Use The Covid-19 Lockdown To Think Differently

Crowdfunding, delivery of food, hygiene and learning packs, and psychosocial support could #changethestory

- Jacky Manyonga

Close on nine million of South Africa’s twelve-million school-age population are enduring the Covid-19 21-day lockdown with serious constraints on basic food, hygiene and learning supplies. For most families, educational support will be via radio and TV, and perhaps a smartphone or two in each house. In order to resolve some of these issues, the Tomorrow Trust has adapted the way orphaned and vulnerable learners can keep up their levels of learning over the next three weeks.

“We’ve launched the #changethestory campaign,” says James Donald, CEO for the Tomorrow Trust, a non-profit organisation that supports orphaned and vulnerable children, focusing on developing both academic and life-skills proficiencies.

“It’s enabled us not only to buy and put together 400 food, hygiene and learning packs, and have them delivered to under-resourced households, but also to mentor and manage these children and their caregivers by providing the academic and psychosocial support they need.”