This Workcamp is full.

The Project

Lulama Khalipha started to work as caregiver for the children at her school over 10 years ago, after her husband died, leaving her with a small son to take care of. She approached the local school and asked them to lend her a classroom where she could open a pre-school for many children, including her own. They let her use one of the room, required it again soon after and lent her another. But this also did not last and so for 10 years, she taught her group of children under a gum tree.

In the meantime, the local community gave her a piece of land, but she did not have the funds to build.

She had started to study with the Centre for Creative Education in Cape Town and wanted to establish a Waldorf School there for the local children. She has since graduated from the course and is working towards realzing her vision.

At present there is a kindergarten class with over 70 children. Someone cooks for the children. Parents pay fees and have been very good about supporting the school. The fees amount to about 50 Rands a month - € 5.-

Their aim is to have 3 Kindergartens on the property, and then go on to a Class 1.

Workcamp August 2008

First priority was the building of a set of 3 toilets with a shower cubicle and storeroom. This necessitated the building of a complete sewerage system with large septic tank and soakaway to cater for some 90 children. A tank to store and collect rain water was erected and linked to the existing water system. They received a lot of help from the local Catholic Church and Cumboni Mission in realising much of this work.

Besides this there was a large area that did not drain that was filled and a retaining wall built. The site for the new building, to be erected in 2009, was levelled.

Download the (German) documentation HERE...

Workcamp August 2009

We erected an additional Kindergarten room, using the timber frame and sandbag technique developed by Ecobeam, Cape Town, which is quick and ecologically friendlier than bricks and mortar. Download the report in German HERE...

Workcamp March/April 2010

This time no an annex to the original building will be constructed with the Ecobeam technique. It will serve as a kitchen. The old kitchen is to be divided into a pantry and small office. In addition, all the work that has not been completed these last 2 years, such as installing and tiling of the shower, setting up an additional water storage tank, completing plumbing, replacing the old climbing gym and so on, will be tackled.

Living and working

As this project is in the countryside, with no large towns anywhere nearby, living arrangements are fairly rudimentary, either in tents or in families connected with the school. Whoever takes on this project would have to be prepared for semi-camping conditions. Also, bring whatever entertainment you need, as a night out to the disco will have to be postponed until after the camp.