A JEFFREYS Bay resident, who lived in impoverished circumstances after his father had lost his job, has started an after school programme – using his experience to help children in the region with literacy, music practice and spirituality.
Cornelius Ngosa, who is originally from Zambia, is the founder and manager of Beats and Books, which he described as ‘a haven where children can thrive musically, intellectually and spiritually’.
Despite growing up in an impove-rished home, he did well at school and loved reading.
“The local library was always full, so there was no space and there were not enough books for everyone. During my free time I often sat under a tree, away from the other kids to read and study,” Ngosa said.
In 2010 he travelled to 12 different countries in Africa to learn more about the different countries on the continent before starting his programme the following year.
“The common issue I found all around Africa was corruption by leaders and high illiteracy rates. I asked God to help me bring down illiteracy in Africa,” Ngosa said.
In 2011 Ngosa started the programme in a shack for kids nearby that were from a less resourced background. Since then, they have been running the programme from a house in Jeffreys Bay. They have also acquired many books and instruments through donations from local and international sponsors.
With the help of five unpaid staff members and 15 volunteers from different churches and organisations, the music programme teaches children aged between eight and 17 about music, literacy and spirituality.
The music programme, which consists of both theory and practical components, teaches the 29 learners who are enrolled in the after-school programme, how to play the trumpet, violin, piano and djembe.
He said the programme was started with one guitar, but they now have 12 instruments in total. But they do not have enough volunteers to teach the remaining eight instruments.
The programme is dependent on how many volunteers they have available on each day to teach specific subjects.
“I wanted to create a programme that would attract kids and educate them at the same time. We believe that if we give them a good musical foundation, they will be able to go far with it,” Ngosa said.
The free programme which runs from Monday to Friday also offers children literacy development in which they are taught how to read and write. They also receive help with their homework.
Ngosa said the programme offered the children an opportunity to enhance their decision-making, thinking and creative thinking skills with the use of puzzles and games. They also teach the children basic mathema-tics.
“If I can teach children how to read, I give them access and an opportunity to explore the world. I want them to go beyond their borders,” Ngosa said.
The third stream in the programme is spirituality in which the kids are encouraged to fall in love with Jesus.
“The first thing on our programme each day is to engage in a worship session as a group. We also offer Bible studies, daily devotions, Bible stories, memory verses and fellowship in which we talk about the importance of having moral values,” Ngosa said.
All kids are welcome to join the programme, but it is important for him to see that they are dedicated and interested.
His wife, Primadonna Ngosa whom he married in 2014, is currently working on a programme for girls in the community to provide them with a safe space to speak about topics that are not often spoken about.
