The Karoo is about community and locals who have been born and bread here attest to a life of community interdependence which characterises daily life in the Karoo.
Life in the Karoo is tough. Drought, poverty, scarcity and depletion characterise daily life for many people who have no alternative but to stay here and call the Karoo home. Interwoven into the basic Karoo lifestyle is the need and willingness to help those around you. The Karoo circle of life is such that tomorrow you might be the one needing the help.
The Cape Leopard Trust’s (CLT) Environmental Education and Outreach Programme recently acquired a 
grant from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) for urgently needed hiking boots for children attending camps and hikes. Children who participate in the Cederberg enviro-clubs and camps are from underprivileged homes with little resources. Many of these children have only one pair of shoes, which are usually the wrong kind of shoes to be worn for exploring in the mountains. Responding to this need, the NLDTF provided the funding for a supply of appropriate shoes for use during CLT activities. Children from the Dwarsrivier School in the Cederberg were thrilled to be the first to try out the new shoes. It was very gratifying seeing them better prepared for the tough Cederberg terrain and consequently the children were able to focus more on the environment rather than on sore feet and blisters. Visit http://www.capeleopard.org.za for more info.
The St. Luigi Scrosoppi day care centre situated in Oudtshoorn is run by the Catholic Church and provides a safe haven for kids to just be themselves and enjoy the guidance and love from a few caring locals and travellers. The St. Luigi Scrosoppi
“Sorgsentrum” or Care Centre is a multiphase project encompassing many aspects of care and pastoral work in our local community. It is a refuge where disadvantaged children and youth can come to play, learn, and receive proper nutrition and healthcare in a safe and secure environment. At the St. Luigi Scrosoppi “Sorgsentrum” we offer children a haven from the world in which they live so that they can grow up believing that beauty and goodness can outstrip the harshness of their daily lives. At the Centre the child comes first – a child who has discovered his talents, skills, strengths and weaknesses is encouraged to grow with or despite these. The Centre’s sole purpose and direction is the enhancement and empowerment of children and youth. Every decision they make at the Centre is for the good of the children and the community in which they live.
Although the project is still in its infancy they have already seen a real difference in the lives of many of the children who come to the Centre daily. Since July 2007, hundreds of children (aged 13 months to 13) come to the Centre in the afternoons each day. The Centre feeds them, prays with them, plays, teaches, acts, draws, sings, knits, runs, skips, laughs, and builds puzzles and all those wonderful activities children thrive on. For more info on The St. Luigi Scrosoppi “Sorgsentrum” or Care Centre visit http://www.volunteeringsouthafrica.co.za
De Zeekoegat Primary School is located 7km outside of Oudtshoorn on the Mosselbay Road (R328). De Zeekoegat
Primary School has been open since 1938. Due to the ever increasing learner numbers at the school and the poor condition of the current building, the community have expressed a great desire for a new school to be built.
Turning their dreams and wishes into goals, the project was born. Despite it being a very big dream, the community believes that through concerted efforts from all parties concerned they will achieve all of their goals and see the completion of the new school. Safari Ostrich Show Farm, De Zeekoegat Guesthouse and Farm, and Welgeluk Farm are all custodians of the project. De Zeekoe Guesthouse in conjunction with Meerkat Magic will expose their guests to the project. De Zeekoe in particular will be introducing guests to the project via their brochures, CD and Website and by providing information on the project in all their rooms which total 15 at present.
Their conference centre will also have a display of the project for all guests to see and will be constantly updated as the project proceeds. Although their main focus at this stage is the fund raising for the new school they also do appeal to individuals and companies who can’t assist financially, to assist in the form of books, crayons, pens, dry food stuffs and items of that nature. For more info on the De Zeekoegat Primary School project please visit: http://www.zeekoegatschoolproject.org.za
More reading: Eastern Times, Breadline Africa, Catholic Tide, Africa Report
