The Bloemfontein non-profit organisation known as Headstart Kids are set to continue the second day of their Youth Week Activation Programme on Thursday.

Founder of the organisation, Lily Geerdts, says today's programme will involve delivering Milk Formula to the Universitas Hospital, as well as paying a visit to the Bloemfontein Carel du Toit Centre for kids with special needs, together with Cheetahs rugby players. Geerdts says during their visits they will deliver Lego toys and says she believes the well-being of a child is impacted by the quality of food they are provided with, especially with milk formula. She further says the reality of food shortage is real and every little effort makes a huge impact.

“What’s amazing is that we actually don’t realise the impact of learning through play, touching little bricks and counting the primary colours. For us it’s exciting to work alongside partners such as Care for Education in order to have a holistic approach to get children well-rounded and ready before they step into the classroom,” Geerdts says.

Best Food options are donating these milk formulas to Headstart Kids and it will be feeding 594 babies in total from the MD Foundation, Universitas Hospital, Lebone Village, Child Welfare Bloemfontein, and Helpende Hand.

OFM News previously reported on Geerds, who says the purpose of youth week is to see where they can go the extra mile for upcoming youth, in order to support them in a way that can create a future generation of young people that can rise and be leaders. "Headstart Kids' core focus is to work with children in the first five years in order to overturn malnourishment that sits hand in hand with inefficiency, which impacts stunting of the brain, hearing, and eyesight," Geerds says.

Headstart Kids se Jeugweek kom tot 'n einde

'n Bloemfonteinse nie-winsgewinde organisasie, beter bekend as Headstart Kids, het vandeesweek hul Jeugweek-aktiveringsprogram suksesvol in werking gestel.

Die organisasie het Woensdag en Donderdag, met die hulp van ander belanghebbendes, die ekstra myl vir die jeug gestap deur Lego-speelgoed, brood en babamelkformule aan verskeie hospitale, kinderhuise en 'n skool vir kinders met spesiale behoeftes te skenk. 

Die stigter van die organisasie, Lily Geerdts, sê wat mense nie dikwels besef nie, is die impak van leer deur speel, om met klein blokkies te speel en die primêre kleure te tel. Geerdts sê die doel van die Jeugweek was om te sien hoe hulle die ekstra myl vir jongmense kan loop, om hulle te ondersteun op 'n manier wat 'n toekomstige generasie jongmense kan skep wat kan uitstyg en leiers kan wees. 

Die heelagter van die Cheetahs-rugbyspan, Clayton Blommetjies, vertel aan OFM-nuus dat die tye van vandag baie moeilik is, so vir die span om saam met Headstart Kids te werk vir iets so eenvoudig soos 'n brood op 'n kind se tafel, was 'n uitstekende gevoel. Blommetjies voeg verder by dat die kinders wat hulle gesien het, 'n stryd voer waarvan nie baie mense weet nie. So vir hulle om deel van die jeugweek te wees, was 'n eer. 

“Dit was 'n voorreg om deel te kon wees van Headstart Kids se Jeugweek, en dit is vir ons ‘n goeie gebaar om daar te kon wees en te sien hoe die kinders lewe en waar hulle is met hul lewens. So vir ons is dit regtigwaar net 'n eer om saam met die Headstart Kids die inisiatief aan te vat om brood en Lego te gaan uitdeel,” sê Blommetjies.

Blommetjies sê die Cheetahs stel baie belang in jong mense, en die tye waarin ons vandag lewe, is baie moeilik. 

Geerdts sê dit is opwindend om saam met vennote soos Care for Education te werk en 'n holistiese benadering te hê om kinders afgerond en gereed te kry voordat hulle in die klaskamer instap.