Over 2 000 young children in the Gamagara municipal area are learning about the importance of
good dental habits through a programme that has launched to deliver education on oral health.
Furthermore, there are plans to increase the impact of the educational programme, by expanding
the reach to 3 000 children during 2020, including the communities of Kathu, Olifantshoek,
Dibeng, Siyathemba, Babatas and Mapoteng.
Working closely with partners, REISA Solar Farm has funded the Wellness Relay. This broad
reaching programme includes its ECD project beneficiaries, the Ubuntu Schools Grade R learners
and the Purposeful Play groups, with the youngest child being just a year in age.
Realizing that although Schools within the community have primary health care services, dental
hygiene resources; awareness and educational programmes are lacking or non-existent, which is
why the plan to reach 3 000 learners each year, over the next 10 years, has been devised.
“We have been working very closely with the Department of Education and Social Services in the
rolling out of the Ubuntu Schools Project, which includes this Dental and Oral Hygiene Education
health project initiative amongst others,” Kelebogile Mogorosi, Local Community Liaison Officer
for REISA.
The project was first launched in November last year and included entertainment and education
programmes encouraging children to take better care of their oral health, as an important part of
their overall health and well-being. The launch also included oral care demonstrations and each
learner received a toothbrush and toothpaste.
“We are working to increase awareness among 500 children within each of our six beneficiary
communities that include Kathu, Olifantshoek, Dibeng, Siyathemba, Babatas and Mapoteng, in the
Northern Cape,” added Mogorosi.
A spin off from the programme is that parents have been re-educated by their children on the
correct method of brushing their teeth and teachers have added the teeth brushing song to their
classroom song list.
“We can see that there is clearly a need to expand this programme to reach older children,”
concluded Isaacs.
