Reading at the Shine Centre

Last week I started a new term as a 'learning partner" volunteer with two students as part of The Shine Centre educational program. Shine has a fabulous program for teaching second language learners English in grades 2 and 3. I learned about them last year because of a request they made to our Constantia Rotary Club for help with purchasing glasses for the children. After meeting the dynamic team leading the organization and reading about how effective they have been in improving the reading levels of over 700 children who come very disadvantaged backgrounds I wanted to get involved. Our club partnered with my old club from South Burlington Vermont to provide funds for the Shine Centre to get glasses for children with vision problems.

And now, I have the privilege of trying to help two sweet little African children whose first language is Xhosa to learn and understand our strange, confusing and inconsistent English language at the Zonnebloem primary school. Zonnebloem is a neighborhood between Woodstock and Observatory on one of the hillsides just outside the Cape Town city bowl. The children generally come by train and then walk up the big hill to the school. I am pictured here with Liphelo who is a lively and bright little girl who needs help with her reading and writing. The boys and girls are taught separately so there are two sessions for the children with girls in one and boys in the other. this year, Shine has needed to take many more boys into the program because many did not get the material from 1st grade. The little boy also struggles but he is working hard and I am sure we will make progress.

Have a look at the Shine website at www.theshinecentre.com or blog www.shinecentrecapetown.blogspot.com to learn more about this wonderful organization - you can even adopt a student if you want to help!