The Waterberg Trust provides the salary for Sister Grace, a school nurse working in the schools of the Waterberg with the aim of giving young people the best possible start in life, safe-guarding their health and welfare.

If you would like to support Sister Grace’s important work in schools, provide an award or sponsor a promising pupil, please let us know in the Comments below or contact TWT direct. You can find the address along with ways of how to donate in this website here.

Sister Grace says, “My office is still based at Meetshehla Secondary School and I visit other schools once per week as planned on my roster. These are Leseding High School, Mokolo & Mahlasedi Primary Schools.”

Schools reopened on the 12^th April and lessons continued until 22nd June 2023 with no major problems. As you can see from the photo above, the Department of Health conducted a TB awareness campaign in primary and high schools, educating learners on how TB is transmitted, the preventive measures and treatment regimens.

An out break of mumps, chickenpox and measles was noticed at the two primary schools, however, the local Government Clinic rolled out a vaccination campaign in all the surrounding schools and vaccinated children from the age of 5–15 years with a measles vaccine after getting consent from parents.

LEARNERS FROM MEETSETSHEHLA HIGH SCHOOL WHO RECEIVED A MEASLES VACCINE

PROGRESS:

• All Learners from High Schools are kept at school for longer hours including Sundays to ensure they are well prepared for exams and kept busy. This initiative was implemented in order to improve exam pass rates in surrounding schools as most learners don’t study nor submit their work as expected.
• Mid-term exams went well in all schools and matriculants were motivated and prepared on various ways of performing well in final exams.
• Meetsetshehla School learners were provided with buses to transport them to and from school during this winter season to help those living far away to get to school on time.
•   Maintenance of classrooms are taking place at Metsetshehla School, repairing of broken doors & windows, replacing electrical bulbs, fans and flooring.
• Learners were occupied with various sporting activities to keep them physically fit and able to socialize. They competed with local schools and those who did well moved to the district level competitions in soccer, netball, chess and volleyball.

CHALLENGES:

• Meetsetshehla High School had no water for 3 weeks due to not paying for water.
• Inadequate toilets to accommodate 568 learners who spent the whole day at school i.e. only 6 portable toilets which aren’t in good condition and can pose a health risk.
• Pregnant teenage mums are easily tired and lose concentration in class.
• Some learners are depressed due to social issues, relationship breakups and dysfunctional family histories. Some take antidepressants and attend counseling.
• Undisciplined learners are a bad influence and abscond from classes during breaks.

 Sister Grace monitors the well-being of newborn babies.

BABIES BORN TO GRADE 10 AND 12 TEENAGE MOMS IN MAY 2023

I PROVIDED DONATED BABY CLOTHES, KNITTED BLANKETS AND SANITARY PADS

FUTURE PLANS:

• To support girls with free sanitary pads distribution so they don’t miss classes due to menstrual issues.
• To ensure each school has a vegetable garden to supplement the feeding scheme.
• To revive school debating, drama, spelling and reading clubs to help learners handle complex grammar and improve their English .
• To engage learners in various sporting activities to keep them off the streets and enable them to compete with other schools in the community. A sports person has been appointed by the Department of Education to engage with learners in various activities.

STATISTICS: TOTAL NUMBER OF LEARNERS SEEN INDIVIDUALLY 175

• PREGNANT – 10 (5 Meetstshehla & 5 Leseding .Four of them delivered babies and are doing well.
• MEDICAL ISSUES 20 (asthma, depression, epilepsy, mumps & chicken pox, ear & dental infection, migraine)
• SOCIAL PROBLEMS – 35 (Poor family support, poverty, poor living condition, gender-based violence, bullying etc.)
• MINOR AILMENTS – 45 (Menstruation, sports injury, headaches, common colds, menstrual pain)
• REFERRAL FOR CONTRACEPTIVES – 40 (girls between ages of 13 – 17 were referred to the Local Clinic for contraceptives )
• ADHERENCE COUNSELING – 25 (To learners on chronic medication for HIV, Epilepsy, antidepressants and antipsychotics)

Other learners were seen in their classes for various learning support and health talks.

Schools will be closed from 23rd June – 18th July for the winter break but Grade 9 – 12 pupils will attend extra classes during holidays.

If you would like to support Sister Grace’s work in schools, provide an award or sponsor a promising pupil, please let us know in the Comments below or contact TWT direct. You can find the address along with ways of how to donate in this website here.

Compiled By: Grace