Category: News

Unfortunately, due to economic reasons, the sewing project is no longer feasible and had to be discontinued permanently. In 2023, the directors saw the need for an aftercare center at the Gustav Reichel Primary School. We are very proud to advise that from September 2023, the aftercare center has been operational. We provide educational programs to assist with early childhood development, to support school development for learners in poor communities in the Kou-Kamma local municipal area of the Eastern Cape.

Activities

The main activity is an after-school care facility at Gustav Reichel Primary School,
Eersterivier. Apart from supporting school development, we also believe that the aftercare facility keeps the children safe in the afternoons.

We use Eduplay (educational computer software). It is a South African product and is relevant to the current South African school curriculum. The software was developed to show children how to learn and have fun at the same time and provide the children with a foundation for future years. The software helps kids with their homework and improves their grades. The software caters for children from preschool to grade 12 in both Afrikaans and English. Children of all grades in the school attend the computer classes on a weekly basis.

We assist children with homework, also assisting senior learners with assignments.

We provide educational games to stimulate the children’s brains.

We have a library with a variety of books and all the children as well as adults from the community have access to the library.

The EPO also funds the transport of 13 children to the school as the contract with the Department with a taxi driver is not sufficient to transfer all children. The distance is between 7 and 15km to the school. If it was not for the EPO, these children would not be able to attend school.

Upliftment of Community and Job Creation

We train community members to be employed at the after school care facility. For example, we provided a first aid course and give guidance on child care.

There are 112 children in the school and 102 children attend the after-school care on a weekly basis. The after-care operates directly after school, starting with Grade RR & R. We have a roster in place to ensure all children in the school have access to the facility.

At the head of the project are Ronelle Coetzee (Head of Marketing and Sales) and Leoni de Lange, who was a sewing teacher for 17 years.

According to Coetzee, a few local ladies in the Eersterivier area recognised the need for job creation among the less fortunate in the local community.

“The primary incentive of the project is to create jobs and opportunities for mainly rural women to make a living by being creative with their own traditional skills and background,” she says.

“The women who are involved in this project have been empowered to recognise their own talents and creativity and the ability that they have as individuals to play a part in making positive differences in their communities.”

How It Works

How the project works: The embroiderers receive cotton cloth, which is mainly black, with the design pre-drawn onto it, together with a range of cotton threads.

“They can then use their creative talents to embroider with the colour schemes of their choice. After completing the work at their homes, it is sent to a central pick-up point.

“The women are paid per embroidered square produced. The fact that their names are part of the work is a source of great pride,” says Coetzee.

They illustrate designs of country scenes: birds, sheep, people, flowers, chickens, the big five and African scenes.

These embroidered pieces are then made into items such as bags, cushion covers, table runners, place mats, handbags, aprons, bags, tablecloths, book covers and toiletry bags – ready for sale under the label Tsitsikamma Eersterivier Embroidery.

According to Coetzee, their place mats, aprons and mitts are some of their top sellers.

They design and produce products on order, whether it is a bulk purchase or a single item.

You will find their brightly decorated squares appearing on products at a number of the shops in the Tsitsikamma area, as well as in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Knysna, Albertinia, Sanparks and Grahamstown.

More Projects

Apart from the embroidery project, the organisation also supports a reading project – called “Doen en Leer” – for learners.

They furthermore offer CAMI programme training at their two training centres in Kareedouw and at Gustav Reichel Primary School at Eersterivier Kruis.

A total of 142 learners between the ages of 5 and 12 years, attend these classes.

Original article: https://www.netwerk24.com/ZA/Kouga-Express/uplifting-the-community-one-stitch-at-a-time-20200805-3

2019/2020 sees the EPO’s 22nd year in existence! In 1997 it all started as a women’s club, in 1997 it became a non-profit organisation (NPO), and in 2012 it developed into a non-profit company—Article 18A.