Welcome to Einfachhelfen

In most of South Africa’s slums, being able to swim is not something that can be taken for granted – even many adults cannot swim. Every year, numerous people drown, including many children.

After a series of tragic accidents in our immediate neighbourhood, it became clear to us that we had to take action.

This is how the Learn-to-Swim project came about. Using our own minibus, we take the children from Sir Lowry’s Pass Village to a swimming pool in nearby Gordon’s Bay. There, we work with a swimming school whose instructors teach the children to swim step by step.

First, they help the children overcome their fear of the water, then they instil a love of swimming, and finally the children learn to swim or at least stay afloat safely.

Together with the school, we provide weekly swimming lessons for all four pre-school classes almost all year round (with the exception of a three-month winter break).

At the end of the course, the children receive a certificate and some even a medal. The children’s joy and pride are moving every single time.

This project saves lives – but it also involves high costs. We welcome any support that helps to ensure its long-term continuation.

In the overcrowded classrooms at Sir Lowry’s Pass Primary School, there are usually more than 40 children sharing a classroom and a single teacher.

To ease the burden on both the teachers and the children, we use sponsorship contributions to fund two teaching assistants: Zoleka and Damian.

They primarily support children who need extra help and help to ensure that more individual attention is possible.

In addition, they regularly help with our swimming project, by accompanying the children on the bus to the swimming pool and assisting with the programme and supporting the children on site.

Sir Lowry’s Pass Village is a place where many people live in difficult conditions. Thousands of families grow up here in extreme poverty.

It all began over 40 years ago with a simple idea: Emily’s mother, Lucy, set up a small soup kitchen to give hungry children something to eat. It all started with a few sandwiches. Thanks to donations, the project was able to grow, and Emily later took over the running of it.

I met Emily in 2005 and supported her in her impressive work for around ten years.

In 2013 and 2014, we were able to expand the soup kitchen. Three classrooms were built – a safe place for the children. In summer they provide shade, in winter shelter from the rain. My friend Anja Dalton played a crucial role in the planning and implementation and provided enormous support during this intensive phase.

Step by step, the soup kitchen developed into Emily’s Play School. Today, the children not only receive a hot meal here, but a lovingly run nursery has been established.

Emily was also supported in this by women from the village. She herself undertook further training, attended courses and acquired all the necessary qualifications to run the facility.

The expansion is now complete and the Play School is on a firm footing. After a long wait, it has finally been officially recognised and registered by the government, and now receives public funding.

For us, it is a special milestone to be able to say: this project is sustainable, firmly established, and our work here is done. Emily continues to run the Play School with great dedication and ensures that the children are well prepared and start primary school with enthusiasm.

Of course, we will remain in close contact and continue to support this special project in the future.

Many children find it difficult to do their homework at home – often because there is a lack of peace and quiet, space or support.

That is why we use sponsorship contributions to fund an afternoon care programme for children who need it most. Zoleka looks after the children in the school’s classrooms, helps them with their homework and provides a reliable structure.

She lives in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village herself and is able to earn a small income through this work.

Over time, the homework class has grown into much more: a community. Zoleka looks after the children with great care and love. As well as academic support, they find stability, attention and something to eat here.

We set up the project and handed it over to the organisation Südafrikids in 2025, who are now committed to continuing and developing it further.