Helping to uplift children

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Mossel Bay Music and Drill Academy was started at Diaz Primary School by respected member of the community, Josie Domingo.

It moved to Erika Primary School, because renovations were taking place at Diaz Primary.

"Then, unfortunately, we had to end our activities because of the lockdown," Josie says. "The children's health was more important than the music. We catered for Grade 1 to Grade 5 learners.

"The idea is to have a music and drill academy at every school, so if the school has a function, the orchestra and drill squad can perform there."

Josie says: "When we started at Erika, we had 105 children. We continued and then it was 85, and later 55. In the end we had 28."

These were the die-hards that had the discipline and commitment to continue. Josie is not worried that the numbers dwindled because in the end he had a core group of children whose hearts were truly committed to the project. He says: "It is all about discipline and respect. We want to strengthen the arms of the teachers. We want to help them to have better classroom circumstances."

Josie's initiative was also supported by the Da Gamaskop Cluster of the police.

"We are not yet up and going again after the lockdown. I need to go to the schools. But, I don't want to begin again and then the so-called third wave stops us.

If we begin something, we want to be able to continue it.

'Want to begin in June'

"We want to begin in June and get at least two schools involved."

"We organise with the police and the police officers begin with the drilling."

Josie explains: "My son of 27 plays the saxophone and does the drilling. Children will be taught how to play the saxophone. There were children from Ridgeview, Isalathiso, Erika and Diaz involved in the academy."

Josie would desperately like to get going with the academy again and is hoping the third wave of Covid-19 does not happen.

He sacrifices his own time and money and transport for the academy. Josie's young charges have also won awards.

Members of the community can help with the project in the following way: they can donate musical instruments or sell them to the academy at a reasonable price; and they can make donations towards the children's uniforms.

Contact Josie (072 879 3094 or 067 638 8957) if you would like to help.

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