2016
Athletics Day 2016
Evita’s Darlings’ winning team of teachers put on a spectacular day of sports, fun and competition between the 3 pre-primary schools of Darling – Evita’s Darlings, Klouter Kabouter and Darling Pre-Primary.
Blessed with a beautiful sunny April morning, parents were out in full force supporting the budding athletes and even joined in on the Parent Relay!
This day would not have been possible without the support of KK and DPP’s teachers and all the parents!
This being an annual event, one that the teachers of all three schools can be proud of – THANK YOU for your dedication.
CONGRATULATIONS to all!
Rita Uys
RITA UYS, long standing remedial practitioner at The Darling Trust continues the successful preschool literacy program developed by Boston university instructor, Susan Fine, who has roots in Cape Town. Five years ago Susan developed a working relationship with The Darling Trust in Darling, South Africa, and initiated a language literacy program with one instructor and eight children. The program now reaches up to 70 children.
The program strives to provide an atmosphere of supported learning to foster early literacy abilities and self-confidence. Program components include:
- Group storybook reading emphasizing book orientation; story outcome prediction; and novel lexicon, syntax and pragmatics.
- Art, movement and music activities reinforcing early literacy abilities and confidence.
- Literacy-related activities addressing receptive language, expressive language, and early reading and writing skills.
SAJE Music Workshop for The Darling Trust and DMA
May 2016
The Focus Community Hall in Darling resonated with musical bars, scatting, sax ‘lyrics’, drumming rhythms & rhymes – you guessed it, musical fun in the name of Jaaaazz!! On behalf of the DMA (Darling Music for All), the children and their tutors I’d like to thank each of these fine musicians who graciously gave of their time and talent to inspire and enthuse our youth, who were hanging on every note shared!! The Darling Trust and the DMA have a dream of ‘growing’ a Darling orchestra with a difference! If you are interested in helping us make that dream a reality, watch this space as SAJE continues to make moves on the West Coast. We look forward to having them back every year in Darling for continued musical fun and learning!! Thank you Dan Shout for connecting Diane Rossi to The Darling Trust!
(L – R) Victor Rossi from California, Tasha St John-Reid – Operations Manager for The Darling Trust, Diane Rossi – SAJE – South African Association for Jazz Education and Bonnie Rossi from California — in Darling, Western Cape.
Performance/workshop presented by SAJE – South African Association for Jazz Education and Concerts SA for the Darling community kids, Darling Music For All – DMA and The Darling Trust.
#MusicEducation #CapeTownJazzMusicians #ConcertsSA
Madiba Day
18 July 2016
Patheodent visits Evita’s Darlings for Madiba day!! Thank you Tooth Fairy and Bunny for coming all the way from Tamboerskloof for a full day of dental care and awareness.
Toothbrushes, toothpaste and other treats were handed out and more given to take home to brothers and sisters.
The Darling Trust summits Mount Kilimanjaro with Tasha St John Reid, Operations Manager
August 2016
A story of a ‘dream come true’… Climbing Kilimanjaro. With the help of Darling friends and community, I was able to tackle Kilimanjaro thanks to a fundraiser organized by Cathy Clarke. Blessed by such generosity, I felt it only fitting that as Operations Manager, I should walk for The Darling Trust and pledged to summit to raise much needed funds for The Darling Trust programmes! R5,000 was raised for reaching the summit – 5,895m – Thank you abundantly for all your support dear friends, supporters and my beautiful family from across the world! I was part of a formidable and committed team who were my rock and support all the way to the top of Africa – Adri & Hennie Longland and Robert Allcock!
New Africa Books
September 2016
Spring has sprung and our budding learners at Evita’s Darlings love to read. On behalf of our Grade R learners we sincerely thank Dušanka Stojaković for the 60 books donated to our growing library.
As you can see by the faces, this was a great surprise and gratefully received!
To quote Anne and Wendy from Book League ”By giving them books, we give them wings”. Thank you for contributing towards broadening their horizons – a chance to show off what they are learning at Evita’s Darlings and to motivate their parents to take an interest.
On behalf of the Teachers, Trustees and our Patron, Pieter-Dirk Uys, thank you!
Evita’s Darlings enjoying their own library
Thanks to many contributions from our local bookshop, Book League
New Africa Books
The Darling Trust & EPWP Internship
In 2015 the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport approached The Darling Trust, to be the implementing agent for the EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme) Internship.
We were excited to add this to our projects and set it in motion November 2015 with 6 Interns from the Darling community.
This proved to be a very successful and much needed project for our youth. With the voluntary assistance from Kotie Reid (Trustee and Mentor), Riaan Neethling and Terry Marsh from Darling… Joanne Haasbroek, Karin Ralph and Maureen Thelland from Yzerfontein and many Darling residents, we have been able to provide excellent skills to the Interns, preparing them for future employment. Apart from skills development courses, they became involved in all community events, projects and initiatives. We bid them farewell in March 2017 and successful careers ahead.
The Darling Trust Music Outreach Programme
It is with much sadness that we bid Teacher Judy Wood goodbye. Our dedicated music teacher for almost a decade, passed on Sunday evening, 8 Jan 2017. Judy’s passion for teaching and music will be greatly missed by her students and The Darling Trust.
Music students with Judy Wood
The Darling Trust Music Outreach Programme
Last year the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport approached The Darling Trust, to be the implementing agent for the EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme) Internship.
We were excited to add this to our projects and set it in motion November 2015 with 6 Interns from the Darling community, who will be with us till March 2017 and thereafter a new team will be interviewed.
This has proved to be a very successful and much needed project for our youth. With the voluntary assistance from Kotie Reid (Trustee and Mentor), Riaan Neethling and Terry Marsh from Darling… Joanne Haasbroek, Karin Ralph and Maureen Thelland from Yzerfontein and many Darling residents, we have been able to provide excellent skills to the Interns, preparing them for future employment. Their enthusiasm and commitment is encouraging and an asset to The Darling Trust vision.
WHAT IS EPWP: (Expanded Public Works Programme)
FIRST PHASE
Launched April 2004 – created 1.6 million work opportunities
SECOND PHASE
April 2009 – 4.920 million work opportunities
PERIOD – 2014 – 2019
Aiming at creating 6 million work opportunities.
EPWP INFORMATION
TO:
- Offer part-time employment
- Transfer skills through training
- Gain practical experience which may/can lead to job opportunities in the broader job market
- Employability through skills development
- Enhance their opportunities in finding employment once they exit the programme
We are grateful for the opportunity to provide this to our youth in Darling… if residents have the skills and time please contact Operations Manager Tasha St John-Reid…our youth need all the knowledge possible for their future.
Goodbye and best wishes
Interns Merina Wearley, Porscha Snewee and Donika Brittain receiving their graduation certificates on 31 March 2017 from Tasha St.John-Reid/The Darling Trust Operations Manager.
EPWP/The Darling Trust Internship Project 2015/2017:
Interns at the launch of Nobody’s Died Laughing … Award winning Documentary by Pieter-Dirk Uys.
18 months of Internship, we bid our EPWP Interns farewell and wish them success in whichever career they choose.
Dear Mr Uys, The Darling Trust: Trustees, Operations Manager, Financial Officer and Project Leader/Mentor…..
It is the end of our contract with TDT/EPWP Internship programme. We would like to thank the Trust for the many opportunities / exposure to arts and culture, youth and community projects… shadowing, learning and inspiration. The TDT events taught us basic management skills, marketing, public speaking and caring for our community.
Our office space and equipment was amazing, with all the tools available to us in a workplace for general daily office duties ie emails, filing, schedules, HR records, planning, reports and courses. Your Mentorship helped us to solve problems and gave guidance in all aspects of a work and social environment. We were lucky to have many qualified resident volunteers who spoke to us about our personal finances, social media, environmental awareness, HR and personal growth.
Our training courses included leadership camps, life skills, report writing, communication, attitude, confidence, teamwork and office ethics. We are very grateful for the exposure and networking…. we will miss Kotie’s constant emails and many many to-do lists and caring. Antoinette paying us J Anna’s all round support, Tasha’s organised example of how it’s all done and Mr Uys for inspiration !
We were privileged to experience outings to Groote Post, !Khwa ttu and many theatres and Indaba workshops in Cape Town. We assisted Dept Social Development with their workshops and events. Vooruitsig, Darling Primary and Senior Citizens with their athletic events and Ons Nessie during their school holiday programmes …. also after-school care and meals scheme. We enjoyed assisting at the Voorkamerfest, SPCA and our first classical music experience at the DMA concerts.
We recommend that all matriculants should have Skills Development Training, which will certainly improve their employability. We feel confident that we will be an asset to any employer. You will be proud of us! We are very proud of our achievements and grateful for the many experiences.
Thank you and sincere appreciation for your constant guidance, support and training.
Donika Brittain / Merina Wearly / Porscha Sneewe / Jesse-Lee Duffet / Wilton Tango / Bevan Grovers.
‘Darling’s Got Talent’ turns 10
The annual highlight on Darling’s cultural calendar, Darling’s Got Talent celebrated its tenth anniversary this year: on Friday 25th November.
Evita se Perron opened its doors to the 2016 lineup of twenty-eight contestants: singers, dancers, musicians, poets and entertainers filled the stage in a four hour medley of Darling Talent. An exceptional production made possible by The Darling Trust and this year presented by The Darling Trust /EPWP Interns, who truly made the event their own.
So what makes a successful amateur local production? Curtain raiser by Evita’s Darlings Grade R learners and popular rappers the Spoilt Bratz … twenty-eight contestants bursting with latent talent, six Darling Trust /EPWP interns at the helm, two professional make-up artists, an accomplished sound/light engineer and the vivacious MC Omnia Grobler with a backdrop painted by renowned local artist Sandy Esau … pulling it all together. Four weeks to Show night, the Perron became the hub for rehearsals. And so our Darling Talent began the transformation…. assisted by six enthusiastic Interns from the community: who showcased their management and planning skills gained since November 2015.
Show night presented a remarkable blend of Talent – individuality, creativity and innovation. Originality must have been the theme for 2016: original poetry spoken to paintings on canvas, a freestyle song & dance duo who wrote their own song and choreographed their moves, a dance trio moving confidently to the Interns’ own choreography, a song composed by a ten year old and sung with the passion of one twice her age, a splendid Radio Head rendition disguised by a Fish out of Water, our own Christelle’ who thought she may have a tip or two for the judges… all these ranging from 7 to 74 years old. Darling Talent clearly has no limit – a tough task for the 5 judges:
- Hannelie Neethling
- Pieter-Hendrik Longland
- Estelle Maart
- Terry Marsh
- Louise Barends
The Winners
Congratulations to the winners Deslynne McKay & Rowen Abrahams Duo, with runner up Lance Florence, and Ay-Jay Esau close in third place. You are Darling’s Rising Stars – keep shining!
The EPWP Interns received praise from the community, audience and performers, showing they have succeeded in achieving their aim as required by the Trust management -planning and executing a community event which provides residents of all ages an opportunity to express their talent on stage.
Presented by Darling Trust / EPWP interns – Bevan Grovers, Donika Brittain, Jesse-Lee Duffet, Merina Wearley, Porscha Sneewe, Wilton Tango
Applause to the Judges and Darling audience – without your support and generous appreciation this annual show would not go on. And remember… there is only a year between being in the audience and being on stage. See you again next year! Words by Joanne Haasbroek
The Contestants, the backstage wizards & their Talent
EVERYONE went home with a prize thanks to our generous local sponsors
- Deslynne McKay & Rowen Abrahams – song & instrumental duo 1st PRIZE
- Lance Florence – song in costume 2nd PRIZE
- A-jay Esau – song – 3rd PRIZE
Everyone was a winner –
- Adin Lingeveld / Brayden Lawrens / Griffen Lewis / Jaydene Sias (DMA African Drummers)
- Eden, Jaycee-Lee & Meutran – own dance trio
- Ivor Petersen (DMA.. song)
- Jade Rhenier (DMA.. saxophone)
- Joanne Delport – cabaret
- Marjorie Klein – song
- Maruis Vlotman, Andrew Philander & Austin Engelbreght – song & drumming.. own .. DMA
- Matylda Ferreira (Christelle impersonation) & Marjani Jerling – own song & dance
- Megan Dietrich – own song
- Myra van Boven – song
- Ramona Soga – own art & poetry
- Riaan De Peers (DMA… classic guitar)
- Roger Phigeland – song
- Tammy-Lee Sias – song
- Verdean Damon – guitar & song
Backstage wizards
- Make-up: Shirley and Kayla – Darling Beauty
- Sound and light : Stefan Hurter, shadowed by Interns Bevan Grovers and Wilton Tango
- Photos by Paul Darné
Uthando SA in support of ELSIE BALT ART CLASSES (since 2003)
Uthando (Love) South Africa is a unique and innovative Non Profit and Fair Trade in Tourism accredited company. The aim of Uthando is to raise funds for many community development projects in South Africa.
In 2014 James Fernie (Director at Uthando) generously included the Trust in a number of occasions, with contributions to our programmes and projects. Since 2015, Uthando’s regular contributions are the reason our art classes continue to motivate and inspire committed creative and art loving children from the Darling community.
Uthando SA work tirelessly in promoting awareness for visitors from all over the world about the townships and the lives of the people who live there through existing projects addressing mostly emotional, physical, economic and educational needs of the residents.
A reflection on our 2016 classes
Words by: Adri van Aswegen-Janse van Vuuren
Kunsklasse het 19 Januarie 2016 begin. Nuwe kinders het gekom en die kerngroep van 5 leerlinge (van vorige jare) het bestendig voortgegaan. Ons kon deur die loop van die jaar ’n paar uitstappies onderneem:
Die gemeenskaps-inisiatief (Darling Collection) wat in Darling-Noord aangebied was ter viering van die kulturele erfenis, met verskillende uitbeeldings van verskeie narratiewe uit ons eie gemeenskap.
Besoek aan Darling Sweet – met die oog op ’n kunsprojek wat op versoek onderneem is.
Besoek aan IZIKO Nasionale Kunsgalery in Kaapstad: Fokus op uitstalling van Body Maps deur plaaslike mense van Namakwaland.
Besoek aan Breytenbach-sentrum in Wellington: Bywoning van werkswinkel en bywoning van uitstalling: Boekmerke – waaraan verskeie Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars deelgeneem het.
Ons projekte vir die jaar:
Vakansie Narratief: Kombinasie van kreatiewe skryf en uitdrukking gee aan wat die vakansie gedoen is – met die doel om ’n groter bewustheid te skep van wat ons elke dag doen en daaraan betekenis te gee. Oliepastel is gebruik.
Besoek aan Darling Galery: Die galery is aan die einde van verlede jaar besoek. Potloodtekeninge was gemaak, maar ons het nie by die bywerk van kleur uitgekom nie. Die projek is nou voltooi deur gebruikmaking van hoofsaaklik oliepastel. Ander media soos koki’s is ook gebruik. Elkeen is die vryheid gegun om sy unieke stempel op sy werk af te druk.
After the Great Masters: Studie van kunstenaars se werke. Dit is met die blokmetode na-geteken. Dit het konsentrasie bevorder. ’n Nuwe medium op die mark is gebruik vir die byvoeging van kleur. Dit lyk soos ’n tipe oliepastel, maar het ’n waterbasis. Die kryt word eers gebruik – en dan kan daar met water en kwas bo-oor gewerk word om dit ’n besonderse voorkoms te gee.
Uitbeelding van Darling-gemeenskap – op versoek van Darling Sweet:
Darling Sweet het ons genader om kunswerke van die gemeenskap te maak. Die doel is om van die kunswerke te gebruik vir die ontwerp en druk van geskenkpapier vir die toedraai van hulle toffies en ander produkte.
Dit was ’n omvangryke projek wat die beste deel van die tweede kwartaal in beslag geneem het. Die eerste fase het ’n besoek aan Darling Sweet behels. Hulle het potloodtekeninge van Darling Sweet gemaak – wat die eienaars (Fritz en Hentie), die produkte, gebou, interior en tuin ingesluit het. Terug by die klasse is kleur tot die potloodsketse bygevoeg deur gebruikmaking van aqua-kleurpotlode.
Dankie Darling Sweet vir julle Gasvryheid
Die tweede fase van die projek het ’n studie van die gemeenskap behels. Daar is met ’n brain storm-oefening begin deur neer te skryf wat ons alles in die gemeenskap vind. Die kinders kon besluit watter aspekte hulle van die gemeenskap wou uitbeeld. Daar is van multi-media gebruik gemaak. Die kreatiwiteit het gevloei.
Die derde fase het bestaan uit ’n uitstalling van die werke in ons kunslokaal.
Selfportrette: Alle nuweling word gevra om hulself te teken. Hierdie selfportrette wat gewoonlik in oliepastel gedoen word, gee ’n goeie aanduideling van hulle vlak van visuele ontwikkeling, sowel as hulle persoonlikheid en ‘plek’ waar hulle hul bevind.
Hand & foot prints: Afdrukke is van die junior-kinders se hande gemaak. Dit is verder versier. ’n Paar voetafdrukke is ook gemaak. Die fisiese kontak tussen die kinders en die juffrou (wat die verf aan hulle hande en voete verf), is ’n effektiewe manier waarop bonding met die kinders bevorder word.
Studie van emosies: Die kinders is gevra om verskillende emosies weer te gee wat die kunsjuffrou uitgebeeld het: blydskap, hartseer, verbasing, woede, vrees. Potloodtekeninge is gemaak. Van hierdie reeks werke, is sommige gekies om met akriel te verf – en sodoende die proses verder te neem.
Modelstudie van verjaardagseun: Brad Fortuin het ’n portretstudie van Henrico Fortuin gemaak in houtskool – terwyl die hele klas die proses moes dophou.
Body maps: Op grond van die senior kinders se besoek aan die uitstalling van Body Maps by die IZIKO-kunsgalery, het hulle voorwerke gemaak. Dit is egter ’n omvangryke projek wat volgende jaar uitgebrei kan word tot ’n volwaardige projek.
Werkswinkel in portretstudie – collage: Die kunstenaar, Fanie Marais, het ’n werkswinkel vir die kinders aangebied by die Breytenbach-sentrum in Wellington. Die nodige voorbereiding is vooraf deur ons gedoen.
Celebrating Irma Stern: Ter herdendink aan hierdie kunstenaar wat 50 jaar gelede oorlede is, is daar besluit om haar aan die kinders bekend te stel. Haar bekende en aangrypende kunswerk: The Eternal Child is gekies om ‘na te skilder’. Die kunstenaar se lewe, werk en bydrae is eerstens bespreek. Daarna is die betrokke kunswerk bestudeer. Die kinders het ’n potloodtekening gemaak waarna daar met akrielverf begin is. Die kinders is uitgedaag om baie sorgvuldig en gefokus te werk.
Breytenbach-uitstalling: Elk van die kinders kon tydens hulle besoek ’n werk kies waarvan hulle gehou het om na te teken. Dis in potlood gedoen met die idee om dit verder in klas klaar te maak.
Optrede as mentor: Sessies aangebied aan Brad Fortuin – voormalige kunsstudent van The Darling Trust en matrikulant van 2015 wat kuns as vak gehad het. Op ’n stadium was hy onseker oor sy toekomsplanne. Gesprekke is gevoer en hulp is verleen met die opstel van ’n port folio vir ontwerpkuns aan die Kaapse technikon. Begeleiding is ook gegee ter voorbereiding van ’n praktiese keuringsessie.
Brad het ook van ons klasse die jaar bygewoon en per geleentheid gehelp om klasse te fasiliteer. So het hy op ’n keer ’n houtskool-portretstudie van Henrico gedoen, terwyl die res van die klas moes fyn kyk hoe hy die taak aanpak en deurvoer. Die hoop is dat hy keuring sal kry en fondse vind om sy studies voort te sit.
Janice Bruintjies: Daar is met nog een van The Darling Trust se oud-leerlinge kontak gemaak. Sy het deelgeneem aan die Darling Sweet projek, en het ook een van my werkswinkels bygewoon wat elders aangebied was.
Uitstalling van kinders se kunswerke: Chicory Cheese Cafe stal van ons kinders se werke uit. Heelwat werke is al verkoop. Kunswerke is geselekteer waarvan Tasha weer sommige geselekteer het om van kleurafdrukke te maak. Dit word in stelle as plekmatjies verkoop.
Dankie Chicory Cheese Café & Anesia Darné!
Henrico se kuns hang in Darling Sweet: Groot was Henrico en ons verbasing toe hy/ons sien dat een van sy werke van die vorige jaar in die ontvangslokaal hang. Mondelingse erkenning is ook deur Hentie (een van die eienaars) aan Henrico gegee.
Henrico Fortuin en Bradley Witbooi is steeds van die kinders van die kerngroep wat uitgesonder kan word wat die klasse baie getrou week na week bywoon.
Ek het oor die afgelope jare goeie verhouding met hom opgebou en voel trots op hom.
Mackintosh Foundation
Patricia Lord, longtime supporter and contributor of The Darling Trust on behalf of the Mackintosh Foundation and in her own capacity – has been instrumental in bringing the dream of educational programmes and assistance to the community since The Darling Trust’s inception Her last visit was in 2009 when the foundations of our centre were being laid. This year Patricia paid a welcome visit to our educational centre, which is in full swing with 2 classes of 30 Grade R learners each. We were honoured to have Patricia experience a class with our learners. Thank you Patricia and the Mackintosh Foundation for your dedication to our cause and giving us peace of mind that we may always provide the best learning assistance possible!
Patricia Lord and Pieter-Dirk Uys