The children all have their particular needs. To give a flavour of those already receiving support thanks to Sparrows School, here are a selection of some children already getting help:
Boipelo
Boipelo is a polite and quietly spoken learner who tries her best. She remains focused on the task at hand and is motivated to do well. She excels in the Hospitality Class and sees herself having a future in the Hospitality Industry. She takes pride in all her work and is well-liked by her peers and teachers alike. Boipelo’s mother passed away very suddenly in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, so she had to go and live with her father and stepmother. Her father has since been retrenched due to the Covid-19 pandemic and this has created lots of sadness and stress on Boipelo. Boipelo’s mother’s death has been very hard for her to accept and come to terms with. Sparrow is providing ongoing grief counselling to help Boipelo come to terms with her mother’s passing.
Amanda
Her parents are both deceased, and she lives with an older sister in Alexander. Her sister who is in her early 20s works as a packer at a local supermarket and is responsible for Amanda. Amanda struggled with reading but is showing great improvement now that she has been placed on a reading programme. Amanda is a quiet learner who tends to keep to herself. She enjoys playing netball and would like to play for the school’s netball team when the pandemic regulations permit.
Ofentse
Ofentse is a charming boy who makes everyone laugh – he is a pleasure to have in class. He enjoys Maths although he has difficulty staying attentive throughout the lessons. His English needs improvement and development. Ofentse enjoys Art and Junior Jive. The Junior Jive programme contributes to listening skills and teaches children how to follow instructions. Participation in this programme helps him to improve and develop. Offentse’s mother is a single parent who works for 2 days a week at the Johannesburg General Hospital. She has no other family or income so really struggles to afford the school fees.
