recurring for months has now finally been solved and a solution found,” he said.
Early Years Services run the toy library, and project director Avril Cupido said its main focus is “to teach parents and caregivers how to work with the toys and what outcomes to achieve especially for children living with foetal alcohol syndrome”.
“This is why we work closely with the children from Golden Kids, a crèche next to the toy library,” she said.
Cupido said the inclusion of children living with foetal alcohol syndrome had helped many youngsters in the Grabouw area, as they were more exposed to substance abuse.
“Many of the kids are on the farms, so the toy librarians need to go out to help enrich these children’s lives,” she said.
Apollus and his Heart FM colleagues also fixed an adjacent Wendy house where the
– Denver Apollus
children are taught.
“We fixed door handles, we fixed up light fittings, and we moved shelves into the container to set up the library. We made it possible for them to have a more sustainable model, it is now a functional classroom,” he said.
“(It’s) more about Grabouw than just the library.”
The team also delivered boxes of biscuits, vegetables, clothing and items for a nearby soup kitchen.
Every year from June 1, Heart FM shuts its Green Point studios and travels across the Western Cape, broadcasting its radio programmes from the places the team visits.
Its aim is to bring hope to disadvantaged communities. A new concept on this year’s tour is the “Power Hour”.
“We put the electricity meter number of the organisations that we are visiting on our Facebook page, and the Heart FM audience purchase electricity for them, and we are able to make a difference. It has a massive impact,” Apollus said.
“The toy library has electricity now and has five years worth of electricity based on their current usage.”
The 16 days for youth campaign is all about “people coming on board and being the change”, he added.
“We are taking the microphone to the communities to give them a voice. We are allowing them to tell their stories,” Apollus said.
The next stop for the Heart FM crew is Chukker Road sports complex in Kenilworth and tomorrow, they will make their way to Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children in Manenberg to install a new kitchen.
For more information, check out www.16daysforyouth.com.