Tourism, businesses & crafters help Mossel Bay street kids
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
A tourism product, a butchery, a government department, an NGO, and a pottery studio have joined forces to help street kids from Mossel Bay’s AGAPE Foundation learn new skills and attain a sense of self-worth and self-confidence.
The project is coordinated by the Mossel Bay Environmental Partnership (MEP) and Fred Orban of the award-winning Oystercatcher Trail.
“Many business – especially those in the retail sector – benefit from trading with members of local communities, and it’s important that they plough benefits back into those communities,” said Mr. Orban.
He said that when previously disadvantaged people acquire skills that improve their standard of living, rather than living on handouts, they begin to earn and spend more – which directly benefits the business sector.
“In this project, we take twenty kids at a time to the BushiTayl Pottery Studios in George for a day-long outing that’s both creative and educational,” he said.
“Its objectives are to teach skills and knowledge that are easy to acquire and fun to learn, to stimulate creativity, to stimulates the children emotionally, and to instill a sense of pride, self worth and achievement.”
The typical outing begins with a ride from the AGAPE Centre for Street Children in Mossel Bay to the studio in George.
“The educational aspect of the day begins almost immediately,” said Mr. Orban. “The kids are asked whether they’d like to own and operate a taxi like the one they’re travelling in – and the facilitator explains that the skills they’ll learn today will help them when it comes to earning the money they’ll need to achieve their goals.
“At the studio, they’re taught how to work with clay and to make items such as mugs, tiles, and medallions, and they’re also given time to express their own creativity by making anything they want with the left-over clay. All the products are signed by their creators, and over the next few days they’re fired and glazed before being delivered to the kids at the Centre.
“We explain to the kids that it’s important to sign or mark their creations so that people can recognise them one day, if they become famous.
“At lunch time, which is sponsored by Struisvogel Butchery, a caterer teaches the kids how to prepare their own sandwiches and hotdogs, how to wash their dishes and pack them away, and how to separate left over items for recycling – and she explains why this is done.
“On future outings, we’re also planning to teach them how to make paper shopping bags from old newspapers, which they can sell.”
The mugs which the children make are hand-painted and individualised, and are presented as trophies to hikers who’ve positively contributed to the environment of Mossel Bay during their time on the Oystercatcher Trail.
Mr. Orban said that transport is currently supplied by the Department of Welfare, but that the ideal would be to see it provided by tour operators from the private sector.
“MEP is consistently campaigning to get more businesses involved in putting skills back into the community in the way that BushiTayl Studios does, because this will ensure upliftment and self sufficiency in the future,” he said.
Mossel Bay Tourism’s Marcia Holm said that tourism has enormous potential as a force for good in the community.
“We encourage our members and members of the wider business community to involve themselves in this project both for their own satisfaction, and for the long term benefits to all concerned,” she said.
More information:
- Fred Orban – 082 550 4788
- Mossel Bay Environmental Partnership – www.mep.org.za
- Mossel bay Tourism – www.visitmosselbay.co.za
- BushiTayl Pottery Studios’ web site is currently under construction – search ‘BushiTayl’ on Facebook
ENDS
Mossel Bay Tourism News Flash
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