HOME | ABOUT US | DONATE | ACCESSIBLE AREAS | NEWS | SPONSORS | USEFUL LINKS | PRIVACY | CONTACT US | SITE MAP INDEX Green schools featured on TV Green Schools featured on TV! SABC-TV2 recently aired a programme on our work with the disabled learners at Sibonile School for Blind and partially sighted learners. Viewers were taken into the 'sensory garden' and 'chicken run' to see how these environmentally friendly projects impact on the lives of children who are not only disabled, but underprivileged as well. If you saw the programme and would like to comment, please email rob@eco-access.org. Eco-Access recognised as 'nation builders' by SA Good News In September 2006, South Africa: The Good News hosted a seminar on employee volunteering. Julie Filmer, CEO of Eco-Access was among the speakers invited to share experience we've gained from running corporate volunteer initiatives at four LSEN schools during the year. In the SA Good News newsletter, Ian Macdonald wrote: 'Employee volunteering – essentially enabling skilled businesspeople to engage with non-profit organisations that are making indelible social contributions – has the potential to make a profound difference in South Africa. 'By linking the so-called first and second economies, effective employee volunteering builds trust and understanding between the privileged and the marginilised and can contribute towards the sustainability of our young democracy.' Snakes alive at Kruger National Park! At the Letaba Elephant Museum, the group attended a lecture given by Johan Smit, chairman of the herpetological organisation in Phalaborwa. Johan made the lecture very interesting by showing the group some live snakes and allowing the brave kids to hold one. Carsten Malima, projects co-coordinator with Eco Access said the youngsters were learning a lot about each other's different way of life. Our grateful thanks to Telkom Foundation for sponsoring the trip. Father Christmas comes to Zimeleni
School ... twice! The two events were quite different, and gave incredibly disadvantaged kids a chance to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Most have never met Santa before and for many, it was the very first time they'd ever received a gift. Tears filled the eyes of grown men as they were humbled by the occasion. This little chap (pictured with Louis Vorster of Momentum) was absolutely fascinated by Santa's soft, fluffy beard! Face-painting, red Santa hats to wear, singing by the Katlehong Technical High School choir and a show by the SAP Dog unit were among the activities arranged by SASOL to add to the fun of their visit. The merry band of Momentum volunteers visited three other Green Schools as well. Special thanks to our volunteers for all you've done to make the world a better place this year. Meeting HRH Prince Edward, Earl of
Wessex On meeting Rob and Doug, Prince Edward immediately knelt down to be at eye level with them - a superb example of etiquette that had Julie most impressed! Bakkie Drive reaches its target! Talented artist, Des Khoury, kindly donated the proceeds from the sale of these two beautiful sculptures towards our Bakkie Drive. He was one of hundreds of generous supporters and friends who rallied round when we put a bakkie (to transport disabled kids' wheelchairs, sleeping bags, food and backpacks to our adventure camps) at the top of our wish list. Thanks to everyone – individuals and companies – who contributed to the campaign. Whether you gave R50 or R5 000, your gift played a vital role in helping us reach our target and we now have the money to buy two bakkies! Be sure to check back soon for the first pictures of disabled children enjoying one of our adventure camps – while their backpacks, sleeping bags and wheelchairs are transported safely in the new bakkie.
South African actress, Tshidi Manye, who is currently acting as Rafiki in the production, and her colleague Sarah Stith, have staged the 90 minute show in support of disabled children in South Africa. The link to Eco-Access came through the Jane Goodall Institute. Artists for Eco-Access: An Evening of Unity is an evening of original and traditional works including some South African music and drumming at The Duke on 42nd Street on October 16. A big thank you to all who are involved! For more information about the show, please click here.
Twining camps 'I didn't know that a tree can grow this tall on top of a hill. Thanks to Eco-Access for making it possible for me to walk up this far.' That was the amazed reaction of Thabiso Mofokeng, a visually impaired learner from Sibonile School – one of several who tackled an arduous 4 kilometre hike through the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, with their sighted 'twins' from United Church School. At another camp, where physically disabled children from Ezibeleni school were 'twinned' with learners from Landulwazi School, highlights included the release of some birds and a hedgehog from the FreeMe rehabilitation centre. It's always amazing to see how the experience sets disabled children free as well – free to enjoy themselves and join in activities they usually shy away from ... like dancing, singing and expressing themselves in poetry. These words were written by Themba – a disabled learner from Ezibeleni School, about their children from their twin school, Landulwazi. Being with you Being with you was like being with Kings
and Queens
Arbor Day celebrations Arbor Day was marked by celebrations and much tree-planting at our Green Schools! At Ezibeleni School, guests including members of the Gauteng Education department and principals from other schools, who joined learners in helping to plant about 65 trees. As a result, the school now has a peach orchard, a nature trail and an arboretum. Trees donated by Sportsman's Warehouse were planted at Sibonile School for Visually Impaired Learners, while at Filadelfia School, the Department of water affairs and forestry joined hands with Eco-Access to plant 50 donated trees. Guests from the Environmental Health Department and a representative from the Telkom Foundation joined in a special celebration at Prinshof, where they assisted learners in planting 20 fruit trees. The school was presented with sets of gardening tools and a hose-pipe. A 30 metre tunnel for growing vegetables was also completed during the month of September.
An unforgettable experience Nobody who’s seen a cheetah up close, heard it purr, and ruffled its coat will ever forget it! That’s why learners at Filadelfia Secondary School were so thrilled when our awe-inspiring patron, Byron the cheetah, visited recently. Byron was invited to be part of an Eco-Access nature day, to raise awareness about nature and environmental issues. After a brilliant presentation on cats, learners were stunned into silence when Byron stalked into the hall. Looks of concern over the size of this magnificent animal were soon replaced by enraptured faces as Byron climbed onto a table and started to purr! And when a blind learner held his hand to Byron’s chest and felt the vibration, it’s safe to say he experienced something truly amazing. See how our gardens grow Learners are reaping the benefits of the food gardens we’ve established at our Green Schools – and we’re not just talking about vegetables! Although
months of hard work have provided all the schools with fresh vegetables
and herbs to enjoy at mealtimes, the real benefits of You’ve only got to take one look at the sweaty, mud-streaked faces of these children, beaming with happiness, to see the impact Eco Access’s food gardens are having. Thanks to friends like you for making it possible! Since he was given a bed to plant, David* – a tough young man at one of the Learners with Special Education Needs schools –hasn’t missed a day of school. “He comes to school every day to water his bed. He’s always in the garden and never fights with other learners when he’s gardening. He finds peace in the garden,” says Eco-Access project co-ordinator Custan Malima. At Ezibeleni School for physically disabled learners in Katlehong, a
team of 15 enthusiastic learners has been toiling away, painting tyres Blind and partially sighted children are also taking charge of their tyre garden at Sibonile School, painting tyres and teaching other children about the medicinal value of herbs. “This is a huge step for the school and at long last the children are taking the initiative,” says project co-ordinator Silas Makhukho. “The garden has really captured their interest.” Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Green Schools project. You're helping to sow pride, enthusiasm and a love of nature. Twinning brings out the heroes within It's a recipe that never flops – twin a disabled child with a mainstream child, shake them up in an ecosystem, and wait for the heroes inside to rise! Twinning takes non disabled children out of their comfort zone and forces them to address their fears of interacting with disabled people. Besides promoting free association between learners with different abilities, the programme also exposes disabled children to the wonders of the wilderness. Two boys who made a huge impact at a twinning camp in Die Oewer, near Bloemfontein, sponsored by the National Lottery, were Sempe and Moeketsi from Tswellang Special School, who were twinned with boys from Hodisa Technical Secondary School. Sempe and Moeketsi are both unable to walk. yet with help and “This is how heroes are born,” says George Roberts, programme co-ordinator of Eco-Access. In June, the AngloGold Ashanti Fund sponsored three one-day outings in the Klerksdorp/Potchefstroom area. Abraham Leeuw from AngloGold Ashanti said it was a tremendously rewarding initiative. “The disabled learners gained so much satisfaction from showing that they could do some things just as well, if not better, than their non-disabled peers. Adults and children learnt that first impressions are seldom a true reflection of what people are capable of achieving.” If you are able to sponsor a disabled child at one of our twinning camps, with a donation of any amount, please click here. You'll be giving self-confidence, friendship, inspiration and knowledge - thank you! Visually disabled kids climb Table Mountain On the 16 June, the thirtieth commemoration of the Soweto student uprisings, 30 learners, including 12 who are partially sighted, climbed Table Mountain! Most had never been on the summit before. The party, which included eight adults, overnighted on the summit, sleeping in the SANParks and Scout Hut facilities, and descended by cable car the following day. The experience of interacting within the natural environment was enhanced by superb weather. Herschelle Titus, headboy of Athlone school for the Blind, expressed his feelings: 'The camp was a dream come true for me. I've lived all my life in Cape Town and not even once been on Table Mountain. It was an unforgettable experience!' The event was organised through the offices of Trevor Farr of Cape Nature and Fadli Wagiet of the Western Cape Department of Education, and made possible through a generous donation from the Old Mutual Foundation. Many partnerships have emerged through those dedicated to enhancing the spirit of the UNESCO 'Decade of Education for Sustainable Development' in the Western Cape. Plans were made to have blind and sighted children, who participated on our KwaZulu Natal camp at Umgeni Valley in March this year, spend the night of 16 June at Sani Pass hotel, in the Drakensberg. Unfortunately, a vital and very enthusiastic member of the team fell ill and the trip had to be postponed until 9th August – National Women’s Day.
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