My friend Kate and I are volunteering at a school in Muizenberg, South Africa, for 4-8 weeks this winter. In just our first week here, we've quickly realised that the standard of living in this community is vastly different from our own.

These children live in a township called Capricorn, the oldest informal settlement in the Western Cape, built on an old landfill site. A formal census hasn't been conducted here in 8 years, but it's estimated that the unemployment rate is as high as 50%. The government provides each family with 400 rand per child per month, which is around 33 AUD.

During our time here, we have seen that these children are in need of basic necessities like toilet paper, toothpaste, hand soap, band-aids, and spoons. Due to a lack of adequate government support, the responsibility for providing these essentials often falls on the teachers, who earn an average salary of just 600 rand per month (approximately 50 AUD).

In an effort to make a small difference, Kate and I have set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for these children. Even a small contribution can go a long way here in South Africa.