Parkwood resident Alletta Frans has taken it upon herself to enrich children’s lives through reading.
Ms Frans lays out her tables, chairs, books and toys out on an open piece of field in Acacia Road in Parkwood every afternoon where she helps school children as well as school drop-outs with reading.
With the aim of reducing the number of children who drop out of school, the former foundation phase teacher started this initiative five years ago when she retired.
“I asked a principal what is the cause of the drop-outs and one of the main reasons was because children couldn’t read and they were failing and that’s when I started the reading club,”she said.
About 80 to 90 children come around to the set-up opposite her home every day and she also has reading classes at Montagu’s Gift Primary and Grassy Park High schools.
“I want to keep the children off the streets and away from drugs and gangsterism and other social ills so I decided on the outside classroom so that all the children in the community will be able to read and hopefully empower them to make better decisions,” said Ms Frans.
The children also receive a meal, depending on donations from the community.
Anyone willing to help Ms Frans improve her outside classroom can do so by donating books, stationery, educational toys, gazebos and other equipment to help the children.
For more information contact her on 073 443 3920.