Mitchell’s Plain primary school pupils participated in the fifth annual spelling bee competition, hosted by Hillsong Africa Foundation, at their church in Century City on Wednesday August 15.
More than 80 pupils from 14 schools in different areas, including Mitchell’s Plain, Gugulethu and Joe Slovo competed.
The non-profit foundation hopes that the competition will develop pupils’ spelling skills and improve their vocabulary.
The competition forms part of the foundation’s Read initiative, a project that focuses on establishing partnerships with primary schools in high need of literacy advancement.
Tafelsig Primary School principal Arthur Abrahams said the atmosphere before and after the competition is proof of its “positive impact on competitors”.
“It certainly has contributed to positive self-esteem and dignity. Such interventions and opportunities make a real difference in the lives of the many learners we serve,” he said.
The foundation born out of the charity arm of Hillsong Church in Cape Town, began with a group of volunteers who wanted to help the poorest of their communities by providing for their basic needs like food and shelter.
In time the extensive community needs far outweighed the funding capacity of the global Christian church, affiliated with the Australian Christian Churches (the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God), church and the separate foundation was established in 2009.