Report of volunteering at Amasango 13-23 August 2010

Amasango: a place to belong

During my visit, there was a nationwide teachers’ strike. Jane continued to open the school each day with the aid of the school cook, secretary, another member of staff and volunteers. It was a very special time. There were fewer pupils, because no bus collected those far away, but many came anyway, including one who walked about 4km on crutches. The children were fed, we had assembly, they played games and just enjoyed each other’s company. Despite the absence of security guards there was a calm, relaxed atmosphere, partly because there were fewer children (illustrating the benefits of larger school premises), but also because several older pupils and ex-pupils rose to the occasion and helped maintain discipline. The value of the school to the children was very evident – a place to be fed and clothed, a place of security and friendship, a place to belong.

The realisation of a dream: a school building fit-for-purpose

I had the enormous privilege of being in Grahamstown when the issue of provision of a proper school building was finally resolved in the High Court. In April this year, there had been a court order that the Education Department provide a building. The next day the Department renaged on this, saying that their lawyers had misunderstood their intentions. On the morning when the matter came back to court, 19th August, the Education Department capitulated, agreeing to provide new school facilities. Just before lunchtime the case was heard: The judge declared the national and provincial education departments’ failure to provide proper facilities for the school ‘unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.’ He ordered the Department to pay the legal costs, to have a plan for the new buildings in two months time, and to report to the court every 3 months to ensure progress. It was a tremendous moment, because as the court then broke for lunch virtually everyone in the courtroom (including the Department’s own lawyer!) was absolutely delighted and came over to give Jane and the legal team their congratulations. Jane took me see the probable site for the school. It is high up on the edge of the town, beyond the coloured township area, immediately adjacent to some very poor housing, so accessible to potential pupils. It’s a large open site with plenty of potential.

Hope for addicts: I was forcibly struck by the hold of drugs over many of the children

So it was very special to meet an older teenager whose behaviour had been so bad that he had been at a reform school. Both his parents have died. While I was in Grahamstown this young man graduated from a 4 week stint in drug rehabilitation. He was worshipping regularly at the cathedral, and very positive about making a new start. Jane found him a new home with an older reformed ex-pupil to take him out of his previous harmful home environment. He is currently helping out at school, with a view to resuming high school education, developing his dancing skills, and making a new set of friends. As we walked into the cathedral Eucharist with him one Sunday, the congregation were reading Psalm 10: ‘The helpless commits himself to you, for you are the helper of the fatherless.’

What difference is Amasango making?

Of the Grade 6 & 7 pupils I got to know two years ago,

  • Several are progressing well at High School, 1 is also a server at the cathedral,
  • Several have had babies (or their girlfriends have, and the fathers are taking fatherhood seriously),
  • Several are still at Amasango hanging on in there and slowly progressing academically. (at least one of them is musically gifted).
  • Sadly, several have dropped out of school for various reasons, often drug-related.
  • It was great to see that several pupils had moved quite rapidly through the grades at Amasango, are now in Grade 7 and look set to move on to High School.

THANK YOU!

I had a fabulous trip, enjoyed the children enormously, and remain full of admiration for the work done by the staff of the school. Children’s lives are being turned round. And it is a privilege to be accepted and welcomed by all at Amasango. There is much to hope for for the future of the school, and a need to pray through the coming months for the planning and building of proper school facilities. Thank you to Jane, the school staff and the Friends of Amasango for enabling me to be there.

Kate Mier September 2010