VOC’s annual Kiddies Ramadan Project handing over ceremony saw a full house at Garlendale Madressa complex on Saturday. Parents and grandparents accompanied their children to the event, who were handed certificates for completing the project list.

All were warmly welcomed by VOC presenter Ayesha Laatoe. Children and Parents alike were kept on their toes attentive to Laatoe’s Islamic stories. The stories kept up with the stations aim to educate its listenership as most had important life lessons. She also handed out the certificates and hampers that children were receiving.

Among her were the likes of VOC’s producers Quanita Kamaar, Zerina Jacobs and Mishka Daries assisting in the co-ordination of the event.

“Ramadan is meant to be felt by each and everyone,” says Laatoe.

There was much excitement as the number of children in the project increased from 100 in 2013 to 150 in 2014. This is mainly because the radio station took a different method in their approach to reaching its audiences.

Currently VOC informed parents to go to an outside broadcast and register the children’s names onto the list. In previous years they requested that children submit a creative piece to qualify.

“We made it slightly easier this year where we compiled an activity list which the parents had to collect at the outside broadcasts. It is a personal list which they complete in their own personal time,” says VOC producer Quanita Kamaar.

There was much hype and excitement amongst the little ones.

Amirah Hendricks, eight years old, could not contain her excitement. She shared her highlights when completing the project during Ramadan.

“My favourite activity was to recite the Quran. I found these activities very fun and fasting is not that hard. When I got the certificate I was really excited,” says Hendricks.

Others had few words and were overwhelmed by their surroundings and occurrence.

For Rukayah Gabriels, seven years, it was difficult fasting as her siblings were not but she persevered. She shares her experience of and her favourite activities during the month of Ramadan.

“It was difficult fasting as my brother and sister were eating in front of me. My favourite activity was the Islamic picture that I was supposed to draw,” says Gabriels.

Hampers included a certificate, beanie and gloves, a surah, quraan and edibles in a bucket.

VOC would like to extend a special thank you to all who had participated and all its sponsors. Sponsors include Cresent Lifestyle for the flash drive with quran; Bucket of Joy project for 200 buckets; Things on Wheels community project for gloves and beanies; Haafith Academy and Quran Literacy Trust for 100 Qurans; Community Projects for 50 Qurans; Spice Mecca and Awqaf SA for 200 Qurans and 200 certificates. VOC. (Nailah Cornelissen)