Working nine hours a day requires one to be in each others space constantly. We have slowly gotten into a routine. I make coffee for Alvia, who requires energy to keep track of where all our marbles should be daily, and tea for myself as I believe it soothes the soul. Edith comes in in all her colourful wonder with Danni trailing behind fondly waiting for her eyes to be cleaned and her belly to be filled. Busi arrives with Vati close behind and the two of them dazzle with their vibrant lipsticks and colourful clothing. Yvette is already in her office but not after fondly retelling us of something her daughter has accomplished. We are colleagues by profession- we all work at Jelly Beanz but it is our passion for children that make us family. The kind of family you can rely on to listen to your struggles be it professional or personal. The kind of family that remembers birthdays and celebrates victories. We are the ones who remind one another that somedays are harder then others but that sunshine moments can be found, even on rainy days. We laugh. A lot. We remember all the children’s names who come through the door and greet them, because if we are honest they are part of the Jelly Beanz family too and we see it as our duty to remind them that they are important. After all that’s what families do and that’s what we are. A family.
