Written by Ted Horton
On behalf of Hanne and everyone at HHFL, I would like to wish you all a very happy new year! The December school break that brought all the kids home to the project has come and gone and the kids are now largely sorted and back in school. It was an extremely busy month and now that we’ve settled somewhat into our 2012 rhythm, we’d love to share with you what we’ve been up to. Here is a snapshop of some recent activities:
Christmas Pageant/Musical
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The Christmas pageant /musical that Hanne produced and directed with the help of our art, music and drama teachers and a cast of 130+ kids was a big hit. All the costumes and props were made from scratch. Definitely a kaleidoscope of color and a sight to behold. Equally important—it was performed without a hitch to the delight of all on December 23rd!! We filmed the whole production with the help of a local videographer so stay tuned for the video, which will be available online shortly.
Boxing Day Lunch
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Thanks to the generosity of one of our faithful supporters, our hostel kids were treated to a Boxing Day lunch at a local venue again this year. Good food, great fun and entertainment! Hanne and I always enjoy this event very much – it’s heart warming to see the children having such fun.
Back to school activities
We have been really busy sorting the kids’ schooling. Interviewing all the primary and secondary school kids, with their report cards in hand, took a lot of time but proved to be very worthwhile. A few of the older students are really struggling and it’s time to change gears to vocational training –it’s a better solution for them, rather than continuing to struggle with formal education. Most of our high school kids are performing well but can still improve—high marks will give them the best chance at post secondary education. One on ones also gave Hanne and I the opportunity to impart a few words of wisdom and encouragement. We still have a couple of schools to visit this week. We find that face to face meetings make a difference.
Saturday Morning Program
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Our first Saturday morning program in 2012 was busy with Art, Drama and Computers. The Christmas pageant costumes now provide a very colorful backdrop in the dining area.
Wishing you all a terrific 2012. Ted
