The Waterberg Trust supports the amazing ‘Acts of Mercy’ project run by the Church of St John the Baptist at 24 Rivers that is active in Vaalwater and the township of Leseding in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. One goal is to provide immediate relief from hunger by distributing food parcels. Over 200 people benefited from these in 2024.
Many thanks go to local farmers who donated fruit and vegetables and to overseas donors. The Waterberg Trust has a Justgiving page that can channel funds in eight different currencies.
In addition to this:
250 PEOPLE RECEIVED DONATED CLOTHES
Items of school uniform distributed carefully
350 TEENAGE GIRLS RECEIVED FREE SANITARY PADS
School Nurse Sister Grace distributing sanitary pads in Vaalwater so that girls do not miss school
MANY BENEFITED FROM A 15-WEEK ADDICTION RECOVERY TRAINING COURSE
The brilliant addiction counsellor Chris West-Russell speaking to school children in the Waterberg
Beneficiaries are selected by school nurse Sister Grace who conducts regular home visits.
School nurse Sister Grace helping to alleviate poverty
Those supported include:
ORPHANS and teenage mothers
THE UNEMPLOYED
CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS
FOREIGN NATIONALS WITHOUT INCOME
THOSE NOT RECEIVING SOCIAL GRANTS
and NEEDY PEOPLE REFERRED BY THE POLICE such as victims of violence or fire.
A child needing a pair of school shoes
Sister Grace writes, “ACTS OF MERCY HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LESEDING COMMUNITY, CHANGING LIVES FOR THE BETTER. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS AND STAKEHOLDERS FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT. I WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK OUT AND ASSIST THOSE IN NEED.”
Some of the school items purchased and distributed in 2024
Help us to keep this small but effective project going
The addiction counsellor Chris West-Russell speaking about the sleeping tiger of drug and alcohol abuse
The Waterberg Trust partners with St John’s Church and the Tshepo Trust to help the needy in the Waterberg, providing homebased care, food parcels and talks on addiction.
ST JOHN’S ACTS OF MERCY REPORT FOR JANUARY 2024
Sister Grace continues to distribute food parcels and clothes. ”As we began the new year I managed to buy school items for needy children. The food parcels are bought from different supermarkets to get lower prices.”
The 24 beneficaries include an elderly widow from Mozambique with no source of income, a chronically ill single Mum, a victim of sexual abuse, a teenage mum without support and other child-headed families.
Acts of Mercy has made a huge impact on many families in Vaalwater community by providing food parcels, clothes and sanitary pads for girls.
Local organizations such as the Tshepo Trust and Noko Transformation Forum are being well supported.
Some beneficiaries find jobs, others continue to receive Government Social Relief grants.
Grants for child support and the elderly were increased.
Opportunities for the youth to gain skills in gardening, poultry rearing and security work while receiving a monthly stipend are available.
School items purchased and distributed this month
CHALLENGES:
Increase in food prices
Improper spending of social grants on alcohol and gambling
Overcrowding due to migration leading to poor living conditions and sanitation
Unemployed youth get involved in substance and alcohol abuse, community theft and gender-based violence. Community members feel unsafe walking in certain areas for fear of being attacked or robbed.
Increase in the number of teenage pregnancy despite information about reproduction & health, preventative measures and access to contraceptives.
Sister Grace compiled a power point presentation to summarize work achieved with Acts of Mercy from MAY 2020 – Dec 2023. The presentation also published on this website, specifies the number of food parcels distributed, including clothes and reusable sanitary pads. “Many families benefited from the donations.”
A family benefitting from donations
TSHEPO HBC REPORT JANUARY 2024
Tshepo Homebased Care continues daily routine work in the community.
“We checkup on patients, provide adherence support, collect patient medication from the clinic and identify new patients for admission. All the patients on our program have chronic conditions and are assisted according to their needs i.e. wound dressing, passive exercises, bathing and weekly pill box packing. Some patients are stable and take medication while others need proper adherence counseling and regular home visits to ensure they are well informed about the importance of adherence.”
The number of patients on the program stands at 22. “There has been a great improvement in mobility after our caregivers intervened.”
PROGRESS:
Tshepo Homebased Care is recognized in the community and by the local Government clinic who refer patients and help with basic dressing materials, specimen bottles for sputum collection and TB screening tools.
Chronic medication is collected on behalf of elderly patients who can not walk to the clinic.
A speaker from the Western Cape addressed the increased number of young addicts in our community and provided caregivers with training on addiction and recovery, along with stakeholders from Noko Transformation & Anti-corruption Forum and local schools.
Tshepo Trust assisted the Noko Forum with a letter to enable them to fundraise for their organization and ask local business owners for financial donations or food stuffs.
The addiction counsellor Chris West-Russell speaking about the dangers of drug abuse
CHALLENGES:
Very sick patients, including those who need surgery or specialist intervention, wait a long time before they can be transferred to the provincial hospital. Appointments are extended to further dates, making it difficult for families to cope with caring for their loved ones.
Increase in youth-related deaths due to substance abuse, drugs and alcohol, defaulting on chronic medication
Poor family support and abandonment of sick or elderly patients left alone at home.
Tshepo Trust is short of homebased care kits, stationery, and cleaning products.
Dressing wounds
FUTURE PLANS:
To continue providing required homebased care services
To bring in those who need day care services and close monitoring
To intensify patient screening for TB and reach out in other areas
To continue liaising with stakeholders to ensure we provide the necessary services for patients and their families
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Many thanks to St John the Baptist Church at 24 Rivers who support Tshepo Trust through their Acts of Mercy initiative, providing food for patients, clothes and assistance in the office.
The addiction counsellor Chris West-Russell speaking to school children in the Waterberg
The Waterberg Trust 