Over 50 laaities from Hanover Park celebrated Christmas at a children’s day held at the local civic centre on Wednesday.
Fatima Swartz, founder of the Hanover Park Children Development Organisation, said: “This is the third party for the children and it was just a nice way for them to end the year off.
“During the year, the children come to the civic centre on Wednesdays for different lessons and activities like dancing, life skills and other things.”
At the children’s day, the kids were each treated to a party packet and a small meal.
The kids got to show off the skills they learnt from the dance classes they took part in during the year.
Fatima said the sweets for the party packets were donated by members of the public, while the activities were arranged by senior members of the organisation.
The 61-year-old activist says she started the organisation in 2019 following the murder of 19-year-old student Uyinene Mrwetyana, as a way to keep the children of Hanover Park safe.
“We started out with 10 children and now we have over 40 juniors (ages 6 to 17) and a group of seniors for a total group of over 50 kids.
“Covid has made it hard for us to have our classes but we have worked through it because these children really do enjoy being here.
The number one thing we teach is discipline because without that, they will not be able to take in anything else.
“At the moment it is just me and another volunteer who is teaching the kids but we are getting more of the seniors to come and help out so hopefully, we will have a lot more teachers so that we can have more children.”
junior.bester@inl.co.za