SOS Africa Charity Funds Grabouw Pre-Primary School Classroom Project

Last week, SOS Africa Charity Founder Matt Crowcombe was given the great honour of cutting the ribbon at the official launch of a pre-primary school campus at HS Grabouw in the Western Cape. The brand-new facility will provide both Grade R English and Afrikaans language teaching at the school for the very first time.

The much-anticipated event was attended by the school’s teaching staff, governing body, education officials from the Overberg District Office and parents of the children already benefitting from this exciting initiative. During the celebrations, attendees were shown around the campus, introduced to the teachers and were treated to special performances hosted by the children in their new classrooms.

HS Grabouw was the first Western Cape school SOS Africa partnered with back in 2014. Thanks to the successes of this collaboration, the charity has grown to partner with 12 schools sponsoring 107 children across the region with this number due to significantly increase over the next few years. SOS Africa Education Centres also provide reading and writing programmes for hundreds of children with learning difficulties each morning.

As part of this ambitious project, SOS Africa purchased 2 new classrooms and fencing thanks to funds raised by last year’s King Alfred’s Tower Charity Abseil. Grade R teaching is now mandatory across South Africa and helps lay the foundation for a child’s education, building their confidence and enabling them to socialise with children from different age groups.

SOS Africa founder Dr Matt Crowcombe is particularly delighted by the school’s decision to facilitate English language teaching at a pre-primary level:

“The introduction of English language teaching to pupils from the age of 6 enables HS Grabouw’s standard of education to be more accessible to children from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. Making quality education available to all is one of the central objectives of our charity’s education projects in the region.”

In January, SOS Africa sponsored 6 Xhosa speaking Grade R students from disadvantaged backgrounds (sponsor a child in Africa) and enrolled them on HS Grabouw’s new Grade R Programme. SOS Africa Education Centre Assistant, Sinazo Nogqala is delighted by the progress already made by these children:

“Since joining our Grade R programme the children have blossomed! When we first met them last year, the majority were unable to understand English, let alone read or pronounce English words. Barely 6 months later, our fastest learners now take English language books home to read over the weekend.”

HS Grabouw Principal Ralston Parnell is extremely grateful for the opportunities presented by the school’s 10-year collaboration with SOS Africa:

“We at HS Grabouw are filled with gratitude for not only the sponsorship from SOS Africa, but also the partnership for the past 10 years. The commitment from SOS Africa to provide better opportunities for previously disadvantaged children and to improve the quality of teaching is truly admirable. It is a privilege to acknowledge SOS Africa as a friend of our school and community.”