Addo Quilting Program
TWO volunteers from America have started a programme that allows parents to make a quilt depicting the dreams they have for their children’s future.
Eileen Kugler, 59, and her husband, Larry, 60, organised the quilting programme at Addo’s AV Bukani Primary School in a bid to increase parent involvement at the school.
Eileen said: “There is a lot of research showing that when parents are actively involved in a school, pupils do better.
“When a parent is involved, the child tends to pay more attention and do homework more often.”
She said it was a worldwide problem that parents had little contact with schools. Only if a problem arose would the parents be contacted.
In cases where the families did not have had a good education themselves, or worked long hours, there was often no connection felt with the school, Eileen said. “So they tend to stay away from the school … they think it is the teachers’ job to educate their child.
“Creating the quilt is a non-threatening way of getting parents involved.”
A parent, or grandparent in some cases, of each pupil has made a square, with the squares then being sewn together into a quilt that will be presented to the school.
The squares illustrate the hopes and dreams the parents have for their children. “On many there are children with graduation caps, to say they want their child to graduate.
“Some have specific careers depicted, like a medical doctor. Others are very personal and are decorated with things that are important to the families.
“One parent wants her child to become a social worker. So she put on a hand, saying we must always be willing to help someone and that a social worker must have a good heart.”
So far there have been seven meetings where parents work on the quilt and discuss ways of bettering their children’s school performance and future. At the end of each meeting, the parents receive a full meal, prepared by several mothers in the community.
Eileen said she and her husband had picked Addo’s Nomathamsanqa township because it was a rural area where they felt they could make a difference. This is their second visit here and they look forward to coming back next year. “The quilt is only the beginning, ” Eileen said.
The quilt will be presented to the school at a farewell for the Kuglers later today. It will then be hung at the school.
Source: Esté Coetzee, HERALD REPORTER
Port Elizabeth Budget Accommodation
Go to:My Addo
