Sixty children will attend an arts workshop in Melkbosstrand this Saturday with the launch of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign.
The Melkbos Rotary Club organised the workshop with help from Melkbosstrand SAPS, Kids4Care and the Afrikaanse Christelike Vroue Vereniging (ACVV).
The Lalela Arts Trust, a non-profit that uses art to help at-risk youth will run the workshop at the Van Riebeeckstrand Primary School, from 8.30am to 2pm.
According to Lalela art facilitator Nwabisa Mdongeni, art has been shown to improve whole-brain development, which is essential in the development of problem-solving skills, critical thinking, imagination and innovation.
“TheLalelaprogramme guidesyouthfromdisadvantaged communities to map and realise their dreams and goals.
“Theparticipantshave developed the confidence and leadership to break the cycle of violence, drugs and poverty to become leaders in their school and community,” said Ms Mdongeni.
Pupils in the Lalela programme outperformed their peers on standardised tests, were less likely to drop out of school and more likely to graduate from college, she said.
Melkbos Rotary is launching a branch of Lalela Arts Trust in Melkbosstrand in 2019. The trust offers free weekly after-school workshops and daily ones during the school holidays, in communities with little exposure to the arts, for pupils in Grade 1 to matric.
There are branches of the Lalela Arts Trust in Imizamo Yethu,Hangberg,Masiphumelele, Mfuleni, Nyanga, Happy Valley, Durban, Rorke’s Drift, and Maboneng in Johannesburg.
Visit www.lalela.org to find out more about the trust.
For more information about the workshop, call Maryna van der Berg at 079 409 438 or email her at neuroshrink1@
gmail.com
