Rising Sixth Former Jenny Yates will spend part of her summer completing an ambitious project that began three years ago as a dream: she will be helping to create an open-air classroom at the Vusumzi Primary School, located in the township of Addo, South Africa.
Jenny first visited the area three years ago, through the non-profit organization Universal Promise, before her Third Form year at the Abbey. As she taught nursery school children in the settlement, she was deeply affected by the deplorable conditions in which the children lived and learned.
"Their homes were made from scraps of tin and cardboard, no system existed for them to dispose of trash, and rutted streets were nearly impassable," Jenny recalled. "Children drank impure water from an unreliable source, and families had little money for decent clothing or nutritional food. Deeply affected by the realities of these affectionate, resilient children, I promised to make a difference in their lives one day, and last summer, I began to carry out that promise."
Working with Universal Promise, which focuses on providing educational opportunities for the underprivileged, Jenny designed an open-air classroom and recreation area at the Vusumzi School for children ages two to five that includes a seasonal garden, a recycling and composting zone, an exercise area, a miniature village, and small-scale sports fields. The classroom and recreation area will "provide these children with a respite from the problems of their lives and allow them to experience the serenity in which learning and development thrive," said Jenny.
Jenny's efforts have included extensive research and input from educational and other specialists, along with fundraising to help underwrite the project. She will depart June 15 for South Africa.
To learn more about her project, visit http://www.universalpromise.org/projects.html.
Congratulations and good luck, Jenny!