Meet some of the children

All information shared in these stories is shared with the signed permission of the parents concerned. Names have been omitted in order to protect the identity of the children and families concerned.

Hullo….We are 4 cousins who live with our granny in Montclair.  Our mommies live with us too, but they are still students, so they cannot provide for us.  Our granny is a pensioner and the house we live in belongs to another family member, who allows us to stay there.  Two of us are 4 years old and two of us are 5 years old.  Our daddies all ran away from our mommies when we were still tiny babies and none of us have ever met them.  One of us was born prematurely at 5 ½ months and suffers from epilepsy. All of us suck our thumbs, because it makes us feel better when we start feeling unsure of ourselves.  We love being able to come to school – especially since our granny thought she would only be able to send two of us to school, but the Principal of Udobo made it possible for all of us get a wonderful education to get us ready for “Big” school!

Good Day.  I am 5 years old, and I live with my mommy, my four aunts and my granny in Montclair.  My grampa left my granny a while ago and she has had to look after everyone on her own.  She has lost everything – her house, her car and her job, because her job relies very much on her having a car.  So my great-granny helps us with her pension, which is not very much.  My muscles have not worked very well since I was a baby, which means that I am very slow at everything I do and I tend to get tired very easily.  The muscle in my tongue is also a little lazy, which prevents me from being able to make all my sounds properly.  My school is wonderful because everything we do at school is helping my muscles to get stronger so that I will be able to cope with a whole day of hard work when I go to “Big” school. 

Hullo.
 I am four years old and I live with my mommy and my aunt and my cousins in Umlazi.  My mommy doesn’t work and my daddy disappeared when my mommy was in hospital giving birth to me, so I have never known him.
I have a baby brother and the only money my mommy has to support us comes from the child support grant she receives every month. My aunt, who is a domestic worker, helps to support us.
My mommy was so happy when she heard about Udobo School, because it meant that I could get a really good grounding education, which she would never have been able to afford anywhere else.

Good Day.
 I am 5 years old and I live in Woodhaven with my grandparents.  My granny does not work and my grandpa is a pensioner.  They also support my cousins who are at school. 
I lived with my mommy till last year, but she doesn’t want me anymore because she can’t afford to look after me, so she brought me to my daddy’s parents.  My daddy was very sick from AIDS related illnesses and he died last year, so all I have now are my grandparents. I share a bedroom with my aunt and my cousins.
I am so happy to have a school like Udobo where I can play with lots of friends and learn so many new things.  I just know that I will be as ready as anyone else by the time I have to go to “Big” school.

Hullo.  I live with my granny in Woodlands.  When I was born, my mommy brought me to my granny’s house and left me there.  I have never seen her again and my granny has been unable to find her anywhere.  So, the only mommy I have known is my granny.
My granny is a clerk and has three children (my aunts and uncles) whom she is supporting through school.  While my granny is at work I had to stay with my great granny before we found Udobo School.
It is so much more fun being able to come to school where I learn so many important things that I need to know in order to cope at “Big” school and where I have so many friends my age with whom I can play.
Thank you to everyone who makes this possible for me and my friends.

Good day.  I live in Woodlands with my daddy and his mommy – my granny.
Both my mommy and my daddy are still at school and so they depend on their parents to support us, but my mommy’s mom died of AIDS related illnesses and her daddy doesn’t ever really help her – so my daddy’s mommy is really the one who helps wherever she can.
I don’t see my mommy every day, but when she does come to visit, I stick to her like glue and love to be held and hugged by her.
My granny worries about how she will afford to educate me, but she is so happy to have found Udobo, where they make it possible for her to pay what she can afford for me to receive a wonderful Grade R education, so that I will be on equal footing with all my friends when I go to “Big” school.

Hullo.  I live with my mommy and her parents in Woodlands.  I have never known my real daddy.  My step-daddy lives in India, but he and my mommy are getting a divorce, so I never get to see him anymore. 
My mommy works as a dispatcher and doesn’t earn much money at all, so her mommy and daddy help her a lot.  
My mommy got a new boyfriend and I really liked him, but he robbed my granny’s home and it has left me feeling very confused and angry – I now think that men are bad people and my mommy has to work very hard with me to help me to understand, but my mommy also had some very bad experiences as a child, so she protects me very strictly from men.
I love to come to school at Udobo where I am safe and can play freely without worrying about what will go wrong next.

Good day.  I live with my mommy and her parents in Montclair.  My mommy is HIV+ and so am I.  She discovered her status while she was still pregnant with me and she told my daddy.  When he found out what her status was he left her and so I have never known him. 
Altogether there are 12 people who live in our home and the only money my mommy has to support us is her HIV disability grant.
My mommy was very weak and ill when she was pregnant with me and so I was born prematurely at 7 months.  Because I am HIV+ I had diarrhoea for two weeks after I was born.  But I am healthy now and I love to come to school at Udobo where I can learn so many special things and play with so many wonderful toys that I would never otherwise have access to.

Hullo.  I live with my mommy and my brothers and sisters in a shack in an informal settlement in Umlazi.  My daddy is unemployed and we don’t always know where he is.My mommy is a domestic worker and works on the Bluff for two different people.  Because my mommy has always had to work to support us, she had to find someone to look after me during the daytime since I was three months old.
I miss having my daddy around – I always nag my mommy to let me phone him, so that I can ask him to come and live with us, but he hasn’t come as yet.
I love coming to school at Udobo, where I have many friends and I learn so many great new things and I don’t have to worry about my mommy and all her burdens.

Verbatum Quotes from some of our Parents

ZANDILE – Guardian of Sakhi, mother of Vela – as shared at the Birthday Service
" I’ve got two children who are in this school. This school is for everyone even the poor.  This school help me and my children, because if you got a problem as a parent, Principal is there for you. She’s got an open arms for you. You can shared your problem with her, and she will solve it – she help us to get child support grant for Sakhi when we been waiting for two years for it. If your child got a problem in school she will contact you as soon as possible.This school help my children:
To know and understand English
To use their hands by drawing and painting pictures
To sing songs in English, etc.
I wish this school is a primary school…… This school is the best.

JENNY – Mother of Jheonre - in response to first pottery item taken home
" Dear Teacher, I was so proud of the fancy which you taught my son to make. I thank you and greatly appreciate it."
   
ALICE – Mother of Sechaba – as shared at the school’s 1st Birthday Service
God is great! He hears those who trust in Him. Udobo is there for everyone, even those who are disadvantage. Mrs. Mercer, God choose you to lead Udobo to be one of best pre-school in South Africa, by teaching our kids the words of God. Even you don’t have money to give to Trust Contributions, she allow your kids to come. We are so blessed in this country to have a strong woman like you Mrs. Mercer. Udobo teach our kids how to use scissors, drawing, to speak English and it supply our kids with some warm clothes and jersey for the winter. And we don’t have to worry to say, "Oh, I don’t have money to buy a bread for kids." Udobo is done for all that. We like to thank Mrs. Mercer to follow her calling…God bless you. You supposed to be a Woman of the Year. Hey! To my side, I can’t close my mouth, I never forget you. Even when I die I will tell the people who don’t know you how important you are. Always I will remember the lot of things you done for me. I can’t forget your friendly, more than friendly – you like our mother. All the time I praying so hard to God to answer all your needs for Udobo and I believe someday Udobo is gonna be raised, is gonna be a big school – maybe starting by Class 1 to up. Mrs. Mercer, I don’t know how to say about Udobo. All the time tears of joy are dropped everyday. God bless you, Mama, and your family. I would like to share with you this verse – Jeremiah 33 : 3

– and then in response to groceries and jersey donated for her family
" Morning Mrs. Mercer, thank you for everything, because all the time when my plate are empty you fill it, When I feeling cold you make me warm, all the time I praying so hard. God bless you more and more for your need. My verse is sticking in Jeremiah 33:3. God bless you and your family."

VIRGINIA – Mother of Carrenah - in response to the celebration of Carennah’s birthday
" Thank you for making a best day ever for my daughter. She came home much excited about everything. GOD BLESS YOU."
    
WEZIWE – Mother of Fikile – as shared at the school’s 1st Birthday Service
" Udobo is very helpful to us as a parents. As we know and understand how it is difficult and expensive to buy and prepare a lunchbox for our children. I would like to suggest that the Udobo sponsors to extend / add more classes. Since the rate of unemployment is too high many parents does not have enough money to educate their children. They will be more children coming to Udobo in future. Udobo is fighting for poverty so they will be more staff, cleaners and cookers needed in school once the classes has been extended and the school will get more sponsors,   because in the future the school will need a car to deliver the school children in some activities and / or in hospital in case of emergencies."

MRS TC DUBE – Grandmother of Owethu – in response to donations of clothing sent home for the children
“I would like to thank you and your staff for the wonderful work that your doing in your school.  The first day I took my grandson into the school, I was very shy about the health of my grandson.  But today I am very happy the way he is.  He has gained weight, he is healthy, he is very happy about his school, even at home he finishes his food but before we had a very big problem with Owethu and his food.  He is healthy and strong.  Life was very hard for me because I am a single parent, taking care of the family of nine.  Thank you very much about the gifts that you gave my grandson.  May God bless you all at Udobo and your sponsors may God take care of them.”

MRS CHILI – Mother of twins, Asanda and Bayanda – in response to their birthday cake
“I would like to thank you and your staff for what you did for Asanda and Bayanda yesterday.  Your kindness is really heartwarming.  All the things you do for the kids are truly amazing and I really appreciate them.”

MANDY’S father – after the year-end function
“To the principal and staff crew, me as Mandy’s father like to thank you all for being loyally, keeping my child safe throughout the year.  It been a wonderful year working together until the end of the year.  Thanks once again for the goods that you purchase for my daughter.  May God bless you all for humanity you’ve shown. THANK YOU”

MUZI KESWA – Father of Laston – after rescuing his child from neglect in Malawi
“Thank for everything you have done for my child Laston.  May God bless you and your staff of Udobo School.  Please you should continue doing this to others who are still coming to your school in future. And am also glad to receive the presents for Laston.  Thank you very much.”

MRS MNGADI – Mother of Simon Jnr – in response to distribution of winter blankets
“Thank you very much for blankets.  We really appreciate.  Even if we don’t thank you every day, but everything you do for our children means a lot to us.  May God bless all Udobo staff and everyone who makes Udobo a success.”

FROM THE MOTHER – of Thalent –after receiving board games donated by Spoornet.
“I’d like to thank for Mr Choo-Choo games from Spoornet.  I am very happy for these games because my son learn a lot from the games like colouring drawing.  And I get time to do my work and study while he busy with his work.  And I like to thank the principal for her hard work for our children.  Kathy you are such a great teacher and leader. Thank you.  God bless you and your staff.”

ZAMA – Mother of Sindi – after receiving food parcels
“I just want to let you know how much we appreciate of what you are doing with our children.  Birthdays, blankets, food.  I can’t name it all it too much.  You are the angel sent from above.  I also see improvement from Sindi.  Thank you.  God bless you and I love you.”

FROM an un-named mother – in response to clothing and baby food sent home for the baby
“I would like to thank all the teachers and the school for the donation that were sent to us, they will be off great help to the little one sent to.  I would deeply like to overthank you for the jersey that we received for the baby.  I hope all the other parents also appreciate the effort that you make to help other people.”