Winter fires
A winter’s day at Pulane Children’s Centre starts with the housemother and father waking-up well before sunrise to start heating pots of water, get fires going, and food cooking. The children then start making their way out of their beds, which they often share to stay warmer. The mornings are spent huddled around the fires. Finally, the long shadows from the trees and mountains around Pulane start receding as the sun breaks through and the day finally begins.
Winter in Lesotho is always a time when things slow down. The schools take a long vacation and some children spend time with relatives in their home villages, as the cold slows life down a notch.
Bokang and Mankoebe graduate from Bethel vocational school
The vocational school ends its year in June, and this year we had 2 children who graduated. We are always proud to see them work through the course and come out on the other side with skills that will serve them well on the road ahead.
Ntate Khosana at his graduation
We also had a staff member, Ntate Khosana, who graduated from his year long course in office administration. He worked so hard over the last year, spending most Saturdays traveling to Quthing (2 hours away) for class. We are so proud of his enthusiasm and commitment to learning. Well done Ntate!
The majority of our PCC children have always lived in the villages around PCC, or at the Centre. Not many of them get the chance to travel to see bigger towns or cities. When they do, it’s always a fun experience. In June, 2 children travelled to Maseru with our manager, Ntate Hlompho, to see a specialist doctor. They had a great time visiting the big city, seeing a shopping mall (riding the elevator was the best!) and eating at a family restaurant. We are very privileged to be able to get our children the care that they need. Many people in rural villages have to accept only what they have close to home.
Check out our website to help with the winter fundraiser
The winter fundraiser has been running since early June. Our goal is to get every child sponsored with winter clothes. We always need new jackets and blankets, and this usually comes to about $60 per child. On our website, we have made it possible for individuals to support specific children. So far we have about 25 children supported, and would love help increasing that number all the way to 73. If you are not able to support one personally, please consider sending the info to friends who might be willing to help. Lastly, we have recently added a smaller donation of $10 for a bag of anthracite, which is the fuel used at PCC for heating. One bag of anthracite keeps our kids and staff warm for 2 days. If are able to help us in any way, all details can be found on our website.
As winter days wind down at the Centre, one of the best activities is to bring out the big speaker and spend the afternoon dancing and singing. Too early in the winter afternoons the sun sinks away, the fires start up again, and the cold evenings begin. A nice hot dinner certainly helps to warm everyone up, and not long after eating, the beds fill up with children wrapped snugly in blankets.
Thank you for helping us keep these children warm, well-fed and loved. If you ever want more info on PCC and what we do, feel free to get in touch with the links below.