LIVINGSTONE Remedial School has a vibrant arts programme that embraces pupils’ natural creativity, whilst casting the spotlight onto social and community issues.
Mrs Pat Jackson, Grade 2 teacher at Livingstone, has taken this a step further for the school’s annual art auction on 17 September. As part of the art auction, pupils in her class have been busy with creating their individual and group projects, in collaboration with KwaZulu-Natal community organisations, including Umcebo Design, The Ubunye Co-Operative and info4africa.
Through this partnership, Umcebo Design and The Ubunye Co-Operative have guided the Grade 2 pupils through the creation of their group project, a jewelled rhino called Siyazama (“Progress” or “We are Progressing” – which is the Livingstone motto). Siyazama is a miniature rhino decorated in a similar style to that used on the two large rhinos that have been widely promoted in the media and enjoyed outings at House and Garden and the uShaka Airport. These rhinos form part of eThekwini Community Foundation’s Rhino Parade and have been used to highlight the importance of rhino conservation in South Africa. Umcebo Design’s team gave of their time and energy to guide the design and decoration of the rhino, and the Ubunye Co-Operative assisted with the creation of the group and individual art items.
Mrs Jackson found the experience “enlightening for our pupils, as it brings real world craft skills into our classroom, and lets them experience interactions from beyond school. Our parents have also given of their time and abilities with material donations and shown a keen interest in this project”. Heath Houston, a Grade 2 pupil had this to say: “I hope Siyazama gets a nice new home and I think the other models will look nice too”. Patricia Zungu, of the Ubunye Co-Operative found that “working with the children gave us an honesty and authentic creative experience, that is so different to working on our own programmes”.
The Livingstone School Art Auction takes place on 17 September and is an annual event is a fundraising initiative hosted by and for the school. For more information on this event, call 031 312 2026/7 or email: marketing@livingstoneremedial.co.za
