A Miss Heritage Northern Cape finalist recently visited a city preschool as part of launching her Philanthropy through Early Childhood Development campaign, where she handed out stationery packs in an effort to help prepare the young ones for their 2023 school year.
A MISS Heritage Northern Cape finalist, Palmira Anifana Obadias, recently visited Busy Bee Pre-School as part of launching her Philanthropy through Early Childhood Development (ECD) campaign, where she handed out stationery packs in an effort to help prepare the young ones for their 2023 school year.
The initiative, which was held under the tagline “Invest in a child’s early development and sparkle Luz e Amor to their future”, was held in partnership with the Palmira Anifana Foundation and the Palmira Anifana Academy.
The programme saw 31 learners, who are preparing for grades R and 1, benefit from the educational packages.
Five learners will be going to Grade 1 next year, while 26 will be heading to Grade R.
Obadias pointed out that making a significant contribution in the early school years of a child’s life is the best investment towards their successful future.
“Hence I started this initiative, as ECD plays a major role in teaching children the skills necessary to take them through life. In doing so, I will make an impact in the success of quality early childhood education. Additionally, I will contribute to a lifelong love for learning,” said Obadias.
She explained further that the Philanthropy through ECD initiative focuses on collecting stationery for preschoolers in preparation for their first year as first graders at “big school”.
“The aim of the initiative is to provide ECD centres and foundation phase schools with resources that will equip the learners throughout their school life, for I believe that education should be a right not a privilege.”
The 26-year-old finalist is a two-time nominee actress, model coach, pageant director and mentor.
Obadias is also a TV presenter and host, a fitness coach and a brand strategist.
The stationery packs she collected and handed out included one exercise book feint and margin, one box of wax crayons, one pencil sharpener, one eraser and one pencil.
Obadias explained that she saw the need to intervene and help the learners prepare for their school year due to many parents tending to get overwhelmed during this period.
She interacted with the learners, whom she had eating out of the palm of her hand.
She was flanked by two Grade 9 ambassadors from St Boniface High School – Theodore Modise and Remofilwe Duiker.
She said the programme has the potential of motivating the learners to love learning and to grow, regardless of their different backgrounds.
She highlighted that childhood memories should be able to motivate a person to go back to their childhood memories and pass on their knowledge in order to make a difference.
Through the initiative, she hopes Busy Bee children will grow up to make a difference in the lives of those who come after them.
Obadias expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome displayed by the staff and the learners of Busy Bee.
She said that everyone has been “beautiful and loving” towards her from the moment she pitched the idea.
She further directed her gratitude to her ambassadors, Modise and Duiker, whom she said continued to motivate her by cheering for her.
She said she chose Busy Bee because she has seen and observed the efforts the staff put in in order to see the child learning and doing better. She said she hopes to expand the programme.
“I would wish to choose more centres in future to equip them with free skills. I am a very big advocate that ECD can make a significant contribution in every child’s life and is also a best-investment towards their future.”
The principal of Busy Bee, Winnie Malinga, expressed her appreciation to see children returning to their roots and ploughing back into the community.
“I am so grateful that she chose us to host this beautiful event and interact with the children. The children enjoyed themselves so much that they did not want her to leave,” said Malinga.
