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Pricilla Chanza, a Zimbabwean teacher, together with seven other teachers from Zimbabwe, started Touch of Eden elementary school in August of 2020. They currently have 200 children registered, but only 160 or so can afford the fees. This school is operating on a wing and a prayer and is not a registered non-profit organisation. This is because Eden is for the children of illegal immigrants from primarily Zimbabwe, Malawi and many other African countries north of South Africa, who come in search of work. They are undocumented workers who are not permitted to send their children to the Government township schools because of their migrant/refugee status. We became involved when we learned that our Malawian housekeeper’s 6 year old son had no school to attend. The school was created from nothing with sheer determination by the staff and teachers. All of the parents are extremely poor and struggling to come up with the $40.00 a month tuition for each child.
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The teachers speak excellent English and the curriculum is taught in English, the primary language in South Africa. The teachers earn the equivalent of $350.00 a month. The school is located in a township called Masiphumelele which is close to where we live. Most of the parents have no working papers or even a bank account because of their refugee status.
Education can occur even in these dire circumstances if a pupil is keen to learn and there is a teacher who can impart knowledge.
Today, thanks to friends and family, about 10% of our students are sponsored. These donors have committed $600 a year and know that the commitment is ongoing. A gift of $600 will change a child's life and they also receive their uniform and textbooks. Sponsors are introduced to the child they are sponsoring. The child will be carefully selected by the Head Teacher, Pricilla Chanza and you will be informed of the child's progress.
Occasionally, families of our children fall on extremely hard circumstances and the child must be taken out of school. In these instances, we utilise a sponsorship fund which allows us to award these children continued education until the circumstances improve. A gift in any amount can be made for this purpose.
The school has grown from 90 children in August 2020 to 200 at the start of 2022, which proves there is a large need. We have also been lucky enough to receive donations that have allowed us to invest in the installation of 24 iPads, a wifi station, and security in the school. As a teaching tool, the iPads have been enthusiastically received by both teachers and children. We would now like to double the number of iPads - all of which are previously used and 'wiped clean'. A gift of $300 can purchase one iPad which can then be shared among a number of children.
We thank you all for your very generous contributions.
Geoff and Margaret Abbott are helping the school and are overseeing the operations and the finances. Their involvement is volunteer and they also sponsor two of the children in the school.
Our Website
The teachers speak excellent English and the curriculum is taught in English, the primary language in South Africa. The teachers earn the equivalent of $350.00 a month. The school is located in a township called Masiphumelele which is close to where we live. Most of the parents have no working papers or even a bank account because of their refugee status.
Education can occur even in these dire circumstances if a pupil is keen to learn and there is a teacher who can impart knowledge.
Today, thanks to friends and family, about 10% of our students are sponsored. These donors have committed $600 a year and know that the commitment is ongoing. A gift of $600 will change a child's life and they also receive their uniform and textbooks. Sponsors are introduced to the child they are sponsoring. The child will be carefully selected by the Head Teacher, Pricilla Chanza and you will be informed of the child's progress.
Occasionally, families of our children fall on extremely hard circumstances and the child must be taken out of school. In these instances, we utilise a sponsorship fund which allows us to award these children continued education until the circumstances improve. A gift in any amount can be made for this purpose.
The school has grown from 90 children in August 2020 to 200 at the start of 2022, which proves there is a large need. We have also been lucky enough to receive donations that have allowed us to invest in the installation of 24 iPads, a wifi station, and security in the school. As a teaching tool, the iPads have been enthusiastically received by both teachers and children. We would now like to double the number of iPads - all of which are previously used and 'wiped clean'. A gift of $300 can purchase one iPad which can then be shared among a number of children.
We thank you all for your very generous contributions.
Geoff and Margaret Abbott are helping the school and are overseeing the operations and the finances. Their involvement is volunteer and they also sponsor two of the children in the school.
