About the Afternoon Angels:

 

In 2018, Ikamva Labantu joined forces with a group of 56 women to provide afterschool care to hundreds of children. These women have created a community initiative called Afternoon Angels.

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Schools in Cape Town’s townships lack extracurricular activities and aftercare facilities. As a result, when school is done for the day, children are often left to roam and play in the streets unsupervised while they wait for their parents to return from work. The Afternoon Angels programme is a community response to this issue and aims to keep schoolchildren safe and off the streets once school has ended.

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The women in the group have opened their homes to local children to provide a place of safety where they can receive a nutritious meal, emotional support, and a safe space to play in the afternoons. They often use money from their own pension or foster grants to buy food for the children.

 

This initiative helps to keep children away from the dangers of crime, gangsterism and substance abuse that they may otherwise be exposed to on the streets. South Africa’s children are dropping out of school at an alarming rate due to these social ills, resulting in a high school graduation rate as low as 40%. This problem is particularly prevalent in the volatile township communities where Ikamva Labantu works.

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The Afternoon Angels programme is a preventative measure that gives children the opportunity to complete schooling, progress further in education and create a better future for themselves and their families. Children in the programme are supported and encouraged to do their best and to stay in school.

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