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Hindus' entertain S African refugee kids
A group of South African Hindu youths provided a special treat for 700 refugee children from more than a dozen African countries.
A group of South African Hindu youths engaged in community welfare provided a special treat for 700 refugee children from more than a dozen African countries here.
Children at the Yeoville Primary School, in an area of Johannesburg that has become home to hundreds of refugees, had a rare treat when the Hindu Cultural League (HCL) decided to host a fun day for them Sunday.
"We were totally thrilled when the HCL came to us," said school principal Naga Moodley.
"It's not every day that you get the offer to have somebody sponsor an entire event without it costing us anything. We have had offers before from other organisations, which required a portion of funds charged to the children going to the organisers.
"Because most children are from refugee families, they hardly pay school fees, so we have a huge problem with resources."
Moodley said HCL had not only arranged sporting activities that were educational, but also nutritious meals that exposed children to Indian cuisine.
"We undertake at least four major projects per year and often conduct more than six per year," said Mervyn Naiker, head of HCL's marketing subcommittee.
"This year, while sourcing donors for different projects, our seva sub-committee came across this primary school in Yeoville where we found that 155 destitute children are given two meals a day because they have no food at home, while most of the others also just manage to get by.
"The only subsidy the school gets from the government is payment for the teachers' salaries and money toward educational facilities."
The school does not have any extra-curricular activities due to fund constraints. Many of the children also live at the school in a hall, aptly named Noah's Ark, because they have no home to go to -- their parents are often packed with many other refugees in single-room lodgings.
"Therefore, we decided to hold a fun day for the kids in order to expose them to something that is considered a luxury in their lives, essentially allowing the kids to be kids for a day," Naiker added.
Started in 1999, HCL has undertaken a range of projects to promote Indian culture and assist the community, from soup kitchens and concerts for the aged to organising winter clothing drives and Christmas toy drives.
