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World Food Day 2025 – Building Sustainable Food Security in Hoedspruit

Today, October 16th, we celebrate World Food Day — a global moment to reflect on the importance of food security and sustainable agriculture. At BOOST The World in Hoedspruit, South Africa, this is not just a theme — it’s our daily mission.

From Vulnerability to Resilience

Hoedspruit is a region facing challenges like drought, poverty, and limited access to fresh produce. BOOST The World has established a nursery: an educational garden where fruits and vegetables are grown not only for consumption, but also as a learning space. Children and youth are taught about permaculture, regenerative farming, and the importance of biodiversity. This is how food security is cultivated from the ground up.

Sustainability at the Core

Our approach is built on three pillars:

  1. Local production: We grow seasonal crops such as tomatoes, spinach, papaya, and beans. This reduces dependence on external food sources and lowers the ecological footprint.
  2. Water management: In a region where water is scarce, we invest in sustainable solutions like drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and — soon — our own water source and tank. This enables farming even during dry spells.
  3. Education and empowerment: Young people learn how to grow their own food, care for the soil, and collaborate to build resilient communities. Food security becomes a shared responsibility.

Food as a Bridge to the Future

BOOST The World connects food security to broader themes like leadership, sustainability, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our garden is not just a place of growth, but also of dialogue — about climate change, inequality, and the power of local solutions.

Creating Impact Together

On World Food Day, we honor the strength of communities to become self-sufficient. BOOST The World shows that sustainable food security starts with education, collaboration, and respect for nature. Every child deserves access to nutritious food — today and tomorrow.

Support Sustainable Change

Would you like to contribute to food security in Hoedspruit? You can! With a small or large donation, you help fund water solutions, seeds, education, and the expansion of our nursery. Donate easily via our website or through the crowdfunding platform WhyDonate.

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YOU can make a difference

“You can’t save the whole world”

I have heard those words often. And maybe you recognize them too.

But you know what? You don’t have to. Because imagine if every person helped another person. With something small. A meal. A glass of clean drinking water. A safe place. A listening ear. Then the world changes. Every day, a little bit.

In the beginning, I sometimes felt discouraged by such remarks: “There are already so many foundations“, “You won’t achieve anything with it“, and “You’d better just focus on your own country“.

But deep down, I knew: this is a calling. A voice that says: go ahead. Do it anyway. And today, I see what happens when you follow your inner voice. BOOST The World Foundation started small, messy, with trial and error. It was not an easy start. But we kept going. And slowly it grew, stronger, more impactful. Now we see results that change lives:

  • Healthy food on a plate that otherwise would not have been there
  • Drinking water that gives hope and saves lives
  • A safe place where people come together, grow, and laugh.

For you, perhaps, self-evident. For many, a miracle.

Heart-centered leadership

All this begins with heart-centered leadership: living and leading from your heart.

Not from fear or lack, but from trust and connection.

Because when you truly live from your heart, you naturally become a good person for those around you. Your neighbor who feels seen. Your colleague who gets a listening ear. A student who learns how to stay closer to their own heart.

Helping one person can create a ripple that touches dozens of others. This is how a chain reaction of love and impact arises.

Your role

That is why my call to you today is: choose where you will make a difference.

  • Perhaps by becoming a volunteer at our foundation here in the Netherlands, where you can directly impact multiple lives
  • Perhaps by extending a helping hand to someone in your own street or village
  • Or simply by living more from your heart yourself, so that your children, friends, and colleagues take that energy with them.

We provide training to students to make them aware of that connection with their heart. Because a new generation that lives from love and awareness has the power to truly change the world.

And it doesn’t start far away. It starts today. Right here. With me. With YOU!

So… what difference are you going to make today?

With love, Rosanne van Zalingen
BOOST The World Foundation

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Empowering Girls with Love, Care, and Wisdom

October 11 – International Day of the Girl

Today, the world pauses to recognize the strength, potential, and rights of girls everywhere. But this day is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action. Millions of girls still face barriers to education, safety, and equality. At BOOST The World, we believe that true transformation begins with equal opportunities, mutual respect, and the protection of youth rights — with a special focus on girls.

Why This Day Matters

The International Day of the Girl, established by the United Nations, shines a light on the unique challenges girls face globally — from child marriage and gender-based violence to lack of access to education and healthcare. But it also highlights their resilience, creativity, and leadership. When girls are empowered, entire communities thrive.

BOOST The World: A Movement Rooted in Values

At BOOST The World, we are building a future where every child — regardless of gender — can grow into a conscious, compassionate, and courageous leader. Our foundation is built on three core values:

  • Love: We see and value every child for who they are. We create safe, inclusive spaces where girls feel seen, heard, and supported.
  • Care: We invest in their well-being — physically, emotionally, and socially — ensuring they have the tools to thrive.
  • Wisdom: We equip them with knowledge, critical thinking, and leadership skills to shape a more just and sustainable world.

Girls’ Education: The Game Changer

Education is not a privilege — it’s a fundamental right. Yet millions of girls are still denied this right due to poverty, cultural norms, or lack of infrastructure. BOOST The World is committed to changing this reality:

  • We are developing a learning community where girls can access education, mentorship, and leadership development.
  • We promote peer-to-peer learning, empowering girls to support and inspire one another.
  • We integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our programs, helping girls understand their rights and their role in global change.

Equality Begins with Respect

Equality is not just about access — it’s about recognition. It means valuing girls’ voices, dreams, and decisions. At BOOST The World, we don’t just work for young people — we work with them. Girls are not passive recipients of aid; they are active agents of change. Their voices shape our programs, their ideas drive our innovation.

Why Your Support Matters Now

To continue this vital work, we need your help. Your donation can:

  • Provide girls with access to education and leadership programs.
  • Create safe, nurturing environments where love, care, and wisdom are at the heart of learning.
  • Strengthen youth rights and empower girls to reach their full potential.

Every contribution — big or small — makes a difference. Together, we can build a world where girls don’t just survive, but thrive.

👉 Donate today and help us give girls the future they deserve.


BOOST The World Foundation
Rooted in love. Guided by care. Driven by wisdom.
For a world where every girl can lead.

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Building a Sustainable Future Together

BOOST The World: Building a Sustainable Future Together

Today, September 25th, we celebrate UN SDG Action Day – a global moment to reflect on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. These goals form a shared roadmap for a better world by 2030: free from poverty, full of opportunity, and in harmony with nature. At BOOST The World, we are proud to actively contribute to 14 of these 17 goals.

Our mission is clear: to empower young people around the world with love, care, and wisdom, so they can become changemakers in their own communities. We do this through education, food security, community development, and international collaboration.

🌱 From Food Security to Climate Action

In our BOOST nursery in Hoedspruit, South Africa, young people work together on sustainable agriculture. They grow fruits and vegetables, learn about permaculture, and share their knowledge with the local community. This directly supports:

  • SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13: Climate Action
  • SDG 15: Life on Land

By training youth in entrepreneurship and leadership, we strengthen their economic position and their ability to create positive impact:

  • SDG 4: Quality Education
  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

💪 Equality, Health, and Community Power

BOOST The World promotes gender equality and health awareness through programs that help young people understand their rights, their bodies, and their role in society. We work with local partners to create safe, inclusive learning environments:

  • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 5: Gender Equality
  • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

🤝 Collaboration as the Key to Impact

Our approach is rooted in partnership – with youth, local leaders, international allies, and donors. We believe real change happens when people come together:

  • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

BOOST The World is not a top-down organization, but a grassroots movement. We listen, learn, and build together. Our core values – love, care, and wisdom – guide everything we do. They ensure our contribution to the SDGs is not only practical, but also deeply human and sustainable.

📣 Join Us on SDG Action Day

On this SDG Action Day, we invite you to take part. Share our stories, support our projects, or start your own local initiative. Every action counts. Together, we can BOOST the world – with love, care, and wisdom as our compass.

May you wish to donate, please hit the Donate button on the upper right corner of your screen. Small or large, we welcome every donation, thank you so much.

Thanks to Freepik.com
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Peace Begins with Sharing Love, Care, and Wisdom

Today, September 21st, we celebrate the International Day of Peace – a moment to reflect on our shared longing for a world free from violence, division, and injustice. At BOOST The World, we believe peace is not a distant ideal, but a daily practice rooted in the sharing of three universal values: love, care, and wisdom.

💛 Love as the Foundation

Love is the force that connects people. Not just romantic love, but the kind that shows up as respect, compassion, and solidarity. When we treat each other with love – in families, communities, and organizations – we create space for trust. Love helps us bridge differences and prevent conflict. In our projects, like the BOOST nursery in Hoedspruit, South Africa, we see how loving collaboration between youth, farmers, and volunteers leads to growth – both in crops and in relationships.

🤲 Care as the Compass

Care is love in action. It’s the willingness to take responsibility for one another and for our planet. Care means listening, helping, protecting, and supporting. In a world often driven by profit and speed, care is a radical act. By placing care at the heart of our work – through sustainable agriculture and education – we build resilient communities where peace can take root.

🧠 Wisdom as the Guide

Wisdom is more than knowledge. It’s the ability to understand what truly matters and to make choices that benefit the whole. Wisdom requires reflection, learning from experience, and asking deep questions. At BOOST The World, we encourage young people to develop their own wisdom – through dialogue, storytelling, and connection with nature. Wisdom leads to insight, and insight leads to peace.

🌍 Peace as a Result of Sharing

When we not only cherish love, care, and wisdom but actively share them with others, something powerful happens. We build bridges instead of walls. We create space for collaboration, healing, and hope. Peace is not a destination, but a process that begins with every choice we make – how we speak, how we act, how we show up.

On this International Day of Peace, we invite everyone to reflect on these values. How can you show love today? Where can you offer care? What wisdom do you want to share?

At BOOST The World, we believe peace begins within – and spreads when we share our values. Together, we can build a world where peace is not the exception, but the norm.

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Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure

Day 0 of Our August Work Tour

In the northeast of South Africa, about 500 kilometers from Johannesburg, something remarkable is taking shape. Not just a project – a movement. A movement of hope, collaboration, and sustainable transformation. BOOST The World South Africa is no longer just a dream – it’s alive, growing, and inspiring. And you can see it in our latest video: “Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure – August Work Tour ‘Day 0’.”

This video marks the beginning of a new phase. Day 0. The moment where everything comes together: the preparations, the people, the vision. It’s the starting point of a work tour that builds not only physical infrastructure, but also bridges between communities, generations, and continents.

From Vision to Action

BOOST The World South Africa actively contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. In this phase, the focus is on improving food and water access, and creating safe, functional spaces for community development.

A beautiful example is the donated kitchen units. These were carefully renovated, repaired, and cleaned before being transported to their destination in Acornhoek – a journey captured in a compelling time-lapse showing the drive from Thornybush to the site.

Building Together

Upon arrival, the real work begins: preparing the space, unloading the cupboards, planning the kitchen layout, and shopping for hardware. Volunteers roll up their sleeves, sanding walls, painting, and carefully designing the kitchen space. Every detail matters.

In the video, a young volunteer introduces himself: “Hello, I am Noah. I’m a volunteer here and I’m helping build this center.”
His smile and dedication say it all. This is not just a construction project. It’s a place where young people learn, grow, and contribute to their community.

Between Elephants and Ideals

In the evening, around the campfire, volunteers are quietly observed by curious elephants. A magical moment that reminds us how deeply connected people and nature are here. It’s a gentle nudge that sustainability is not just about buildings — it’s about harmony with the environment.

Why Your Support Matters

BOOST The World is building a future where children can go to school with full stomachs, where young people gain skills to shape their own futures, and where communities become resilient against drought and poverty. But we can’t do it alone.

Your donation helps us:

  • install more kitchen units,
  • drill a sustainable water source,
  • create workspaces for young people like Noah,
  • and strengthen the infrastructure for long-term impact.

Watch the video. Let it move you. And join us.

Day 0 is just the beginning. Together, we can build a world where love, care, and wisdom are the foundations of real change.

Your donation – small or big – will help us grow this learning community. The donate button is in the upper right corner of this page.

Please also have a look at the crowdfunding platform WhyDonate where we have some initiatives running for specific projects in South Africa. Thank you so much!

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‘I’ exist because ‘you’ exist

In a world that is increasingly about self-development, we seem to lose sight of the greatest good: each other. The emphasis is on me, my growth, my path, my success. But the further we develop ourselves, the more we seem to get lost in the loneliness of the ego. For what happens when the self becomes the center of everything?

Doubts about the self become greater. We strive for perfection, for personal goals, but lose something essential along the way: connection.

Self-development mentors and coaches are popping up like mushrooms these days. On the one hand, that’s wonderful. It is valuable when people get to know themselves better, heal old wounds and make more conscious choices. But there also seems to be another side to it. Digging to deeper and deeper layers is no longer a path to connection for many, but an endless journey of the ego. A new form of “more. More insight, more healing, more me. And in that process we lose the other. The fellow man disappears into the background, while the focus remains entirely on the self.

In South Africa there is a different mindset. There they say, “I am because you are.” Ubuntu. A philosophy of life in which your own existence is intertwined with that of the other. Where you are only human, in relation to others. This is not a weakness, but rather a profound strength. It is a recognition of mutual dependence, of humanity, of love.

In Indonesia you also see it: families taking care of each other, living together, considering each other. The community is central. It is no coincidence that feelings like loneliness and depression are much less common there. Because where people live with each other, security is created. Warmth. Portability.

The we thinks with each other. It connects, communicates, feels. The we brings reverence and humility. It reminds us that we are not separate islands, but part of a greater whole.

I myself learned: on my own I went faster, but together I got much further. That deep lesson stays with me. We are not meant to do it alone. And we don’t have to do it alone either.

Here in Holland, we seem to lose touch with the soul. We run from yoga class to retreat, from coaching program to business retreat. Always looking for more – more growth, more insight, more success. But who carries you when you fall? Who really knows you, when you’re just working to become a better version of yourself?

At Boost the World Foundation, we believe it can be different. And should. It takes a village to raise a child. Not the individual, but the community bears. Not the ego, but the heart. The world does not need even more self-optimization, but more together. More we.

The self will never become fulfilled. The ego always wants more. But love, true connection, begins where the self steps aside. Where space is created for the other. Where I gives way to we.

Let us return. To humanity. To community. To a world where I exist because you exist.

Love, Rosanne

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The Volunteering Experience in November / December 2022

The Young Leader Expedition was a 2-month trip to South Africa, where a group of four youth under 25 explored and experienced the real South Africa. They stayed at a family-oriented foster care facility, helping with kids, working in food gardens, and collaborating with the Boost the World South Africa team. The expedition focused on making projects efficient, effective, and sustainable. Volunteers set up vegetable gardens and learned to collaborate on plans. They also visited museums, tasted local delicacies at Wandi’s in Soweto, and stayed at Kruger National Park saw the big 5 and Surfed, Hikes and enjoyed wine farms in Hermanus outside Cape Town and enjoyed beautiful beaches. The trip included self-direction plans and coaching sessions, fostering personal growth. Lasting relationships and special friendships were formed during this memorable journey.

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7th Update 8 weeks Expedition Young Leaders South Africa 2022

Hi everyone! This is our final week here in South Africa. We’re really enjoying it and getting close to finishing our garden project. This week’s blog is a bit bigger then the others because we left on Thursday, so we thought it would be best to extend this week’s blog. This week Tijn wrote the blog again with his experiences, enjoy!

Monday:

On Monday Declan and I were still a bit sick and we mostly rested all day.

Tuesday:

Tuesday we continued with the project in the garden. The week before we had put the posts in the ground so we could start with the posts lying horizontally on the posts in the ground. This was quite a job as we had to hold up 6 meter long poles and drill into them in the meantime. After Quinn was too tired to continue, we unfortunately had to stop because this work was not possible with the two of us.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday we got into the car around 8 o’clock on our way to Hoedspruit. Hoedspruit is a village next to the Kruger Park where boost the world bought a piece of land a few months ago. The ride was a very nice ride through the high plains of South Africa. For lunch we stopped at a delicious Belgian pancake restaurant. When we arrived at our residence after a long day of driving, we were all impressed by the beautiful accommodations where we slept. We slept with Nico, a friend of Jacques and Barrie. Nico has a beautiful piece of land in the middle of the Kruger Park, so hyenas, zebras and buffaloes just walked along the fences. In the evening we had a delicious braai with Nico and his wife.

Thursday:

Thursday we got up at 5 am to go on safari. It was a beautiful sunny day and we saw a lot of animals. At the start of the Safari we soon saw a leopard, this is normally the most difficult animal to spot. It was a disappointment that we did not see any lions. After the Safari we drove to the area of ​​the angry the world to have a look around. There was still a lot to be done on the piece of land, so there was not much to see yet. At the end of the day we had a nice swim in the pool and then had a braai with Nico and a friend of his.

Friday:

Unfortunately, we went back home the next day. After a beautiful stop at a lookout we arrived back at Liv where we had a Christmas party with everyone from Liv. The Christmas party was very nice and cozy. The highlight was that Quinn participated, as the only boy, in the best dressed competition. Quinn eventually finished in second place. Later that evening, Willemijn Declan and I went to monte casino. The Netherlands played against Argentina and of course we couldn’t miss this. After an exciting game that ended with penalties, we went home disappointed, the Netherlands had lost…

Saturday:

On Saturday we were all a bit tired so we actually didn’t do much. Declan, Willemijn and I went shopping and sat on a terrace for a while.

Sunday:

On Sunday we went to the prison break market. This market was mainly filled with food stalls, all of which had great food. After getting some food here and there, we went hunting for presents for our parents. In the evening we had a nice meal together.

The week we leave South Africa:

The last few days were mostly used to finish our project and say our goodbyes to everyone. We finished our garden the last 3 days we were able to work. We drilled the last few holes, put some metal rods in and bolted them tight into the poles. When we were done with the hole structure, we asked Dan to get us some fruit trees. And Dan did get us some nice trees, a total of 15 trees where planted, among them were kiwi, lemon, nectarine and many more. Our last days we also said our goodbyes to Barrie, Jacque, Russel and all the others. We had a nice last lunch with the 3 of them and saw many of our friends we made here in South Africa, the day we left and before. 

We really hope you enjoyed all our blogs and if you have any questions or want to join us on our next trip to South Africa, please let us know. We also really appreciate all the support we get, so if you can afford to sponsor one of our projects please do! We hope you’ll have a lovely day!

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6th Update 8 weeks Expedition Young Leaders South Africa 2022

Nice to have you back for another weekly blog from us and if you’re new, welcome! This is a series of blogs, every week we write a blog of what we did and what we experienced that week. We are Willemijn (18 years old), Tijn (19 years old), Quinn (20 years old) and Declan (24 years old). We are on a 2-month trip to South Africa, to do volunteer work and do tourist excursions. We write these blogs to inform you about our trip and our experiences here.  

The week started off strong for Tijn, Quinn and Declan because they got handed an auger (a drilling machine that can make holes in the ground). It isn’t an easy machine to control and it wasn’t easy to use of a hole day. But we couldn’t lose any time, because we could only use it for 1 day (we had to rent it and its expensive). With renting the auger, we got 3 sizes to drill the holes with. Quickly we realized we couldn’t use the bigger size at the start, we had to use the smaller one first and then use the bigger one. We were using the auger with 2 people at a time, because it had 2 handles on both sides one. Sometimes we hit a big rock which almost made us fly (that is exaggerated, but it wasn’t fun). Then we had to try and get the rock out before we could go on with using the auger. Making 18 holes in one day is also not a walk in the park, we were exhausted after doing all the 18 holes. The weather also didn’t help much, because it was about 28 degrees almost the hole day. Because of that we had to drink enough and take some well-deserved breaks. Eventually we got it done and we were proud of ourselves and each other. Quinn said his arms were still shaking 2 hours after being done. 

After that we got the poles that are supposed to go into the ground, the next day. We put them in and had a look at if they were in a straight line or not. Because the hole was bigger than the poles, we had some room to move them around and make it straighter. Because we got the poles a little late during the day, we continued the next workday. This day we got all the poles into the ground using the end of a rake and water. You put dirt back into the hole around the pole and start poking that around the pole, so it becomes nice and firm. You also put some water over the dirt to make it more clay-like, so it sticks more to each other. 

Willemijn occasionally came by at the end of her working days to tell what she had done that day or to show one of her creations. This week she has been working hard on making the decor for the show at the preschool. The past few days have been busy for her. Watching the kids and the deadlines for the art took her overtime, but luckily she really enjoyed doing it. You can read more about this in the section below.

Friday 6 PM there was a performance from all the kids at the preschool in our big hall. It was an amazing performance, and all the kids did a great job. They were all dressed up and did a lot of dances on some well-known songs. Also, all the teachers had their own performance on the last song.

Unfortunately, Tijn and Declan got sick from the beef they both ate Friday evening, so that night Tijn couldn’t sleep and had to vomit a lot. Declan started to feel something only the next afternoon, because he went to go and played padel with Quinn and Russel first. We still watched the Netherlands play against the USA, Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday, Tijn and Declan were still not feeling the best, but we still went out to see the Poland against France world cup soccer game. We went to a mall and casino called Monti Casino, where they had a big screen just outside.

Willemijn her experience 

Phew, what a week… A busy week, but also my best week. The preschool show and the end of the school year were coming. Everything is arranged here at the last minute and so is the setting for the show. This made it more fun, because for the first time we were really working too hard with all the teachers to get everything done. I was given the task of making the surfboards. While painting, Principal Janine asked if I could help with the costumes for the kids. I let the painted surfboards dry and then started on the costumes right after work.

Earlier this week I should have made an Oscar for Teacher Norah. She needed it for her graduation day. She asked for my help; the Oscar had to be as tall as myself, painted gold, and oh, not to forget, ‘finished tomorrow’. This was quite a task. Especially since you can use the phrase “Can you please help me?” can translate into the sentence “You must do it for me.” I said I will do my best for her but make it at home. Principal Janine was okay with this. So 5 minutes later I walked home with a pair of scissors, a pencil, a ruler, an eraser and a cardboard sheet of exactly 1.68 meters. I put in my earphones and pressed the Christmas music Playlist. Meanwhile 6 hours later and listening to ‘Driving home for Christmas’ the Oscar was finished. I was extremely satisfied with the end result and immediately showed it to Declan and Tijn who were still working in the garden. Their reaction: “oh, yes, nice..” Yes, erm … that was a little less enthusiastic than I had hoped, but the man who helped them in the garden said “hey, that’s an Oscar right? Are you an artist?” so my ego was stroked enough to confidently continue my walk to preschool. On the way I met Teacher Norah. I rolled out the Oscar. She gave me a big hug and said “Do you know that I love you Willa”. Her reaction made me laugh and I always like her hugs. She’s one of those real huggers, not one with those limp arms. If you’re reading this and you’re one of those floppy arm huggers; Just give high-fives from now on.

The last thing I’m going to write about are the murals I got to make. Recently the ‘Caterpillar’ class has been swapped with the ‘Ladybugs’ class. At first the walls were themed around the class names, but after the switch the classes were painted all white. I asked Principal Janine if I could brighten up the Ladybugs class where I teach. She said she trusted in my creativity. So off I went, without a plan and permanent markers.. Her confidence and the word ‘permanent’ created pressure, but made it extra challenging and fun. I had drawn a large flower with some ladybugs on the wall. The kids and I were happy with the end result. Teacher Sibongile asked if I would also like to make this drawing 19 times for the kids’ reports. So by now I knew the entire Christmas Playlist by heart.

Not everyone will lie this week, but in my opinion it was great!