I am recently back from a great trip in South Africa, having spent 6 days in Durban and a day or so in Jo'burg. Every time I go back, it reminds me of how beautiful the country really is and so diverse in what it has to offer.But the pleasing finale to my trip was to get back and visit Cotlands once again and to hear about all of the hard work that Jackie and her team continue to do tirelessly. It really gives a sense of warmth to see the efforts that are given to projects like these.The orphanage itself is just a small element of what Cotlands does on a day to day basis, with much of their work focused on community projects where kids are supported by Cotlands to stay in their home community with their extended families, rather than being taken into the orphanage. In addition to this, many other projects are supported including those focused on nutrition and HIV.I sat in and watched some of the nursery teaching for a while and it was such a treat to see the energy produced from about 20 kids aged 2-5 years old. Some of them proudly wearing a sticker on their forehead, a prize from the teacher for being good! There are twin boys aged about 3 and a half, one brother had a sticker.......and one didn't...you can imagine the sibling rivalry at lunchtime!After lunch all the kids hit the playground climbing frames or trampolines, one little boy struggling to hold up his baggy trousers whilst bouncing full on. Apparently they have a mad 20 minutes before their afternoon nap. I tried to help wear out a few of them by throwing them around and hanging them upside down (always good after lunch), but there was only one person that tired.....me of course! Sadly I finally left, but with good memories of the kids and their smiles. I look forward to going back to South Africa and Cotlands again later this year, but I will keep a regular post going in my blog of any news in the meantime. If you are interested to find out more about their work then click Cotlands to read more or contact them directly through their web page.
