Gallery
Brighter Futures Management Team and children
Wendy Ramathe the Headteacher, Mrs Kwatsha and a senior teacher
Children playing
Brighter Futures now helps the community
The school continues to serve not only as a safe haven for young children but as a greater community centre where basic weaving, sewing and beading classes are held for adults and parents in an attempt to equip them with the skills to help them earn an income. The school is presently working on a small contract of beadwork for a local shoe manufacturer. An unused classroom serves as a weaving room where Mohair blankets and Capes are being woven. These items are truly quite beautiful and have proved popular with the passing tourist trade and even up market boutiques as far a field as Johannesburg. Wendy, the head teacher, continues to encourage tour operators to bring tourists to the school to meet the children and buy the crafts.
Gladys making flowers
Bags and beanies
Beadwork
Beadwork
ABSA Capital visit
There was much excitement at the school recently as Gavin Opperman, a senior executive from ABSA Bank, visited the school and was warmly welcomed by traditional dancers and all the children sporting red ABSA t-shirts. The Bank has committed to do some alterations to the school building and will be providing computers and training for all the teaching staff. This is a huge investment not only in the school itself but also in the greater community which U Bumbano has worked so hard at achieving.
Traditional dancers
Children in their red ABSA t-shirts
A visit to Homeleigh Farm and Marine World
The children have enjoyed a number of educational outings, including Homeleigh Farm and Marine World. The highlight as always is the dolphin show and most children return to school with big grins on their faces and a little damp from the spray of the enthusiastic dolphins.
Ostriches!
U Bumbano School and the Red Location
Their present, fairly limited cooking facilities which we hope to improve with sponsorship. An illustration of one of the dwellings that up to 12 people live in.
The real tragedy is not just the little faces that we see on this screen, but the faces of those that were not able to be accommodated due to insufficient food and funding to support the entire community. What drives us is the determination to find the funding to open the doors to every child who has a need.
Ubumbano school
Ubumbano - old playground
Kindly donated toilets
Rudimentary cooking facilities
Kindly donated new playground
Old playground
Ubumbano school
Ubumbano - old playground
Homes in the Red Location
Homes in the Red Location
Brighter Futures South Africa was registered as a charity by the Charity Commission for England and Wales on the 6th May 2004 - Registered Charity No.1103629. We are also recognised by the Inland Revenue as a charity for tax purposes - reference number XR78448.