Christel House Cape Town visit a ‘humbling’ experience
Perse finance officer Jackie Matten was “humbled” after visiting the Christel House school in Cape Town.
The Perse has been working with Christel House since 2011, raising funds to provide resources to support the teaching of children and training of staff for their schools in some of the poorest areas of the world.
Jackie took a trip to the Cape Town school while on holiday in South Africa, having helped raise funds for Christel House by taking part in the recent Glow the Distance event, which saw Perse staff and students run or walk laps of the Upper site by night.
She handed over three digital inking tablets and other educational materials on behalf of the school, as well as copies of the fundraising cookbook put together by the Perse Christel House Club to the Cape Town pupils whose recipes were featured.
Principal Ronald Fortune gave Jackie a guided tour of the school, as she met their welfare and pastoral support team, visited their maths, music, art and business studies departments and discovered how pupils were being inspired to learn more about robotics.
Jackie was impressed with what she saw and the efforts Christel House Cape Town is making to improve the lives of deprived children.
She said: “The thing that struck me was the enthusiasm of the teachers and the adversity they’re working under because it’s a very poor area.
“That enthusiasm was infectious and they’re doing amazing things. One girl I spoke to wants to study law, so whatever funds we can raise here does make a difference to these children without question.
“It was an incredible experience to visit the school. It was very humbling and sobering and worth every minute.”
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