By Priscilla Chung
For some vulnerable children, school holidays can be some of the hardest times of the year. But thanks to the Helping Hands Club, children at a primary school in East London have a place where they are welcomed, cared for and reminded that they matter.
Watch the video to hear Headteacher Jacob Oudegeest share, in his own words, about the impact the Helping Hands Club is having at Earlham Primary School.
Speaking with conviction in his voice, Jacob Oudegeest painted a powerful picture of both the challenges children face and the hope that the Helping Hands Club brings.
For the past four years, the Helping Hands Club has run holiday clubs at the school, welcoming some of the most vulnerable children during the school breaks. These sessions offer more than activities and entertainment. They give children a hot meal, a safe space to run around, and access to caring adults who are there to play, listen and encourage them.
The darker side of education
Jacob Oudegeest shared honestly about the pressures facing families in Newham: “In my school, we currently have 46 percent of children living in poverty. We support four families that get £7 a week to live on. My staff have started a food bank. They started a clothing drive.”
Food vouchers from the council have been cut from £30 a week to £12.50 for the most vulnerable children. Not only that, “the crime rate has escalated by over 200 percent in the last two years,” says the headteacher.
Support that brings hope
Despite what he and the school staff witness daily, he also spoke with deep gratitude about the support that the Helping Hands Club and HOPE worldwide UK have provided, from food vouchers and toys to the time and care of volunteers who show children they are valued.
“There are certain days when I know myself, my staff, don’t want to get out of bed… Is it worth it going in when another child comes in bruised, when another child comes in crying because they don’t have food over the weekend?… And then you think it is worth it. Because the difference we are making in the community and working with charities like Helping Hands and HOPE worldwide is setting these children up for success.”
The support from HOPE worldwide UK has helped the school continue its holiday clubs, giving vulnerable children a place of safety and joy when they need it most.
As the headteacher shared, “Helping Hands has given us the hope that our children so desperately need.”
Give today to support the Helping Hands Club and help bring joy to more children across the UK. Simply select “Helping Hands Club” in the dropdown menu.
