Pupils of De La Salle Holy Cross College braved the cold winter weather to host their own School Sleepout.
Along with the pupils were a few teachers, parents and the principal of the school Debbie Harris.
The sleepout started promptly at 6pm on 28 July, when the group gathered and were ready to rough it out for the evening. Everyone spent the evening sleeping on the school grounds to raise empathy for the homeless. They also collected items for those in need. Items such as blankets, tinned food and they also made sandwiches to give to the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Harris expressed that this initiative was in solidarity with everyone who ‘sleeps rough’ every night. She added that this was an optional event that pupils and staff could join in on. “We made sandwiches and soup for the St Vincent de Paul Society, who are our churches charity wing, and they will collect all the sandwiches and soup, which will be given to the various feeding schemes around Joburg,” said Harris.
She added that they ate some of the soup as they wanted to live as the homeless would by eating and living with very basic utilities. “After tonight we will all have a new sense of awareness for those living without the luxuries we have on a daily basis,” said Harris.
To keep warm the pupils made a fire using wood and they gathered around the fire and talked about how they thought the evening would pan out.
“My hope is that after the sleepout we leave being better people,” said Harris.
Pupils in attendance felt that spending the night without all their privileges was a great way to understand the plight of those less fortunate than them.
Emma Knight, a matric pupil at the school said that she wanted to do the sleepout not only because it was a great way to get a better understanding of other people’s realities but it encouraged her to go without her luxuries for a night.
“It is important to know this and just get a better understanding of what the homeless go through on a daily basis,” said Knight.
Details: De La Salle Holy Cross, De La Salle Holy Cross College, 011 888 1692.
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