WHO IS KUIERKIDZ? WIE IS KUIERKIDZ?

KUIERKIDZ LEARNING CENTER
HARTBEESPOORT
STIMULATION CENTER FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE BRAIN DISABILITIES.
Address: Dr. Kolbe lane 50, Meerhof, Hartbeespoort
(Next to Meerhof School)
Po Box 834, Hartbeespoort 0260.
Tel/fax: 012-2591683. Cell number 082 772 4288
Email address: admin@kuierkerk.co.za

NPO NUMBER: 083-526

BANKING DETAILS:

Kuierkerk, ABSA Hartbeespoort,

Cheque account nr. 406 7177 824 (code: 630 267).
Reference: Attention: Kuierkidz!

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WHO ARE WE?

Our learning center is a non-profitable organization that empowers children living with severe disabilities, to reach their utmost capabilities and be accepted into society in whatever way possible so that they too can live a meaningful life. We started the center two years ago with the help of the community on a piece of land that was given to us on a permanent basis (by the Meerhof School, a government based school for physically disabled children.)
We started with 3 children and grew to 6 within six months. We now have 8 children attending the school. We are open to children of all cultures and we know the need is great out there. We also have to educate parents in our area in order for them to bring their kids to the center, because people of some cultures do not believe in sending these children to school. They would rather leave them at home; unattended or in the care of an elderly relative who cannot tend to their social, educational or personal needs. Children attending our center have a variety of brain disabilities. There are those with different syndromes and others who sustained brain injuries because of an accident, birth defects or due to illness.
South Africa, being a developing country, is far behind in this process of incorporating these individuals into schools and society, due to social, monetary and educational constraints. We are faced with unique challenges in the South African context; we need to work harder to create equal opportunities for individuals with developmental, physical and learning disabilities. In more developed countries, the government has enough funding to look after their vulnerable citizens.
Because of the lack of schools for the severely disabled, we as parents started the Kuierkidz learning center in Hartbeespoort. We do not receive any government funding and have to carry all costs of teachers, equipment, therapy and excursions by ourselves.
The Meerhof School only caters for physically disabled kids. Children who are not fit to attend there need to come to us for schooling but because we are a private school these kids might not financially be able to attend our center. Our monthly school fee is R1200 per child (in a group class) but our actual cost per child to keep the school going is R3000-R4000 per child. We, as parents, have to raise these funds ourselves. Some of these children need an additional assistant/facilitator to help them to cope with all the school tasks, because they are severely handicapped and can’t cope on their own. An assistant is an added R2500 per month (minimum salary) which many parents can’t pay. We need to raise those funds as well along with running costs each month like electricity, telephone, garden services, etc.
We drew up a wish list of all the school’s basic needs and you are welcome to look at it and see where you may be able to assist us. Our greatest need is another mobile classroom like the one we have at the moment. I will attach a quote of the specifics. We need it for one-to-one tutoring because these children can’t pay attention in a class situation and needed to be tutored alone. Other needs we have:
OUR WISHLIST:
1 x prefabricated classroom (5x10m) fit with the basics R210 00.00
(For therapy room and office)
3 x kids (R950 each p/month) to attend R2850.00 (per month)
1 x assistant (facilitator) x R2500 per month R2500.00 (per month)
(2 or more kids can share a good assistant)
One television set with DVD player R6 000.00
(For educational programs)

Computer, copier, fax and printer R12 000.00

Software for kids with special needs R2000.00 (e.g. Big Boet! 5 sets x R400 each)

Boardmaker software and training R3500.00
(Developed for communication with brain injured children)

Steel closet/container for officeRadio/CD player R650.00
Kitchen unit (three door closet)

Classroom chairs (x10). R200 each R2000.00

Hanging chairs (R2000 each) R4000.00
(Therapy)

Thank you very much for taking time to learn about our center. Any help whatsoever will be much appreciated.

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WIE IS ONS?

KUIERKIDZ LEERSENTRUM
Die Kuierkidz Leersentrum, ‘n nie-winsgewende opleidingsentrum vir breingestremde kinders, het Augustus 08 sy deure geopen en die reaksie en hulp van die Hartbeespoort inwoners het alle verwagtinge oortref. Die sentrum is begin nadat die predikant van die Kuierkerk/NG kerk, ds. Anton van Zyl, genader is deur ouers van Hartbeespoort wie se gestremde kinders Brits of Pretoria toe moes ry vir gepaste skole. Anton, wie se eie seun, Sean-Jacques (17), breingestremd is sedert 'n jong ouderdom, het saam met die ouers dadelik begin met die sentrum se beplanning. En sedertdien kyk hulle nie terug nie.

Die sentrum neem kinders in met ‘n wye verskeidenheid verskillende kondisies soos outisme, down-sindroom lyers, asook ander tipe breingestremdhede. Die gedagte is dat die kinders voordeel kan geniet van stimulasie van al hul sintuie maar veral van sosialisering met maatjies wat hulle verstaan, aangesien daar nie eintlik sulke skole bestaan wat kinders bedien met erg breingestremdhede nie. Elke kind het 'n fassiliteerder wat persoonlike aandag en terapie gee sodat kinders hul maksimum potensiaal kan bereik. Anton sê dat die plan ook EENDAG is om kinders wat klaarmaak met Meerhofskool en sukkel om elders werk of opleiding te kry, te akkommodeer met werk en opleiding as ons fasiliteite en fondse dit toelaat. Daar is 'n groot behoefte vir so 'n opleidingsentrum.

Ons het reeds ‘n assistent aangestel uit Meerhofskool wat wonderlike werk lewer. Hierdie gaan nog eendag 'n opleidingsentrum word vir alle ouderdomme. Die belangrikste rede daarvoor is dat die kinders hul menswaardigheid moet behou en voel hul beteken iets en bereik iets in die lewe, te midde van vriende wat verstaan, sê hy. Die sentrum word ook deur die ouers self gedryf en ekstra fondse wat nodig is vir maandelikse salarisse en lopende kostes, moet privaat ingesamel word, aangesien die ouers nie al die onkostes kan dra nie.
Die skool het in ‘n huis in Ifafi begin en kon begin 2009 trek na ‘n perseel wat Meerhofskool goedgunstiglik op ‘n langtermynbasis aan hul beskikbaar gestel het. ‘n Myngroep en individue het begin help met toerusting en ook tydelike geboue en gras. Die leersentrum gaan juis nie een spesifieke terapieprogram aanbied nie, maar 'n verkeidenheid van programme volg. Die rede is omdat 'n outistiese kind byvoorbeeld meer voordeel gaan trek uit een program en 'n kind met 'n ander soort breingestremdheid gaan beter aard met 'n ander program. ‘n Paar kinders is tans besig met die sogenaamde SNAP (Special needs adapted program) wat baie klem lê op individuele terapie. Ons hooffassiliteerder in die verband is Neleta Visser van Pretoria. Die koste vir ‘n kind per maand om sodanige individuele terapie te ontvang beloop R2000 wat die skool in staat stel om ‘n assistent vir die kind beskikbaar te stel.
Daar is heelwat kinders wat nie die skoolgeld of private terapeute kan bekostig nie en daarom is ons skool altyd opsoek na borge of donasies om die kinders voldoende te kan help. Die Kuierkidz leersentrum is ‘n nie-winsgewende organisasie wat poog om kinders met ernstige breinbeserings ‘n voller lewe te gee deur hulle basiese lewenstake aan te leer. Ons waardeer enige bydrae of donasies om ons maandelikse onkostes te dek.
Ons is tans dringend op soek na borge van R2500 per maand wat sal dien as skoolgeld vir brein-gestremde kinders wie se ouers nie die skoolgeld kan bekostig nie, en wat die kinders andersins tuis los onder toesig van 'n bediende. Hier kry hul geen terapie, sosialisering of ontwikkeling nie.
Help asseblief on 'n breingestremde kindjie se lewe aan te raak.