My week with Robin Williams!

Yep you read right, Robin Williams was invited to the Jubilee Celebration and was able to take some time off to not only attend the event but also do some activities with the children. Robin is a parishioner of Our Lady of Ransom in Southend (got you!) and first visited Saint Anthony’s Home in 2011. All of the children were very very excited to see Robin, aka “Coach”, again.

Robin arrived Thursday afternoon (24^th October) and left the following Thursday. Despite being at the Home for just a week, Robin had many plans for the children ranging from football coaching to practise interviews. With Friday and Saturday being taken up by the Jubilee Celebration, Robin was only able to start his activities on Sunday.

On the first day, Robin concentrated on the Khwezi cottage (girls aged 7 – 12) and Witness of God cottage (boys aged 7 – 12). All 45 children were split into 5 teams and told to create a football team using animals from a list, for example a kangaroo could be chosen as goalkeeper because he is tall and can jump to save the ball. Each team had to then present their animal football team and explain why they had chosen to put a particular animal in a particular position. It was great to see them get into the activity, discussing the animals and then giving good and sometimes funny reasons for their choice. We thankfully had Victor with us; he is a local who I’ve met him at many events and who likes to visit the Home. He was able to translate what Robin was saying, ensuring all the children understood exactly what they had to do.

We then all went outside to play some team bonding games, all of which involved a football (of course!).  All 5 teams were playing against each other, so it all became very exciting and competitive very quickly. After an hour of team bonding, it was time to play some football. Each team played against each other and all of the children played very well; there was minimal fighting, minimal arguing with the ref and all games having to go to penalties (again very exciting!).

It really was a great day; the children did so well and were therefore all rewarded with lollies! Robin should have been rewarded too! I don’t know how he coped with 45 very hyper children on his own!!!

Monday was dedicated to the older children; Zanzibar (boys aged 13 – 18) and Masakhane (girls aged 13 – 18). Here, Robin wanted to give the teenagers a realistic insight into how they will need to prepare when seeking employment. Robin went through some tips and then split them into 5 teams. Each team had to nominate one person to represent them in an interview taking place the following day. Once chosen, they then had to fill out a Curriculum Vita, which they had to bring with them to the interview. This was very much an 'Apprentice' style interview with Robin, Khaye (Zanzibar Care Worker) and I on the interviewing panel! All three of us were dressed smartly and it was great to see the chosen five candidates had taken this task as seriously as they were also all smartly dressed.

The candidates and interviewers

They all coped extremely well considering it was their first ever interview and considering the fact it was in English! I would have been petrified! Unfortunately there could only be one winner but we were unanimous in choosing Josef. He spoke very well, he was calm, not afraid of asking for questions to be repeated and gave clear, well reasoned answers. Josef and the rest of his team received a R150 book voucher whilst the other 4 candidates received a book as a reward for their hard work. Another successful day J

Myself, Josef and Robin

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side on Wednesday (last day of activities) when Robin wanted to teach the Masakhane girls rounders. Robin therefore improvised with some indoor games which got the girls catching, throwing and passing the ball. These actually worked very well and it was clear to both Robin and I that together, the girls would make a very strong rounders team. It is now my role to get them practising at the weekends so that they can play a game against another orphanage on the next Sports Day!

It was another busy week but all of the children had an amazing time. With all Robin does for the children when he is here along with all of the football shirts he brings for each child, I know for a fact the children will never forget him !

Until next time...

Isabel x