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