Pupils at a District Six primary school who find themselves in distress can now visit a new counselling facility for help.
Comprising a play-therapy room and a reception room, the facility was opened at Chapel Street Primary School by Community Keepers, a non-profit organisation, on Wednesday August 2.
“We believe that there should be a Community Keepers office in each school in the country, and we find there is a massive gap in mental health where there is not enough mental health practitioners in the country, and there is also an unequal access to mental health where only those who can afford it can pay for it,” said Community Keepers CEO Gerrit Laning.
Two staff Community Keepers staff will be stationed at the facility.
“The reception room will allow for therapy to take place without the session being broken, and then the play-therapy room will include toys, a boxing bag and sandpit, which will encourage kids to talk, and the toys will allow the kids to verbalise their stories.”
Teachers would also be able to use the facility if they needed help, he said.
The school’s acting principal, Cheriedene Pedro, said they wanted to work with Community Keepers to help each pupil reach their full potential.
The school has pupils from across the city including Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Langa, Parklands, Delft, Maitland and Woodstock.
“Some of our pupils come from trying circumstances so when they come to school it is a safe haven for them, so much so that they don’t want to leave after school,” Ms Pedro said.
