Orphaned children receive emotional healing through IT
An IT based mentorship programme is helping to improve the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in Alexandra
An IT based mentorship programme is changing the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in Alexandra.
The programme sponsored by Infinite Family, an American charity organisation, uses American and South African mentors to provide mental and emotional healing for children who have suffered trauma and stress induced by their life circumstances.
The programme uses skype on laptops housed in a prefabricated computer lab at the Alexandra Child Care and Support Centre based at Realogile Secondary School. The children are pupils at Realogile, Alex High, Eastbank High, Ithute, Dr Knack and Bovet schools.
The centre manager, Goodwill Qushwana said, “The centre started in 2006 with a grant from Investec Bank which lasted for six years. Now we are supported by the Department of Social Development, but only for 140 children, instead of 250 children, who receive nutritional, educational, counselling, recreational, life skills support every week day as well as occasional material items.”
In addition to the emotional healing, Qhushwana said the programme also helped to develop pupils’ positive attitudes to life and encouraged them to value the importance of education in improving their lives.
“One of the mentors has even visited one of the children who stays alone in a shack and stayed for a week helping to renovate the shack and continues to provided him clothing and grocery twice a year through Infinite Family,” said Qushwana.
The centre is also thankful to the company, BG Bowman Gilfillon which has donated a small library. For now the library has novels, story books and puzzles only for grade 4 to 7 students. “We expect children in upper grades to be using libraries in their different schools until we receive suitable books for them,” added Qushwana.
For more details contact Goodwill Qushwana on 072 187 5682
