An informal work programme on conservation, birding, waste management and sustainable life skills is presented. We equip children, guides, schools and
senior citizens with knowledge and sponsored goods. Our programme is aimed at teaching new concepts and providing tools which may initiate opportunities
for a brighter future. We have engaged with a "pen-friend" concept which links these schools with those that are more affluent and privileged in the
Western Cape region.
It is a struggle to work, learn and perform daily tasks without spectacles which allow one to read and see properly. Low-income people lack access to affordable glasses. Without spectacles, artisans and mechanics cannot see their products, shopkeepers cannot manage their accounts, and teachers cannot instruct in class. A drop in productivity and income among workers can push already-vulnerable families further into poverty. We test the eyes of people over the age of 50 years and provide the needy with BondiBlu reading glasses. It has been proven that individuals receiving glasses experience a 35% increase in productivity - that's enough to keep a child in school, allow an artisan to grow her business, and prevent families from declining into poverty. The adults with whom we engage are encouraged to transfer their skills to the children in the community.
Birds are used as a medium for education because they occur everywhere, especially in the remote areas in which the African Vision Foundation works. Birdwatching is the fastest growing eco-tourism activity and there are genuine opportunities for young people wishing to become guides. Birds are also indicators of a healthy environment, and the protection of birds is highlighted. The environmental education programme is aimed at children of all ages. Bird identification, through sounds, form, behaviour and colour, leads to interactive games and bird art to cultivate a love for birds and the environment. The eco-system around the village and how each child can contribute to conserving the bird habitats therein are focused on. Waste management and recycling in the community are promoted and the waste collected from the streets during the visit is used to make recycled birdfeeders and land art. To further stimulate a love for nature, visible signs of wildlife are focused on. Every creature leaves marks or a track (spoor) that can be used to indentify what occurs in an area. Plaster of paris moulds are used to capture a track left by an animal or bird and demonstrated in the classes. The school is encouraged to start a collection of moulds of tracks and to use the birding lecture material as part of their curriculum. The schools receive educational material and the children are encouraged to practise recycling, by making sellable products from junk and to appreciate the environment they live in.
As a child plays, they learn all about themselves and what they can do. Play helps them make friends and build self-esteem. Children have fun while playing and at the same time they are exercising, discovering and developing emotional, physical and social skills. Therefore we hand out new soccer balls to each child in the programme to encourage physical activity as a means to keep them occupied and motivated to set goals, steering them away from destructive behaviour. Playing football helps them to identify heroes in the professional game and they develop hopes of a bright future. Basic food and beverage items and some sweets are added for an extra smile.
Adults
We have provided free reading glasses to more than 1000 adults since 2009.It is a struggle to work, learn and perform daily tasks without spectacles which allow one to read and see properly. Low-income people lack access to affordable glasses. Without spectacles, artisans and mechanics cannot see their products, shopkeepers cannot manage their accounts, and teachers cannot instruct in class. A drop in productivity and income among workers can push already-vulnerable families further into poverty. We test the eyes of people over the age of 50 years and provide the needy with BondiBlu reading glasses. It has been proven that individuals receiving glasses experience a 35% increase in productivity - that's enough to keep a child in school, allow an artisan to grow her business, and prevent families from declining into poverty. The adults with whom we engage are encouraged to transfer their skills to the children in the community.
Children
We have reached more than 2100 children since 2009.Birds are used as a medium for education because they occur everywhere, especially in the remote areas in which the African Vision Foundation works. Birdwatching is the fastest growing eco-tourism activity and there are genuine opportunities for young people wishing to become guides. Birds are also indicators of a healthy environment, and the protection of birds is highlighted. The environmental education programme is aimed at children of all ages. Bird identification, through sounds, form, behaviour and colour, leads to interactive games and bird art to cultivate a love for birds and the environment. The eco-system around the village and how each child can contribute to conserving the bird habitats therein are focused on. Waste management and recycling in the community are promoted and the waste collected from the streets during the visit is used to make recycled birdfeeders and land art. To further stimulate a love for nature, visible signs of wildlife are focused on. Every creature leaves marks or a track (spoor) that can be used to indentify what occurs in an area. Plaster of paris moulds are used to capture a track left by an animal or bird and demonstrated in the classes. The school is encouraged to start a collection of moulds of tracks and to use the birding lecture material as part of their curriculum. The schools receive educational material and the children are encouraged to practise recycling, by making sellable products from junk and to appreciate the environment they live in.
As a child plays, they learn all about themselves and what they can do. Play helps them make friends and build self-esteem. Children have fun while playing and at the same time they are exercising, discovering and developing emotional, physical and social skills. Therefore we hand out new soccer balls to each child in the programme to encourage physical activity as a means to keep them occupied and motivated to set goals, steering them away from destructive behaviour. Playing football helps them to identify heroes in the professional game and they develop hopes of a bright future. Basic food and beverage items and some sweets are added for an extra smile.