Rainbow After School Program

Monday, May 30th

The first day of tutoring the children was a really interesting and exhausting time.  The Rainbow After School Program is a program implemented by JL Zwane to help children excel in school.  It provides the children a meal after school and classroom space with a teacher to assist them on homework and teach them new material.  For some of the children it may be there only meal for the day, so getting to be part of the program helps on numerous levels.  The children were very shy at first, as was I.  I began to help a small group of children with a worksheet on telling time.  I realized how much I love the feeling when I explain something and you can see the light bulb in the child’s mind as they continue to work.  It made me realize that at one point in my life I would love to teach a class or coach children.

As the children began to become more comfortable with me, the words began to fly.  My favorite student was a young boy that entertained me most of the remainder of the class time with extremely detailed stories of superheroes.  He was so elaborate and enthusiastic that it became hilarious and made me wonder if he had ADHD at the same time.  He said something while describing his favorite superhero that I thought was telling of the circumstances that he was raised under, “I don’t like him because he fights, I like him the most because he saves people”.  I imagined this little boy sitting in his home, escaping the problems of Guguletu by superheros and smiled.

I continued to see these children throughout the week where they developed a passion for taking pictures of themselves on my digital camera and would greet me by screaming, “ALEX” and a huge hug.  These kids were amazing and I wish I had more time to spend time with them.