Orphans now ‘Ready for School’

Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) brought its annual ‘Ready for School’ Campaign to a successful close with special distribution drives of new uniforms and stationery packs to orphan children in Cape Town and Durban respectively. The ‘Ready for School’ Campaign is an annual one, where the community is called upon to donate new or good quality second hand school clothing for vulnerable children.

In South Africa, there are approximately two million orphans, of which 1.2 million have been affected as a result of the HIV/Aids pandemic. This has resulted in urgent intervention by NGOs’ like IRSA setting up a special unit to monitor the well being of orphans and vulnerable youth nationally. The Integrated Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programme (IOVCP) has been in operation since 2004.

To date, an estimated 3,000 beneficiaries and 680 households are being assisted on a monthly basis. The orphans’ immediate and basic needs are met by the one to one sponsorship program, which ensures these children have adequate education, housing, health care and nutrition.

The ‘Ready for School’ Campaign was the first roll out for the year where these orphaned children benefitted from IRSA. In Wyebank (Kwa-Zulu Natal), nominated children were overjoyed to learn that they would be receiving stationery packs. These packs were donated by Arrow Cash 'n Carry in Durban.

Meanwhile in Cape Town, some 50 orphans and vulnerable children – aged between 6 and 17 years – were elated to receive new uniforms and stationery packs on Friday 18 February, at the Mitchell’s Height Primary School. The children were entertained with a gymnastics routine and were later presented their gifts by Faried Isaacs, an IR-SA volunteer and the aftercare karate instructor.

The event was opened with a few motivational words by IRSA's Orphans Project Co-Ordinator, Nasiema Isaacs. “The orphan and vulnerable children who received the new school uniform and stationery packs, comes from the broader Mitchell’s Plain area. Each pack consisted of a personalized uniform, school shoes, stationery and books.”

“We run an aftercare facility from the Mitchell’s Heights Primary School where we offer various extra-curricular activities such as karate, arts & craft and dance classes. Our childcare workers also spend a good amount of time teaching these children reading and writing skills and also help with their schoolwork,” she went on to explain.

To find out more on how you can assist IR-SA, contact the organization toll-free on 0800 111 898