Cash boost for school psychological support
AN NGO which assists school-going children in disadvantaged communities to access psychological support has received a cash injection to help grow their programmes within the Western Cape.
Yesterday the Community Keepers NGO received a R500 000 donation yesterday in support of their programme.
International financial services behemoth Merrill Lynch’s South African representative Julia Benadie handed over the cheque at Ysterplaat Primary School, which has benefited from work done by the organisation in their quest to aid children in historically disadvantaged communities.
Ex-Springbok captain Jean de Villiers was a special guest.
Community Keepers co-founder Philip Geldenhuys said his organisation began in 2008 in Stellenbosch, developing their model after conducting a needs analysis within the region.
“We have an office and full time counsellor or social worker who is available to pupils, teachers and parents five days a week. Our offices are in seven schools in the Stellenbosch area, five in Ysterplaat and more will be unveiled in the Zonnebloem and Stellenbosch areas in April.”
Geldenhuys said they had held talks with the provincial departments of Education and Social Development as funding was needed to expand their services to more schools.
“Just as you cannot teach a hungry child, you cannot teach a traumatised child. We understand there is only one social worker and psychologist available for 40 schools as both departments have limited funding.
“We also need trained individuals to assist parents, as we cannot meet that demand at present. Much of the trauma springs from home, and while we provide information on social development, more can be done to help families.”
School principal Nataly Horn said the programme had been running for 18 months and she had seen an improvement in pupils’ behaviour.
“The work done by Community Keepers is inspiring and their programmes have helped us tremendously. Disciplinary problems have significantly dropped as our students learn to deal with their problems constructively.”
Horn said last year one class was asked to describe their home life and they were shocked at the level of trauma and abuse discovered.