By Fouzia van der Fort
Parents and their children were grateful for the skills learned during a family strengthening course.
They attended workshops together over a period of nine weeks and participated in activities hosted by the City of Cape Town’s social development and early childhood development directorate at Woodville Primary School.
They received certificates during a special ceremony at the Woodlands school on Thursday October 28.
Colorado Park mother of five, Mareldia Baradien, 44, said the weekly meetings had helped her get up in the morning.
“Every morning it was a fight to get the children ready for school,” she said, adding that her children would remind her of what “aunty Mary said”, referring to one of the facilitators.
She said at the start of the programme she had had a lot of stress but it had been reduced.
She was grateful for the opportunity to get to know her children better.
Councillor for Ward 75 Joan Woodman said the first week she dropped Ms Baradien and her children at the school, one of her son’s had run back home.
She said on completion of the course, the vibe was different and that it was the start of something new.
Another mother, who did not want to be identified in the paper, said that her child had challenges but during the programme they learned to do many activities together.
The children were told to stop, think and find something else to do,
City social development and early childhood development head of department Moefeeda Salie-Kagee thanked the parents for participating in the programme.
“Thank you for letting us into your lives and being vulnerable with us, as we grow together, strengthening families,” she said.