Lengthy home visit to school families.

There was a great but humbling ‘home visit’ conducted today to the families of some of the children who attend Linda Community School. Because of the heat and distances involved vehicles were used to access some of the remoter areas children walk in from ( which also allowed us to transport 10kg bags of mealie meal as well as our usual donations). Led by head teacher Cathy, this trip concentrated on children who walk two hours to school, and two hours back, every day in all weathers. The seven volunteers who joined our two trustees all gained a real insight into the often very difficult circumstances of the children. Donations were handed out by the volunteers – including mosquito nets, water purification kits, clothes, footballs, and knitted ponchos and other items made by our wonderful supporters. More of Josie Hind’s knitted bears were distributed, which had been named at the Seaton Sluice Middle School Christmas fair and at Hesleden Primary School’s summer fair last year. The four hour route took us to outlying areas beyond Maloni, through the dry riverbed of a stretch of the Maramba river, across Libuyu and out to Bason Farm then over the very low Nansanzu river to Zulu. Everywhere the effect of the drought was apparent with devastated crops. 80 kilos of mealie meal were distributed. Everyone then returned to Livingstone and the latest 8 hour stretch of load shedding (power cuts) – also due to the lack of rain. Huge thanks go to all the volunteers who helped today (and others who helped, separately, with Homework Club which ran back in Linda).