Two orange buses filled with singing children arrived at the Johannesburg Zoo on 3 December for the Doornkop Needy Children’s Centre (DNCC) Christmas Party.
While it is a fun outing for the children, the DNCC Christmas party is also an important date on the calendars of the crèche’s corporate sponsors: South Africa – The Good News (SAGN), DigiPos and eg South Africa.
The 140 children in bright orange T-shirts were bursting with energy, but remarkably well-behaved. On arrival there was a lot of playing, running and cartwheeling until the clapping hands of a teacher bought the children back to the shade of a big tree that was our picnic spot for the day.
The highlight of the party was to be a walking tour of the zoo. Teachers divided the children into groups with caretakers and staff members from the three companies.
The children were fascinated by the animals, leaning on the fences to get a better view and chatting excitedly. They knew most of the animal names, and spontaneously started singing songs about some of them.
The kids were delighted by a prancing peacock, and were also very keen to see the baboons and of course, the king of the jungle. With some prompting from a teacher, the sleeping white lions were greeted with a chorus of “Vuka Bhubezi”, meaning “Wake up, Lion!”
The polar bear, diving and blowing bubbles to soften the effects of a Joburg summer day, was also a firm favourite.
It was hard to tear the children away for a lunch of grilled hamburgers. After a picnic lunch the children received some Christmas gifts: backpacks and stationery sponsored by eg South Africa and Bic.
As a special thank you to the sponsors, a group of Doornkop children then performed a well-rehearsed traditional dance. With a kicking and stomping of feet they impressed their audience with their energy, rhythm and personality.
While the Christmas party itself may not have changed the lives of the Doornkop children, this day was about more than just a crèche on a daytrip to the zoo. Continued financial support from corporate sponsors and individuals provides the DNCC with food, clothes, toys and learning materials. In this way the companies are contributing to one of the greatest gifts a child can get - an education.
As the orange buses drove through the gates and back to Soweto, the SAGN staff members were reminded once again that there can be no good news without ordinary South Africans reaching out and trying to make a difference, no matter how small.
