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Coco's Foundation South AfricaCoco's Foundation South Africa
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Met at Reigate Park Church
Heathrow
Flight taking off 4th April 2024 hopefully! Read more
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  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 2

    Day 2

    April 5 in South Africa ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    Travelling, travelling .....32 hours!
    Arrived in Johannesburg
    Caught internal flight to Durban and picked up a minibus for 5 hours through green lush landscapes , sugar beet crops and long highways which impressed in comparison with the state of our road network in the UK !
    Arrived at 6 in the dark to a beautiful destination in Sodwana Bay ....Foundation Lodge
    Our home for the next 17 days .    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 3

    Day 3

    April 6 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Visits to the Ebenezer Children's home run by
    where we were entertained by the various aged children with their recited passages from memory energetic dancing and beautiful singing with one of the children leading with a voice that was memorable. We applauded each performance which the children enjoyed encouraging others to take part as they grew in confidence at the chance of performing .
    They ended teaching a song with actions in English and Zulu .The children departed off to their lesson...
    We had a short presentation on the project that are supported to improve the lives of their children aiming to give the children confidence self esteem and self worth .
    We left as the progressing netball game was in progress with a burst ball !
    Onwards to the wher science and maths is being taught by Dorothy an inspirational lady who saw the need for children to be given the opportunity to learn the basics in science and maths in order to develop critical thinking in order to progress through life .
    Resources were in short supply but the teacher was resourceful.
    Lunch
    Onto deliver food packages to families and see their shelter one room for 12 children one blanket on a stone floor and their belongings all neatly stacked against the bare wall
    Noticeable and thought provoking were the 3 school shirts washed and on a hanging nail for the children who attend school . This particular family were then informed that they were having a house built for them in August by a group of Girl guides
    The face of the Grandma ,said it all as tears welled and she
    went into a little dance of gratitude with a small baby tied with muslin on her back .
    Called into a busy market Spar for supplies including several bags of delicious cashew nuts
    ...think we made the market holders day!    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 4

    Day 4

    April 7 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    After a blissful night's sleep set off at to pick up Dorothy teacher from the science project ,to experience an Evangelical free church where we were greeted with such a warm enthusiastic welcome
    Greeted into a rousing Congo of dancing and praising .
    The service was interspersed with sitting listening to poignant readings delivered by Lynne, Chris B and Paula as well as a reading from Sue who handed out prayer blankets to the congregation we were visiting .They felt very humbled that we were visiting and the inspiring musical praise continued .The departing at the end of the service was personal as we shook hands hugged and joined the line to continue the goodbyes .    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 5

    Day 5 Monday

    April 8 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    (Day 5)Monday
    Hi ho hi ho it's off to work we go....
    The reason we came ,with a zest of anticipation we
    rose an hour earlier to travel in transit to the family home of Gogo whom we'd met the previous day .
    On route in the capable driving hands of Nkosie avoiding herds of sauntering cattle we called in at his family home to pick up 'Tools of the trade ' ....ok! a wheelbarrow and a spade !
    We picked up two of Nkosie's neices dropping them off at school.
    We arrived to the find the foundations already prepped and a bulk delivery of breeze blocks . As the enthusiastic bunch we all are, we were eager to start, so a cement and sand mix piled high, and strong arms filled 15 litres of water from the JoJo to mix concrete. Taking turns with shovels we watched the expertise of the builder team who were encouragingly respectful as we learnt from their skills and knowledge.
    First level , a learning curve. The concrete blocks were moved singly to dry out in the warm sun ; then carefully positioned resulting in the first level, aquiring skills as we continued, a system emerged to work in pairs to concrete in between .Soon the levels increased until we'd done five!
    Having lunch , the Gogo came over smiled and intimated she was so happy giving us a hug .
    At the end of today's work we felt elated to have achieved a third of the build.
    Bob the builder would be impressed!
    After purchasing bananas which gave us renewed energy which enabled Chris to go on tour of the local bike shops!    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 7

    Day 6 visit to Ebenezer School

    April 10 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Building was on hold as we woke up to tremendous thunderstorms so visited the school which was in the same vicinity as the children's home we had visited earlier on in the week .
    We met the Head and then in pairs visited one of the different aged classes
    Busy Bees 2-3years
    Eager Beavers 4-5 years and a class of 6-7year
    Their learning for that week focussed on transport.
    I read a story Lynnes Birthday cake surprise as they hadn't any books associated on the subject to read .
    We then talked about modes of transport on the road ,in the water and in the air .
    We then made vehicles out of junk modelling -
    Fire engines, train , car and lorry ...the children painted add wheels and funnels .We used our initiative as resources were limited, i.e., toilet rolls, string, bottle tops and empty milk cartons .
    All painted and the children were proud of their transport models .
    After lunch with the children where they eaten
    bowls of rice and meat
    the children placed outside on swings which showed their aged patina, colourful, striped heavy canvas hammocks provided adventure and stimulation for the children s play.    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 12

    Day 7 Building and Sodwana Beach

    April 15 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Here we go team- today’s blog! ‘It is all about me!’ Wednesday
    As soon as breakfast was over the seven of us hurried out of the lodge and quickly clambered into the mini bus. Well almost all of us as Karen leapt on and the off as her phone had decided to hide itself in the bedroom!
    Once on the move I noticed there was a buzz in the air as everyone anticipated the days work ahead of them also there was a real buzz as a big was released back to the wild.
    Building.
    We started the days work with a photo opportunity and Chris asking who was going to write the blog. Eagerly I raised my hand and said, ‘Yes’ to which Chris replied, ‘ So it’s all about you today!’
    So today’s blog is all about me- not!
    Today we had music to sing along to and to show our off our dance moves much to the amusement of Skodo Seeing Karen showing the Gogo’s granddaughter how to accomplish the twist and her joining in was priceless. Lesley managed a near perfect Zulu leg lift without straining a muscle.
    Imagine our delight when Dumo arrived and immediately exclaimed - not once but thrice- what a wonderful job we had done on building the house. Soon we had completed 10 rows of bricks and were moving onto building the dividing wall. Well done to Chris and Heather who took on the mantle for starting this task.
    No more cement meant we could finish for the day and this meant we could visit the BEACH.
    Sodwana beach is a ‘mighty fine beach’.
    Frolicking in the waves was a perfect end to a busy day.    Read more

  • TravelerCoco's Foundation South Africa
    Day 12

    Day 8

    April 15 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Chris blog.

    Up at 5am today to ensure we left at 6am sharp, to allow time to get to Mdwina School to serve porridge to the children before they start school.
    This is the only meal many will have all day. It contains all the vitamins and minerals they need and once digested it quadruples inside them.
    It’s 7am and many are already waiting, they are quiet but pleased to see us. They line up and we can now see that many do not have shoes or if they do, they have no laces. Most are holding a plastic container in various sizes, colours and condition.
    We take turns to serve...
    We think it's going well then we start noticing porridge on face's, eyes down bowl held out.
    Hang on you've come around again, one has taken his jacket off and queued again.
    We try and police this worried we will run out until all have eaten. But Chris helps saying give them seconds but a smaller amount. It turned into a little game, cheeky smiling face's but thankfully everyone ate.
    This fuels them for a day of learning.
    Assembly, lovely singing in straight lines and one child reads to us all.
    They all file into class, 1 teacher can have 70 children in a class!
    All learn in English and have a book containing all the subjects for that grade. Lesley asked about science, but everything is from the 1 book, no other resources.
    We help give the school uniforms we raised money for being given to children by
    Vamsile, who made them.
    We visit classes. It's very moving and I think its fair to say we all became emotional at some point. For me it was when the children say thankyou, I don't feel worthy of thanks, as my life is so easy by comparison.
    We leave having been touched by the oppurtunity to meet them.

    We rejoin the house build and as we are getting to know the builders we joke saying ahh the Gogo's are back! But they are so patient and I'm taught how to cover the lintels with pug and make it smooth. I stand on blocks to reach. We move the remaining blocks to the home and I find a small lizard called a gheko inside one! Heather helps scoop it out and it makes us both jump when it skuttles.
    Everyone helps and we are all bonding together as a team.    Read more

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