? Jicama 89 Projects


 

DONATIONS

Skuola Screenshot PieceShould you wish to make a financial or product donation we would appreciate you contacting us via:
Email: info@jicama89.co.za
Tel: (011) 475 7494












PROJECTS

Boys Hostel – Roof Refurbishment

The galvanized roof of the Sibonile School at the boys hostel (1083m2) has rusted due to a lack of funds and maintenance. Major damage was caused by the rains to the ceilings and certain sections collapsed. The existing waterproofing was removed and the roof was sanded and hydro washed. New barge boards were fitted and all roof screws and overlaps were sealed and waterproofed. After the primer coat, 2 coats of roof acrylic was sprayed on.

Music Centre

Being surrounded by music enriches students’ lives in many ways. It develops the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. When playing a music instrument, the learner is constantly using their memory to perform. This skill of memorization can serve students well in education and beyond. Learning music promotes craftsmanship and can greatly contribute to children’s intellectual development. They can develop their math and pattern-recognition skills and experience repetition in a fun format.

Introducing music in early childhood can help foster a positive attitude towards learning and developing a child’s imagination. Students can fight stress by learning to play a music instrument and learn a valuable lesson in discipline. They have to set time aside to practice and rise to the challenge of disciplined learning to master their instrument.

Many musical education programs require teamwork as part of a band. In these groups, students will learn how to work together and build camaraderie. Performing musical pieces allows students to learn how to cope with fear and anxiety – teaching children how to take risks, an essential life skill, helping them realise their full potential.

Benefiting from all these skills, learners of the Sibonile School for the visually impaired or blind can be prepared for creative, artistic careers in the future. With an increased self-worth and sense of achievement, students gain a vital sense of achievement and independance, setting them up for a successful life in their chosen career.

Jicama 89, with the help of a generous Sponsor who donated the instruments, made it possible to use an empty School Hall as a music centre to make this dream come true.

Boys Hostel - New Lockers

School, classroom and hostel adaptations can help the student who is blind or visually impaired to move safely and efficiently through their environment. Jicama 89 decided to replace the old steel lockers with melamine cupboards that are mounted permanently to the walls in order to maximize the student’s use of vision. The existing lockers were not mounted to the walls and were not safe for the learners. The new cupboards assist to keep the rooms free of clutter. The new cupboards now provide a pathway of safe, secure and accessible ways for the learners to locate their clothes and possessions more confidently.

Boys Hostel – Interior Repairs

The ceilings in the Boy’s Hostel were extensively damaged due to lack of maintenance of the roof.


Due to the generosity of our sponsors, Jicama 89 was able to have the roof repaired. After the first rains and no further leaks were detected, Jicama 89 had all the damaged ceilings replaced or repaired and re-painted.

Pigeon-Hole Project

Jicama 89 decided to install pigeon-hole storage units in the classrooms. These units are very effective in terms of keeping the classrooms organised. The pigeon-holes allow for flexibility to store and protect books, braille machines, etc. These units have a very simplistic, yet effective design and the material that was used for these storage units are very durable and low-maintenance. It eliminates hinges and locks being broken.

The Sibonile Therapy Centre

Play, games and toys link to the progressive development of cognitive skills in a sighted child. The activities help the child to make sense of the world. Dealing with sighted learners is a specialized field which involves education, psychology, human development, reasoning, problem solving, creativity etc.

A child that is hungry, unhealthy, physically and/or emotionally abused, or who is subject to deep seated feelings of fear, despair and unworthiness has difficulty in developing the motivation to learn. It will be difficult, if not impossible for the teachers to focus on all these aspects and educate the children at the same time.

For the overall well-being of the learners of the Sibonile School, Jicama 89 decided to convert a house on the premises of the school for this purpose.

School Hall - Upgrade

Jicama 89, together with the SGB, decided to upgrade the School Hall for the purpose of establishing a Music Centre. The School Hall was entirely re-tiled, re-painted and woodwork re-varnished. Jicama 89 is also in the process of sourcing and acquiring the various musical instruments required.

A study found that on average 48% of blind children demonstrated great interest in everyday sounds, compared to 33% of those who were partially sighted and 13% of those who had full sight. 90% of blind children were particularly keen on music, against 67% of partially sighted children and 38% of those with full sight. 68% of the blind and partially sighted children played at least one instrument, compared to 41% of the sighted group. Parents of the blind children also reported that music was particularly important as a source of comfort, helping youngsters relax and express their emotions.

Music has tremendous educational and therapeutic potential for blind people fro infancy through to adulthood for children and young people. For those with learning difficulties it can offer an outlet of expression and an aid to their emotional development - areas which they might otherwise find particularly challenging.

Learning to play an instrument can be a wonderful thing for a child with a visual impairment. It may provide him/her with an additional social outlet or a recreational activity that enriches his/her time alone. It can be a way to draw people without disabilities to the child. It can build many important sills and traits such as coordination, concentration, self-discipline, self-esteem and perseverance.

Refurbishing of Administrative Block

The administrative block at the Sibonile School was in dire need of refurbishment. Not only does the block serve as the administrative centre, but it is also the welcoming centre for new learners and parents. On arrival at the administrative block, learners, parents, visitors and guests have the first impression of an efficient tidy and neat school facility. Through the generosity of our valued sponsors, Jicama 89 was able to re-paint and re-tile the entire block. Welcome donations of furniture also enhanced the efficiency and appearance of the block.

Refurbishment of Jungle Gym

The Sibonile School for visually impaired children is also a self-sufficient boarding school for all 189 learners. It is imperative that extra mural activities are provided for the learners. Jicama 89 identified that the Jungle Gym was in dire need of repair. Once again, through the generosity of our sponsors, Jicama 89 was able to refurbish the entire playground. Under supervision the learners can now again enjoy the playground in the afternoons and weekends.

Consumable Donations

Jicama 89 remains committed to sponsoring & collecting the various consumables & non-perishables that the Sibonile School for visually impaired children require on a day-to-day basis. These include food products, stationary, cleaning materials, maintenance equipment, blankets and clothing to mention a few. The task is on-going and we wish to thank all our sponsors for the generous and valued support we have received to date.

New 72 Bed Girls Hostel

In a heart-warming joint corporate social responsibility initiative, Grinaker-LTD, Jicama 89, Sedibeng Brewery, Eris Property Group and Ilanga Oils handed over a new hostel to Sibonile School.

The limited boarding facilities meant children had to be turned away. The new hostel accommodation will enable the school to open its doors to more visually impaired children - many of whom are currently on a long waiting list. The new girls' hostel comprises a 72-bed dormitory, locker room, bathroom, sick bay and entrance hall. What excites us the most about this project is that it impacts directly on the lives of 72 children, offering them a more hopeful and positive future.

Jicama 89 is committed to actively be involved in the completion of Phase 2 of this dormitory to support the children in the care of the Sibonile School, by means of fund raising in the formal and informal sectors. Another prioirty of Jicama 89 is to help with the interior soft goods for the dormitories.

 

New 200 kVA Backup Gen-Set

The Sibonile School was frequently experiencing power outages and there was a dire need for a back-up generator to be installed at the School. One of our sponsors, ZEST ELECTRIC MOTORS came on board by donating a new 200 kVA Gen-Set to the School. Furthermore, ZEST ELECTRIC MOTORS took care of the installation as well. Jicama89 erected pallisade fencing with restricted access so as to ensure a safe zone to protect the children.