Armed with the skills of a multi-disciplinary team that includes teachers, physiotherapists and an audiologists, house visits and screening of residents have already begun. This is to ascertain the needs of different households and where intervention of varying kinds is necessary.
During the official launch of the project last week, the director of God Cares International, Deborah Pijoos, introduced the Early Childhood Development (ECD) team. Each member had the opportunity to explain to the pa-rents who will be involved in this year's programme, what their intervention would involve.
Ina von Brandis from Human Progress Management will be equipping parents so that they are able assist their children with their education. Parents who require further schooling themselves in subjects such as English, Afrikaans and Mathematics will receive the necessary support. Psychometric testing will be done to indicate what school subjects and careers are best sui-ted to different children.
Furthermore, parents will also be exposed to an anti-bully programme to assist children who are bullies or who are being bullied. Not only will the children reach their full potential but parents are also creating future employment opportunities for themselves by participating in this project.
Liesel van der Merwe from the Ear Institute explained how the children's hearing would be tested and, where necessary, apparatus obtained for those with hearing difficulties. Sindey von Brandis from ER will provide First Aid training that is useful in the home and at school, and Joannie Strauss from Baby Gym outlined her five week preventative 'gym' course.
The latter would ensure that parents know what physical milestones their children should be achieving, instructing the adults how to relax their young ones (to assist proper eating and sleeping), and looking at aspects such as body perception and fine motor skills.
Thirteen parents have already joined the programme, having made the committment to attend weekly classes from Tuesday to Thursday, as presented by the multi-disciplinary team.
Although a plot of land has been obtained for use by the project, assistance is required in erecting a semi-permanent structure at that location. Anyone who is able to assist can contact Ms Pijoos at 072 301 9767.
God Cares International is an humanitarian outreach programme that works in underprivileged areas such as Syferfontein and was established six years ago.
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Sian Goussard (Glenwood House), Ina von Brandis (Human Progress Management) and Sindey von Brandis (ER) will be contributing their skills to the ECD programme. With them is Deborah Pijoos from God Cares International (second from left).
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The ECD task team for Syferfontein are Milanie van Huyssteen (from left), Maria Williams, Deborah Pijoos, Joanie Strauss, Liesel van der Merwe, Karen le Roux and Bertha du Plessis.
ARTICLE: LEEANNE PRATT, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
