April 2009- “Conquering boredom with a little fun!”

In April here in SA there more days that learners spend OUT of school then in- Due to: School break, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the VOTE April 22, Freedom Day April 27 and Workers Day June 1. In the month of April we attended only 10 days of class. However during the Easter Break some of the older male learners gave their time and hand cut the super long grass in the soccer field and when we returned it was ready to be used! With all of this time away from school there was a cloud of boredom that seem to be hanging over the learners as the village just does not have any organised activities. With the cooperation of the Principal and the assistance of the Administrator (Who helped me to untangle and sort out the volleyball net!! Edward is probably the most patient easy going person I’ve met) I set up a sports day for everyone after they voted on Wednesday April 22- The girls had their netball, the guys had soccer, there was volleyball and chess for everyone- and a chair for me under the tree as the heat of +32 is not something I can be active in!! I decided that I would go to each classroom and write on the chalkboard that we were starting at 1:00pm- however by the time I was through half the classes (there are only 7 in totally)the learners came to me to say that they wanted to start earlier so it should be at 11:00 am- Thus we were set it was to begin at 11:00am (note: the ACTUAL meaning was that they would arrive by 1:00pm…..its ‘African time’) WE had a blast! And it was a day full of Muthamaro Learners and our new friends- The UniVen students and other Zote Volunteers!

[And the best part was that we did this two more times and the Learners then organised it themselves- "yeah" for Student Leadership!]