A wonderful example of long-term giving: Forres Preparatory School and Kiddies Educare

One of the most creative means of giving that we have encountered in the last year was the unique example of Forres Preparatory School in Rondebosch, which has developed a strong and close partnership with Kiddies Educare in Philippi. This enterprising collaboration began in mid-2008 when a Forres teacher discovered a SAEP brochure discussing the plight of its ECD partner principals. Forres had been looking for an appropriate community outreach project in the local townships for the children to take ownership of, and found the perfect opportunity through SAEP – Kiddies Educare.

Forres’ teachers and staff uphold a dedication to education that develops children as curious and compassionate individuals. By extending the Forres family to include Kiddies Educare, this cultivates not only a sense of social responsibility and humanity in the Forres students who become more deeply committed to their extended community, but to the Kiddies children and staff who can learn and benefit from these new friends and mentors. Imaginatively, this partnership blends charitable giving with field trips and group learning, truly putting the “fun” back in fundraising!

Fundraising:

Forres’ first initiative was to provide Kiddies with some basic needs and the teachers planned their first of many trips to Kiddies to assess the situation in 2008. Following this first contact, Margaret, Kiddies’ principal, and Isabel Babenschneider from SAEP, visited Forres and gave a presentation on the history of the centre and Margaret’s goals and hopes for its development. Forres students collected countless goods and resources, from toilet paper and foodstuffs to books and blankets, and brought them out to the educare centre for their first interaction with these new friends. The play date was a huge success, and from that point the commitment to fundraising took off! Forres dedicated its staff, students and parents to support Kiddies with  much needed basic supplies of educational toys, learning materials, blankets, mattress covers and clothes. The school even went a step further and came up with great fundraising activities to eventually provide Kiddies with a new crèche structure, a safe, happy and secure place for the children to learn and grow. In order to achieve this big fundraising goal, Forres hosted regular events to involve the local community, especially the Forres parents, including walks around Rondebosch Common and two very successful and fun Dance-A-Thons. At these very popular events in late 2008 and 2009, friends, families and community members were asked to pledge money for every hour the students could dance, many lasting from 8am to 8pm!

Group Projects:

Since the Programme’s conception, a number of projects have transpired with great success. Forres students visit the centre regularly to have educational lessons or simply organised playtime. Every two weeks a small group goes out to the centre to run a music, art or cultural project, assisted by their teachers. In December 2008, Forres celebrated the holiday season by hosting a Christmas party for Kiddies, bringing gifts for the children and the crèche. When Forres students put on a production for the community at the end of the year, Margaret and the children were invited and attended gladly.

Another very inspiring and enriching initiative was an art project and resultant gallery show between the learners of both schools. A Forres teacher arranged an art project for the groups of children to work together on. Their final “masterpieces” were revealed in an Art Exhibition at Forres School, where parents, Kiddies and Forres staff and the community could come and admire the children’s work.

Teacher Mentorship:

As the relationship between Kiddies and Forres grew, they looked for new ways to expand and build upon their partnership. Teachers from Kiddies have begun to sit in on Forres’ pre-primary classes, observing various teaching methods for the purpose of improving their own curriculum. Ultimately, they hope that the teacher exchange will develop further, with visits occurring more frequently.

Forres has traditionally embraced the concept that learning is a journey, one that incorporates a variety of teaching styles and methods and occurs not just in the classroom, but in all facets of life. Work and play between Forres and Kiddies learners encourages a free-flowing transmission of worlds and ideas, and an opportunity to expand the youth’s understanding of their neighbourhood and the world. 

The Kiddies/Forres relationship is an outstanding example of ways local schools and organizations can become intimately involved in their community, forming a long-term affiliation with countless positive outcomes. If your school, organization or institution is interested in replicating the Forres model or other forms of long-term cooperation and giving, please contact Elise Farley by email at elise@saep.org.