Children’s festive lunch
NEWS
The school, which is also an non-profit organisation (NPO), will host a Christmas lunch for 100 Umbilo children whose parents are struggling financially.
THE ripple effect of this year’s KZN unrest is still being felt by hundreds of parents who have lost their jobs.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this which has, in turn, affected children, who are the most vulnerable in society.
This is where the Child of Africa Preparatory and Primary School steps in. The school, which is also an non-profit organisation (NPO), will host a Christmas lunch for 100 Umbilo children whose parents are struggling financially.
Richard la Colombe, who runs the NPO, said they were planning to host the Christmas celebration on December 25, Christmas Day.
“The idea came after talking to a few of the parents who mentioned they had nothing to offer to their children over the Christmas period. That really touched our hearts. As a NPO, we help out where we can. This is why we initiated this project in Congella. There is no park in this area and most of the children play on the street, which is dangerous for them,” he said.
He added that Christmas is a time of hope.
“We believe that Christmas is a good time for people to have a smile, especially in this period of Covid-19. People are stressed and most of the parents feel they can’t offer the best to the children this year. We are looking at the reality of parents who lost their jobs and we see most of them unable to buy a present or treat their children,” he said.
Colombe said they have hosted a Christmas lunch in Luganda and Banana City, but this year the team decided to focus on Glenwood.
“Since we started talking about this, we have received good feedback from some partners. We have toys, as well as pairs of shoes, that have been donated by Safripol and The Angel Network,” he said.