13 Nov Gill Spreeth

For Gill Spreeth, the Shine Literacy Hour Programme is a breath of fresh air, and a space to lift one’s spirit up, put everything else aside in pursuit of children’s access of quality of education.

This, is as Giill works as Counselling Psychologist, specializing in trauma, family, relationship and addiction counselling. But the minute she walks into the Shine Centre at Zonnebloem Boys Primary as a volunteer, her spirits are lifted up and is enthusiastic and eager for the journey ahead with a child.

“Volunteering in the Shine Literacy Hour Programme has been the most rewarding experience in my life. It is different from the work that I do which is about trauma.”
“It gives me absolute joy to watch the children learn to read and become confident as they grow up,” said Gill.

The Grade 2 and 3 children in the Shine Literacy Hour Programme need extra reading, writing and language support, and it within the Programme that they get one-one attention from volunteers, offering them sound language and literacy skills.

“As a result of the Programme, I have seen children’s personalities develop, children getting out of their shelves, get smarter and able to challenge other individual.”

Gill also notes that her journey as a volunteer has been an incredible one, has taught her so much about life.

Through her interaction with the children, she has rekindled qualities that are often neglected by adults such as ‘having a positive outlook on life’ even when there are certain challenges, having an ‘I can’ attitude’ and to ‘always keep on trying’ much like the children when they initially face struggles in reading.