"Very few people realise what a disadvantage children in emergency foster care facilities are at," says Eleanor Bester, coordinator of Heaven's Nest. "Many of the children that we take in have had no exposure to even basic education. This means that when they were sent to school in the past, they were often unprepared for it."
This can prove demoralising for the children when they eventually attend school and are unable to do the same work as the others, which can also lead to bullying and behavioural problems. One can imagine that many of their parents had once been in the same position. Heaven's Nest, however, is committed to breaking the cycle.
"Some of the children in our care come from homes where they have never been exposed to basic skill-building activities, such as using colouring books or listening to a story being read," Bester says. "Our goal is to prepare these children before integrating them into preparatory or primary schools in the community. We want them to keep their heads high and walk into school with the confidence that comes from knowing you are as able to do the work as the other children in your class."
Last year, Heaven's Nest completed the construction an on-site classroom with the help of sponsors, including Grinaker Construction, Simone Sherman (a private sponsor from Australia) and Premier Stationers, but they are currently in need of the services of qualified educators, such as retired teachers, to man the classroom.
"Volunteers are currently assisting the children to the best of their ability, but we would love to have experienced teachers or students completing their training on board. The children love school. We find that it boosts their confidence and self-esteem. It is amazing to see a child who didn't know the difference between an apple or a pear when they arrived here enter a regular school and perform at the same level as their classmates, who had a lot more advantages."
While they have received generous donations from Juta, the centre also requires help with repair work to their roof, and items required for the day-to-day care of the children, including cleansing agents, perishable and non-perishable food, formula, nappies and warm clothing. In addition, monetary donations are always needed to cover the R65 000 monthly cost of running the facility.
For more, contact Eleanor Bester on tel +27 (0)21 703 9781, email ten.asmoklet@tsensnevaeh or go to www.heavensnest.org.za/.
