Every year on Mandela Day, our team get out into the world and spend a day making a difference by identifying a cause or project that could use our help. In 2017, we headed to Roeland Street in Cape Town and assisted a food garden project by using our tools and skills to build garden furniture, and in 2018 we helped spruce up the social area and gardens of Loaves and Fishes, a halfway house in Obs that provides a home and support to folks who are in transition from homeless to hopeful.
This year, and through the connections our community are always building as we grow, our team has identified a project that could really use some assistance.

This Year’s Project
Early Birds Lifestyle Academy is an after-school safe space for kids in Khayelitsha that takes care of children while parents are at work, and it’s a place where kids can be taught new skills such as music, art and reading.
 

Set up by Neliswa Dludla, Early Birds has found premises in an old tavern – but in order to take the building from functional to fantastic will take some work – and that’s where our team are looking to apply our minds, skills and tools. Having started as a reading session with 8 children, Early Birds now provides lessons for 60 kids, with a curriculum that includes English and writing (and for high-school pupils, maths and science).
With so many pupils being catered to, what we’re looking to achieve is a day of painting, maintenance and general DIY upgrades that can transform the space and make it more comfortable and functional for both the Early Birds team and the many kids that the space supports.
How Can You Help?
There are two ways you can assist – you’re welcome to come along on the day and help our team paint and do some DIY, or you could donate items that would help to achieve the plan of sprucing the space up and making it a great after-school space for the many kids that Early Birds provides a sanctuary for. These are the items our team are looking for donations of:
– stationery
– furniture
– kid’s toys
– puzzles
– games
– appliances
We’re also collecting funds to purchase and donate a laptop that would help a lot to accelerate Early Birds’ progress. 
To donate items or funds, or to confirm that you’d like to come along on the day and assist our team on the ground in Khayelitsha, please mail [email protected]
We’re looking forward to another great day of community work, and meeting you!