Thursday, December 30, 2010
Newly trained Asibavikele Community volunteers. CWSA Family Restoration Services now utilises the services of 30 community volunteers. This group of volunteers have been trained and retrained by Tia Wessels at the beginning of December 2010. 
The Asibavikele volunteers have 407 vulnerable children on their list. These children are being visited by the volunteers and the families assisted and encouraged.
The Asibavikele volunteers have 407 vulnerable children on their list. These children are being visited by the volunteers and the families assisted and encouraged.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
New Shoes
Anneke arrived from Holland on Tuesday evening. Now finally the handing out of the shoes can take place. Anneke did not want us to wait for her with the handing out of the shoes. But I thought it very appropriate. Anneke sent from Holland 5 boxes of shoes. On Tuesday morning Anneke, Louise, Renee, Robin and myself will be sorting shoes and in the afternoon Anneke and myself will be part of the handing out of the shoes. Brand new smart shoes from Holland!! The children will be in their seventh heaven. There will be at least two pairs of shoes per child. And they get their new school shoes this week. Isnt that wonderful?
Holiday programme
In January there will be outings to the sea for for the children living at Rachel and Miriam's houses. The children at Daniel's house, where Simpohiwe is the house father, chose to go to Homeleigh's farm. The little ones want to feed the animals, ride on the wagon with the tractor etc.
Then it is the buying of school clothes in all sincerity. Three of our boys are going to the high school and that will be a special occasion. There will be 8 children in High School.
But the highlight of the holidays will be the last Friday which is boeresport day at the Raymond Mhlaba Sport Centre. Louise and the girls are organising a big fun day for all the children.
Then it is the buying of school clothes in all sincerity. Three of our boys are going to the high school and that will be a special occasion. There will be 8 children in High School.
But the highlight of the holidays will be the last Friday which is boeresport day at the Raymond Mhlaba Sport Centre. Louise and the girls are organising a big fun day for all the children.
Boys at the beach
Our volunteers, Janske, Renee and Robin took the boys from Caleb's house to the beach, It was overcasted with no sun. This is the the weather since 1 December in Port Elizabeth. But a very long rope did the thing. They skipped, jumped, pulled and swam and just enjoyed a day at the beach.
Guess who sun-tanned. All the girls but Janske ended the day red-faced. In South Africa you can get a lovely tan at the each with no sun. And this is exactly what happened to these three.
Because it is raining to-day they may start buying the school clothes.
I am sorry about the photos. I must still get them from Louise.
Guess who sun-tanned. All the girls but Janske ended the day red-faced. In South Africa you can get a lovely tan at the each with no sun. And this is exactly what happened to these three.
Because it is raining to-day they may start buying the school clothes.
I am sorry about the photos. I must still get them from Louise.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Holiday time
So many things are happening with our children.
16th Deember 2010. Pierre Burman and members of Round Table No. 8 spoilt our children to a meal, a party and presents. They enjoyed the day tremendously.
21 December: Esmeralda from Shopwrite took the children cream cake and lovely presents. Pastor Gavin from Frontline Ministries is on holiday and he accompanied her there taking the cake and the presents in his bakkie. The children licked their lips as they enjoyed the cream cake.
22 Decmber. Today Lighthouse Family Church is spoiling the children with a lunch and presents. Yesterday I went to Daphne's house to get Christmas cards from Hilda. She sells Christmas cards on behalf of Thamsanqa. Her cards are the loveliest in Port Elizabeth. I left with 13 beautiful cards sold to me at a special price. When I came there, Hilda and Daphne were cooking for today's lunch. They were just peeling cooked potatoes for potato salad. So I took one peeled potato put mayonaise on and enjoyed myself while they were working. We are very thankful that Lighthouse Family Baptist church cooks this lunch and then give the presents. They really spoil the children. Peter and Daphne and Hilda and everybody at Lighthouse Church, thank you.
Our biggest challenge remains the fact that we are not receiving a government subsidy for running cost and that most businesses do not want to give money for running cost. I had a visit from Ashley Theron the National Executive Director from CWSA. He came to visit me at home on Monday afternoon to see how I am doing. I was feeling much better after the chemo therapy I had on the 15th. Ashley wrote to Max Maxegwana acting HOD of SOC DEV asking him assistance in this regard. All at CWSA: Family Restoration Services are hoping and praying that he will respond positively.
Expect some lovely pictures soon. Our children are the most beautiful in the world.
Next time you will hear a fairy tale story about shoes!!!! Shoes from Holland.
Christmas greetings.
Tia
16th Deember 2010. Pierre Burman and members of Round Table No. 8 spoilt our children to a meal, a party and presents. They enjoyed the day tremendously.
21 December: Esmeralda from Shopwrite took the children cream cake and lovely presents. Pastor Gavin from Frontline Ministries is on holiday and he accompanied her there taking the cake and the presents in his bakkie. The children licked their lips as they enjoyed the cream cake.
22 Decmber. Today Lighthouse Family Church is spoiling the children with a lunch and presents. Yesterday I went to Daphne's house to get Christmas cards from Hilda. She sells Christmas cards on behalf of Thamsanqa. Her cards are the loveliest in Port Elizabeth. I left with 13 beautiful cards sold to me at a special price. When I came there, Hilda and Daphne were cooking for today's lunch. They were just peeling cooked potatoes for potato salad. So I took one peeled potato put mayonaise on and enjoyed myself while they were working. We are very thankful that Lighthouse Family Baptist church cooks this lunch and then give the presents. They really spoil the children. Peter and Daphne and Hilda and everybody at Lighthouse Church, thank you.
Our biggest challenge remains the fact that we are not receiving a government subsidy for running cost and that most businesses do not want to give money for running cost. I had a visit from Ashley Theron the National Executive Director from CWSA. He came to visit me at home on Monday afternoon to see how I am doing. I was feeling much better after the chemo therapy I had on the 15th. Ashley wrote to Max Maxegwana acting HOD of SOC DEV asking him assistance in this regard. All at CWSA: Family Restoration Services are hoping and praying that he will respond positively.
Expect some lovely pictures soon. Our children are the most beautiful in the world.
Next time you will hear a fairy tale story about shoes!!!! Shoes from Holland.
Christmas greetings.
Tia
Friday, December 10, 2010
Dancing and singing.
SAPS (police) in Port Elizabeth organised a fun run on the beach in aid of Thamsanga. SAPS, the Navy, the Army etc competed and at the end a group of our Thamsanqa children danced and sing. It was a lovely opportunity for our children. We received a lovely donation .
CWSA: Eastern Cape Assembly. Today a group of girls from our Thamsanqa Cluster Foster Homes are dancing and singing at the Assembly in front of hundreds of people. Louise and Janske, one of our Duth volunteers took them there. They left yesterday afternoon for Grahamstown and slept in a Bed and Breakfast facility who gave Louise a very special price. This is a first time for them to sleep out. At 21.30 last night Louise sent me an sms saying that they have practiced and all is well. Simphiwe, our Social auxiliary worker will lead them on stage with gum boot dancing, then Nosimphiwe will say a poem and then the main Act where they all will dance and sing. It is mindboggling to think that 4 years ago these children were on the streets and abused and abandoned!! I hope Louise will bring nice Photos for me to put on the blog for you..
Optometrist: During the week Simphiwe and our lovely volunteers took some of the children to have their eyes tested. The one little girl of three who suffered serious neglect and abuse at home was referred to a specialist at the Dora Nginza Hospital. An appointment was made for 7 January 2011.
Asibavikele: The 30 community volunteers from Motherwell trained in the Asibavikele programme completed their course on Tuesday and received their certificates and name tags. Child protection is their main aim but they will also be caring for families affected and infected by Aids. They will be the eyes and ears of the community. We received a visit from Megan fom CWSA Head Office as well as three ladies from PACT who interviewed the ladies on what they were taught and what they were doing in the community. I understand that they were all very impressed about what we are doing.
Dirk is calling me on Skype!
Tia .
.
CWSA: Eastern Cape Assembly. Today a group of girls from our Thamsanqa Cluster Foster Homes are dancing and singing at the Assembly in front of hundreds of people. Louise and Janske, one of our Duth volunteers took them there. They left yesterday afternoon for Grahamstown and slept in a Bed and Breakfast facility who gave Louise a very special price. This is a first time for them to sleep out. At 21.30 last night Louise sent me an sms saying that they have practiced and all is well. Simphiwe, our Social auxiliary worker will lead them on stage with gum boot dancing, then Nosimphiwe will say a poem and then the main Act where they all will dance and sing. It is mindboggling to think that 4 years ago these children were on the streets and abused and abandoned!! I hope Louise will bring nice Photos for me to put on the blog for you..
Optometrist: During the week Simphiwe and our lovely volunteers took some of the children to have their eyes tested. The one little girl of three who suffered serious neglect and abuse at home was referred to a specialist at the Dora Nginza Hospital. An appointment was made for 7 January 2011.
Asibavikele: The 30 community volunteers from Motherwell trained in the Asibavikele programme completed their course on Tuesday and received their certificates and name tags. Child protection is their main aim but they will also be caring for families affected and infected by Aids. They will be the eyes and ears of the community. We received a visit from Megan fom CWSA Head Office as well as three ladies from PACT who interviewed the ladies on what they were taught and what they were doing in the community. I understand that they were all very impressed about what we are doing.
Dirk is calling me on Skype!
Tia .
.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Training and bonding
1. Gerdy, social worker from the Netherlands. The past week was an exiting week concerning training. Gerdy had three sessions with our Thamsanqa girls over the age of 12 years. Gerdy's course is all about empowerment and capacity building - developing resilience in the girls. I visited them one afternoon and they were all in high spirits. Gerty will have her fourth and last session with the girls on Monday 6 December 2010. She was assisted by Sarah, our social worker, who recently did some girl child training with the same girls. Gerdy is soon going back to The Netherlands. Except for the training Gerdy also blessed us financially. We will miss her.
2. On Wednesday Louise organised a bonding day with the mothers at Thamsanqa and one child. They were taken to the beach where mother and foster child spent an hour together talking and learning more about each other. Afterwards they had to answer some questions about each other. Louise was assisted by Gerdy and our three Be More volunteers Janske, Renee and Robin.
3. I was engaged with the training of 30 community volunteers who will be involved in the Asibavikele programme in Motherwell. 22 of these women have been retrained and 8 were trained for the first time. The course will be completed on Tuesday 7 December when they will receive their name tags and their certificates. During 2010 more than 400 orphans and vulnerable children have been identified by the volunteers and supported and cared for. More than 100 of these children were placed in foster care by our social workers and the families assisted to apply for foster grants.
General: The Thamsanqa children have completed their exams and will receive there rapports by Wednesday, We hope for a 100% pass rate.
Needs: We are in need of running costs. Food are being bought on a weekly basis and delivered at each house. Children need school clothes. 3 boys will be moving from Primary School to High School. They need a complete school outfit and the uniforms are very expensive. Money is needed for a Holiday Programme for the children..
More news soon.
Tia
2. On Wednesday Louise organised a bonding day with the mothers at Thamsanqa and one child. They were taken to the beach where mother and foster child spent an hour together talking and learning more about each other. Afterwards they had to answer some questions about each other. Louise was assisted by Gerdy and our three Be More volunteers Janske, Renee and Robin.
3. I was engaged with the training of 30 community volunteers who will be involved in the Asibavikele programme in Motherwell. 22 of these women have been retrained and 8 were trained for the first time. The course will be completed on Tuesday 7 December when they will receive their name tags and their certificates. During 2010 more than 400 orphans and vulnerable children have been identified by the volunteers and supported and cared for. More than 100 of these children were placed in foster care by our social workers and the families assisted to apply for foster grants.
General: The Thamsanqa children have completed their exams and will receive there rapports by Wednesday, We hope for a 100% pass rate.
Needs: We are in need of running costs. Food are being bought on a weekly basis and delivered at each house. Children need school clothes. 3 boys will be moving from Primary School to High School. They need a complete school outfit and the uniforms are very expensive. Money is needed for a Holiday Programme for the children..
More news soon.
Tia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)