On Monday afternoon Miss John and Mr Hopkin's group visited POP3 in the Malmesbury area.
The POP centers offer a safe place for young people to gather, whether to play, socialise or do homework. They are given a hot meal and an opportunity to shower, as these simple things that we take for granted are not guaranteed when the children return home. By providing an environment that is both supportive and fun, the centers aim to keep the children within their boundaries and therefore out of mischief.
More established POP centers like this are used to having groups to visit. We received a warm welcome and were soon making friends.
After a beautiful breakfast cooked by Auntie Ena and the ladies in the kitchen, we gathered in the barn to meet Ingrid Lestrade, a director of the Goedgedacht trust. She formally welcomed us to the farm and introduced us to some of her partners in crime who would be working alongside us that week; Anna, Maria, Edlynne, Ryan, Sophie and Raylene to name just a few.
Ingrid gave us an overview of how and why the trust was formed. We learned a little about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and the devastating affect it had, not only on the lives of individuals, but on the wider community. Ingrid explained that the POP (Path out of Poverty) scheme was borne out of a desire to break the poverty cycle, equipping young people with both the skills and confidence to play an active and valuable role in their communities. Some of the youth workers we met that morning were graduates of the system, adding resonance to Ingrid's message that change takes time, but can be achieved no matter the odds.
A founding principle on the trust is that of ARK; that we change the world with one Random Act of Kindness at a time. We were challenged to imagine how our world might look if we were all a little kinder, a little more considerate, a little more helpful.
Another key feature of life of the trust is music, and we were soon on our feet attempting to find some rhythm.
There is no shortage of fun on the trust, and Ryan introduced us to the shark attack game. Miss John was the first victim, singing 'Mi welais Jac y Do' as her forefeit. The peg game soon also got into full swing, causing all of us to eye each other with suspicion.
Next we headed for the climate change path, where we learnt how the trust seeks to minimise its impact on the environment. From recycling kitchen waste to create gas, to compost toilets, to solar panels and crop rotation, eco principles were clearly at heart of everyday life on the farm.
After a break for scones and coffee, it was time to get down to work. Half of the group stayed to make compost whilst the others headed down to the nursery to help feed the babies.
Having worked up an appetite, it was time for lunch before our first visit to the POP centers, and a chance to see the work of the trust in action.
We left the airport to meet our driver Andre, and with Hoppo's dulcet tones on the microphone we were treated to facts, trivia and half truths as we drove around Cape Town.
Mist stopped our ascent of Table Mountain so we headed to Signal Hill to get a panoramic view of Cape Town through the cloud.
Mist did not deter the paragliders....
... although it did take the edge off of the Kodak Moment photo point!
Undeterred, everyone was eager to capture the moment.
The breeze soon began to get the better of us, and before long it was time to head to Camps Bay for lunch.The plush surroundings stood in very stark contrast to the shanty towns we had seen on the drive in. We quickly came to realise that Cape Town is a city with many faces.
We had some free time for lunch, and were quick to discover the bargain gastronomic delights on offer.
Fed and watered, we burnt off some energy on the beach before boarding the bus for the journey towards Malmesbury and the trust.
We left Cowbridge at lunch time on Saturday full of nervous excitement. The bus journey was brightened by Kate's delicious brownies (Mr Hopkins, chief of Quality Assurance, ate two just to be on the safe side)! As we reached Heathrow we offered up a collective prayer to the travel gods. After many, many weeks of affidavit stress, this was the moment of truth; would we actually get all of the kids on to the plane? Staff blood pressure began to rise as the school group in front of us faced one paperwork nightmare after another before finally being given the all clear. With hearts in our mouths, we sent forth our orange army. There was a collective sigh of relief as one by one the pupils made their way through check in. Hurdle one overcome, there was time for a quick bite to eat before heading for the plane.
Turbulence aside, the flight was uneventful and we watched a glorious sunrise through our porthole windows as we ate breakfast. After landing, we faced the paperwork gauntlet once again at border control. Slowly but surely each passport was stamped. Before we knew it, we were safely ensconced in baggage reclaim celebrating an end to the stress and uncertainty.
At 11.30 tomorrow we will meet at school ready for our adventures to begin. With passports in hand and bags laden with gifts for our new friends at the trust, we will depart school for the first leg of our journey to Heathrow.
Don't forget that you can also follow our adventures on Twitter (@CCSSA15) and via our Facebook page - search Goedgedacht trust trip 2015.
On Saturday July 18th 2015, 44 pupils and 5 teachers will depart Cowbridge for the South Africa. As well as enjoying the sights of the western cape, we will spend a week supporting the Goedgedacht Trust. Established in 1993 to support rural children in the communities surrounding Kasteelberg, 87km noth of Cape Town, the trust aims to build a sustainable path out of poverty for the families it helps.
How can I help?
We hope to support the trust by taking supplies out to them when we visit. We would be grateful for donations of the following;
winter hats
scarves
gloves
blankets
baby clothes
toothbrushes.
Please leave your donations at reception by Friday 17th July so that we can distribute the items between the luggage allowance of those attending the trip.
