BORN IN CAPRICORN
BORN IN CAPRICORN
At Born in Capricorn we’re raising funds and supplies to improve the learning environment of children attending school in Capricorn, one of the many Townships in the Western Cape of South Africa. We believe in taking action with urgency in order to raise public awareness about some of the most pressing issue facing today’s society; quality education. Please join us by supporting our efforts to make a measurable difference in the lives of others.
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Born in Capricorn was founded by me, Caitlin Broeders. I volunteered in South Africa from February until April of 2018, during my gap year. Volunteering at Sunrise Educare was a life changing experience, and ever since I have returned back home, I have been thinking of ways to improve the lives of the wonderful kids I got to meet.
OUR GOAL
Creating Opportunity
According to the United Nations, "617 million youth worldwide lack basic mathematics and literacy skills". Born in Capricorn is driven by a single goal: improving the education provided to children in one of the poorest townships in South Africa, Capricorn, which could have a small, yet significant impact on the large amount of children who lack quality education.
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Education offers jobs. Jobs provide income. Income can be an escape from poverty. Together we can make a difference in the lives of 400+ kids. Even though this is only a small percentage of the large number of kids who lack quality education, or education at all, it can be the beginning to the end of this pressing world issue.
ACTION PLAN
How will we create opportunity?
From August 2018 until April 2019, students, businesses and myself will work together to fill a 20 foot shipping container with educational, art and sport supplies. The container will then be shipped in May and received in Cape Town by Born in Capricorn in July. The container is supplied by Swagemakers Intermodaal Transport, and will be shipped directly from Antwerp to Cape Town. Primary, middle and high school students will work year round to organize fundraisers and collect supplies to fill the container.
Additionally, money will be raised to construct a sports field. A sports field offers many opportunities. Firstly, it allows the volunteers that work at the school to start after school clubs. This keeps the kids off the streets instead, and out of trouble. Secondly, becoming skilled at a sport can lead to potential scholarships. With a scholarship, the kids have a much higher chance of obtaining a higher education diploma.
More information about our corporations and fundraisers is available on our website.
SCHOOLS OF CAPRICORN
Capricorn, known in South Africa as Vrygrond, is one of the many Townships in South Africa. The residents of Capricorn struggle with poverty everyday and there is no proper sanitation. Additionally, since the shacks of the residents are made of tin and wooden boards, there is little protection from the cold, rain, wind and they are vulnerable to theft. Crime and violence rates are extremely high as many gangs are active in Capricorn. Therefore, there are conflicts regarding alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. This neighbourhood is the home of many of the children Born in Capricorn is helping.
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Both schools pictured below are located in Capricorn:
SUNRISE EDUCARE
Sunrise Educare can be compared to a daycare. Children age 0-6 attend. The younger classes get read to, played with and if the volunteers get creative they get to do arts. Each class is supervised by a local teacher and one or more volunteers. However, not all teachers are qualified to properly teach a class. There are 8 classes and 160 kids.
CHRISTIAN DAVIDS
Christian Davids accommodates grades 1-7, meaning it offers both primary and secondary education. It is a free school, making it very poorly equipped. Over 300 kids attend the school. The classes are taught by both local and volunteer teachers. As a volunteer you have to have a teaching certificate to be allowed to teach, and there are also volunteers who play sports with the kids.
MEET THE KIDS
COLLEEN
"This girl right here, Colleen, is the happiest and strongest girl I have ever met. Not only can she pick me off the ground, but she's strong in the way where she can handle the good and the bad and always have a happy, positive attitude!
Her father is not around because he's affiliated with gangs and drugs, and her mother is found on the streets begging for money. Needless to say, she doesn't have many positive influences around her.
On Fridays the kids don't have to wear their uniforms. Colleen comes to school wearing heels and dresses that may not exactly match, but express her outgoing personality. This explains exactly how the kids I volunteered with in South Africa go about their lives; trying their best to have smiles on their faces and look at the positive in life, even if not everything is how they planned".
- Cassie Lansing
DIEGO
"Although he didn't tell me himself about his life story, you could see there was a serious case of emotional and physical neglect going on in his house. One day, when we were coming back from the beach, the floor was so hot, and when I looked down I saw he didn't have any shoes or flip flops on - I asked him about it, but he just shrug it off, so we shared my sneakers the rest of the day".
- Louise M Lebarbenchon
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One day, the volunteers found out that Diego wouldn't be attending Christian David's anmore, because his mom hadn't enrolled him. Two amazing volunteers, Lindsey and Grace, eventually managed to get him to attend school.
SAMUEL
"Sam is an open and active little guy. He truly has a big heart. Whenever you arrive at the school he will be the one to hug you first and tell you to pick him up. He smiles all day long, and is a very happy kid. Sam loves playing football which is why I gave him one of my old jerseys. There won't be a day where you don't have a good time with Samuel".
- Lukas Koppermann
IVIWE, GRACE, OLUHLE, SIMPHIWE, HAJIRAH
At Sunrise Educare brushing teeth is one of the favorite activities of many kids. They often don't get to do so at home, leading to dental problems. Iviwee (first from the left) doesn't have dental problems but loves brushing her teeth anyways. Her friend Grace (second from the left) is missing most of her front teeth and loves her pink toothbrush. Oluhle's (middle) favorite activity of the day is brushing her teeth. Simphiwe (second from right) never stands still and takes pride in doing the opposite of what she is being told. The only thing that gets her to listen is the promise that she gets to brush her teeth for as long as she wants too. Hajirah (first from the right) loves brushing teeth as well, just so she can have fun in the bathroom with her friends. At sunrise, brushing teeth is not a chore like in most households. It is a social activity.
- Anna Zierotin
LAISCHA
"During my time in Africa Laischa was more of a friend to me then a kid I had to look after. She is one of the nicest, funniest and smartest kids there with such good manners, it's astonishing. She's always in company with her best friend who is very shy and can barely speak English but she always looks after him."
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"One day, she was very sick but told me she didn't want to go home. She explained that she wasn't looking forward to the weekend because there was nothing to do and that she didn't like school breaks. All the other kids would fight after school but she didn't want to participate in that, so she rather spends time by herself - but there is not much she can do. She doesn't have any games to play with, no jump rope and no books to read."
- Soni Koller
DONATIONS MADE
An additional thank you goes out to:
Football Association Axel for donating three large bags of football attire,
Samriddhi Tripathi for donating a bag of school supplies including a globe, notebooks and 100 pencils,
Carin and Martijn Veringa for donating unihockey sticks, 200 tennis balls, soccer- and volleyballs, and many other sport supplies,
Kinza and Mahnoor for donating bags full of art and school supplies!
BUDDYBOX
Both children from Sint Antoniusschool Axel and Basisschool de Twijn have filled a total of 160 shoeboxes with school and art supplies! Caitlin gave presentations about Born in Capricorn to the children to introduce them to the different lifestyle of the children in Capricorn.
GET INVOLVED
You Can Make a Difference
COLLECT OR DONATE SUPPLIES
The 40ft container has been filled and shipped!
We spent the past year collecting school, art, and sports supplies to fill a 40ft container. The container has left the ports of Antwerp the first week of July and we will therefore no longer collect any supplies directly. Thank you to everyone who helped fill the 40ft container, this project would not exist without your help and support. The button below will direct you to our Instagram page on which regular updates are posted.
FUND CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIES
Help create a more child friendly environment.
Anna, Austin, Henry and Caitlin will spend 7 weeks in South Africa to help improve the educational system for several schools in Capricorn. To do so, we need construction materials such as paints, woods, new locks, etc.. Hence, we opened a new fundraiser which will help support the purchase of these supplies. Also, weekly videos will be posted here to show our progress.
SPORTS FIELDS
Donate Money so we can Build a Sports Field
Part of the project will be the construction of a sports field for the kids at Christian Davids. A sports field offers many opportunities. Firstly, it allows the volunteers that work at the school to start after school clubs. This keeps the kids off the streets. Secondly, becoming skilled at a sport can lead to potential scholarships. With a scholarship, the kids have a much higher chance of obtaining a higher education diploma.
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So far we have raised €6000, but we hope to increase funding so we can build a field that can support the entire community. Donations can be made by pressing the button below.
The following schools and businesses have allowed Born in Capricorn to prosper.
LOCAL ANDÂ INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS
RHENUS LOGISTICS
A big thank you to Rhenus Air & Ocean N.V. for financing the shipment of the container. They will deliver the container to Christian Davids Moravian Primary in August.