Orphans lef t with a new song and dance
TAMMY Dutton is wrapping up her stint as a Vodacom Change the World volunteer to the beating of drums and an array of melodies performed by the children she has helped.
The 28-year-old is one of 10 volunteers who took part in the 2012 leg of the campaign, which is run in association with the Times Media Group, owner of the Sunday Times.
She spent the year with Nurturing Orphans of Aids for Humanity (Noah), an organisation that helps to take care of 5 000 orphaned and vulnerable children in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Dutton studied childhood development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She joined the Noah team to devise and teach a programme for early childhood development.
She also secured a R350 000 sponsorship from Godrej SA Home of Inecto to create a music centre in Durban where hundreds of children learn to play the guitar, keyboard and drums.
The money paid for two sound-proofed containers stocked with a variety of musical instruments. It also covers the salary of music teacher Nhlakanipho Mahoyi.
“I noticed that often after school the kids don’t have anything to do and need some sort of stimulation, ” she said.
“The idea of a music school came when my friend Andrew Ord and I were playing around with some ideas that would keep the kids busy and off the street.”
Noah spokesman Katie Andrews said Dutton had created a safe, funfilled environment for the children.
“During her year with us, she has painted the inside and outside of our building. She has also built a toy and book library.”
The music school, Andrews said, had helped to boost the children’s confidence and would serve as Dutton ’ s legacy at Noah.