Letterland Around the Globe: Africa

Published on Tue 27 Jan 2009

We regularly receive heart-warming feedback from Letterland enthusiasts in all different parts of the world. Here, Rose Heggie tells us of her experiences in South Africa…

Letterland Head Teacher in South Africa

Rose Heggie, Head Teacher and owner of pre-schools in both Worksop and Redford, has had many years experience in teaching Letterland. The primary schools which her ‘graduates’ move on to have found that the children from her pre-schools have a particularly strong foundation in both letter knowledge and early reading skills.

Rose made good use of her Letterland leadership skills in November 2008 when she embarked on a one-month trip to Africa. The trip was arranged by the SAGA Volunteer Programme, who assist schools identified for their innovation and dynamism. Rose was stationed at the Joe Slovo School in Joe Slovo, one of the country’s oldest townships with a population of almost 100,000.   

Daunting Statistics

The township has very high levels of unemployment, with 80% of the population being out of work. Many of the population suffer from hunger, alcohol abuse and TB and 60% have either HIV or AIDs.

Despite such conditions, volunteers at the township’s school observed that the teachers were both professional and committed and the children were polite and eager to learn.

There are already child-led households within the school and at least 10% of the children are orphans. Seeing some of their tin shack homes emphasised to Rose what an oasis the school is in their lives!

A Classroom in a Cupboard!

The school caters for almost 1,000 children, but Rose’s focus was a class of 40 pre-reception children who had no classroom. They were being taught in a cupboard! With no room for desks, the children had to kneel on the floor so that they could draw on their seats.
 
Electricity, water and telephone services were intermittent and school meals were provided for younger children only. A fellow volunteer fed the whole school for a week by getting all the staff peeling potatoes and vegetables for a nourishing soup for every child, every day. The difference in the amount of energy this gave the children for both work and play amazed the staff.

Rose discovered that at least two of the teachers had been trained with Letterland at college. Unfortunately, they did not have any resources so they were thrilled when Rose unpacked a suitcase full of material, donated by Letterland International.   

Literacy progress

During her month in Africa, Rose managed to launch Letterland in both pre-school and Grade One classes. She left the children with a generous wall display to act as an evolving map of Letterland to be filled in gradually as they learned more and more Letterland characters, starting with Clever Cat!

A chance encounter with the CEO of an Arabic charity involved in planting fruit trees to help alleviate poverty, meant that Rose may have left the children with an extra gift. As a result of their conversation, the CEO promised to give the school 100 fruit trees.  Rose was over the moon!

The trip was a truly life-changing experience for Rose, who found it heartening to be able to make such a difference to a wonderful set of teachers and children. She also found it very sobering to see how they struggle with so little - too little food, too little water, too little paper and too few books. So, when Rose makes a return trip to see the children of Joe Slovo, Letterland International will ensure that she has plenty more material to take with her!