After School Program

Today we had our first after school program at the Dalubuhle School. We ran an art program where the students had to follow a specific theme to enter their pictures in a Franschhoek art competition. We had six students show up and once we gave them their paper, some crayons, and their theme (which was Mother’s Day) they went right to work. There was only one girl in the class and just as we were getting started she ran out of the room crying. I went after her to see what was wrong and she informed me she didn’t want to be the only girl in the class. I told her I was a girl in there with her too, and she decided to come back. I am so happy she did because her artwork was beautiful. All of the students were drawing their homes and their mothers, but this girl just had something special about her and her illustration. Her mother was dressed in traditional African clothes and she drew a castle on one side. When I asked if her mother was the queen of the castle, she put her head down in shyness and just giggled. I got a little emotional as I watched her spend an hour coloring every last detail of her mothers clothing and felt the pride she took in doing so. These kids have so much hope in their eyes and life in their laughter that is really inspiring. They have so little and are willing to share so much, I just hope that throughout this journey we are helping them become great people.