During February, the Month of LOVE, The Robin Hood Foundation are excited to launch their new campaign.
Says Cindy Norcott, Chairlady and Founder of The Robin Hood Foundation, “We believe that education is the main key to eradicating poverty and we would like to focus a large amount of attention on Early Childhood Development in 2017 as this is the most important area to get the foundations right for small children to be able to learn and grow to their full potential.”
The first five years of a child’s life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children’s future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Recent research confirms that the first five years are particularly important for the development of the child’s brain, and the first three years are the most critical in shaping the child’s brain architecture. Early experiences provide the base for the brain’s organizational development and functioning throughout life. They have a direct impact on how children develop learning skills as well as social and emotional abilities.
Sadly, in our communities, most of the children in the more rural areas are just left with an untrained care giver at a ‘crèche’ or Day care facility whose main function it is just to see that they are fed and looked after while their Gogo or single mum / dad work and whilst we are seeing and meeting some incredible people in the community that are starting these crèches with such good intention, the reality is they just do not have the funding to provide any proper educational value to these children making the gap to bridge when starting Grade R at 7 years old, even more of a leap.
The Robin Hood Foundation are appealing for the community’s help us to reach their GOAL to provide educational upliftment for up to 20 creches, highlighted in Community Liaison communities, by collecting 5000 books and educational toys that will help with the children’s development. The Robin Hood Foundation are planning to visit these crèches at the end March and also take an Easter party for the children to create a fun and memorable day for them!
How you can help:
- Donate Brand New Colouring In books and crayons
- Donate excellent condition 2nd hand books for ALL ages and educational toys / puzzles
(only complete pieces please)
- Donate Marshmallow Easter Eggs for their Easter parties
- Corporates “Make your mark” and donate a bookshelf with a plaque for R1000
- Zapper scan here to donate R50 Love to Read”
If you’d like to get involved, please contact Kim Griffith Jones on 0766129060 or email robinhoodfund@telkomsa.net