What makes Ready Schools so special....

Ready Schools, also called Assisting Schools, is a great programme. The impact it generates is three fold;

1. It assists the school itself because the school is being upgraded, improved and beautified. The work is done by the community stars (see 2) who 'give back' to the school. That can be through painting, setting up a vegetable garden, beautification of classrooms, etc.

2. Then it assists the community; unemployed school leavers (18 to 35 years) in the mornings are exposed to a 'safe feeling'. These 'community stars' as Ready 4 Life likes to call them are genuinely stars. They have the guts to return to their 'old' school and improve their skills; computer training, life skills training and often also administration training. And by the way they learn about working together, sharing their tough lives and finding out that it is great to be sharing this with international volunteers.

3. This programme has a great impact on the learners and teachers; they see that their dilapidated school actually is changed around. A classroom is looking like a classroom should look!!! Child friendly. Or there is a neat garden at the entry of the school; or the chairs have been repaired and every learner who gets a new chair sands his/her own chair and then varnishes it.

The overall impact of this programme is that it brings hope and optimism to the community in which the school is situated. The community is back in the school; learners see that their unemployed sisters/brothers/nieces/nephew are being trained and get a job. There is not an expected unemployment after school. And that is the biggest impact of all.

Just have a look at the pictures underneath of the school. In one you see the dilapidation of the school and in the next picture the walls have been paintd, the window is secured and it is has turned the school around.

And to see the learners so happy to paint and see their own classroom improve!!! So much joy and learning at the same time.

One thing is for sure: when you are part of this process, you become so close to the community stars. You learn so quickly so much about their culture because you work together side by side.