COPESSA After-school Care Programme

The initiative addressed the vulnerability of unsupervised children in Protea Glen by providing a supervised environment with homework assistance and nutritious snacks. To boost engagement, COPESSA introduced new activities such as music, arts, and chess, while collaborating with parents, schools, and the local police to improve community safety and child protection. 321 learners in total (58 daily attendees and 263 occasional attendees) were reached through the project. The programme saw significant success in academic performance, with the average pass mark of participants increasing from 61.36% in Term 2 to 70% in Term 3. As well, one learner, in particular, achieved outstanding recognition at a district Chess tournament. The project fostered strong community ownership through "Neighbourhood Regeneration" clean-up campaigns and parenting workshops. COPESSA aims to evolve this initiative into a multi-purpose youth centre to offer broader life skills and continued protection for the community's youth.