Third-year medical students help Olympia Primary School with a Project

A group of third-year medical students at the University of the Free State recently spoilt the Grade R children at the Primary School Olympia with a fun day and a fun photo shoot. While the photos were taken, the children were kept busy with songs and games.

"It was an incredibly nice day for us and the kids could for a few hours completely relax and enjoy each other's presence", said Michelle van Wyk, the student's group leader.

The day was just a part of a larger community project (service learning project) that forms part of the third-year medical students' curriculum. Each year, non-government organisations are allocated to groups of six or seven students at the School of Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Students must use the knowledge they gained in their course to apply at the non-government organisations.

This specific group worked with the Elanja Children initiative. The organisation identify underprivileged children in Heidedal, Bloemfontein, to help them. The children come from diverse environments and Elanja provides food and clothing, and social services in the form of social workers who daily work with the children to their social development.

The organisation is also involved with the Credence and Heide Primary Schools, but this group of students focused on Olympia for their project. Elanja now works with about 140 children.

Mirandie Claassen (on the right) with some of the grade R-learners where they handed out apples to the children

From the left (back): Mirandie Claassen, Michelle van Wyk, Charl Smit, Andrea van Staden, Mr O'Brien (school master) and Darienne Saaiman with the grade R-learners with the tree that they had to plant themselves

The grade R-learners each received a pot plant with their own names on so that they could take care of it themselves. In the forefront is Jamie Lee with her pink pot plant