Tag Archives: South Africa

News from schools of the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Education, Healthcare, HIV, HIV prevention, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, Orphans, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, Youth, , , , ,

SCHOOL REPORT FROM JANUARY TO MARCH 2022

Dr Peter Farrant writes to say, “Thank you for your continued support…it is GREATLY appreciated!” There is a significant shortage of teachers, which is concerning, and never-ending social and medical needs. He says “Sister Grace is a stable rock in the school, which is a huge benefit to the scholars.”

LEARNERS BEING SCREENED BEFORE CLASS. THOSE WITH CHICKEN POX or SCABIES ARE SENT HOME

All learners returned to school on full-time basis this term with Covid-19 protocols observed. Between 600–1200 learners are screened daily. Learners continue to wear masks and are sanitised upon arrival. Outdoor activities are allowed in all schools and pupils participate in various athletics, which increases physical fitness. The infection rate has reduced as many staff members and learners have had Covid-19 vaccines.

Only two primary schools had Covid-19 positive cases among staff members, and control measures were undertaken. 

CHALLENGES:

ADDRESSING LEARNERS ON DANGERS OF GENGER BASED VIOLENCE AND BULLYING AT SCHOOL AND WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY
  • Shortage of staff, as a result of teachers relocating or being promoted in different educational sectors, has prevented learners from catching up academically. Pupils can spend a whole day without being taught.
  • Poor sanitation due to inadequate toilets for the huge numbers of learners
  • Overcrowding now all learners are fully attending school: 42 learners or more per class
  • Pregnant learners continue to hide. Their condition is only noticed during routine screening when they reach their 2nd or 3rd  trimester. Daily monitoring, counselling and support are then provided.
  • Overaged learners, who have repeated courses more than 3 times, are stuck in the same grade and can become bad influencers. Some are involved in theft of other learner’s valuables, which makes pupils feel unsafe.
  • Undisciplined learners come to school to disrupt others. Some are under the influence of alcohol. (Parents have been called to a hearing.)
  • Hysteric attacks in girls, which they believe was related to ancestral calling. These were controlled with the involvement of parents

PROGRESS:

  • Improved Matric pass rate for Meetsetshehla Secondary School of 78% – compared to 63% in 2020 and Leseding High School  73 %.
  • Senior learners continue to attend extra classes at weekends and during the holidays.
  • The employment of general workers and teacher assistants in schools has helped to keep school premises clean. Teachers are assisted with administration and book keeping. The Job Creation Scheme was a Government initiative to ensure youth are employed and equipped with skills by giving them a year’s contract in schools.
  • Feeding schemes continue to provide daily meals to learners many of whom come to school without eating.
  • The local education circuit office managed to source temporary staff to fill teaching gaps while schools awaited formal advertising of vacant posts
  • Sister Grace spoke to classes about teenage pregnancy, menstrual issues, contraceptives, cyberbullying, along with the dangers of substance abuse and its effect.

“I AM ALSO INVOLVED IN A RECYCLING PROJECT OF BOTTLES, PAPER AND CARDBOX WHICH ARE THEN COLLECTED AND SOLD TO THE LOCAL RECYCLING COMPANY. THIS PROJECT HELPS TO EMPOWER THOSE UNEMPLOYED TO EARN EXTRA INCOME THROUGH WASTE MANAGEMENT. A TRUCK COMES TO FETCH RECYCLABLES WHEN BAGS ARE FULL.”

STATISTICS: TOTAL NUMBER OF THOSE SEEN INDIVIDUALLY: 167

PREGNANT – 20 (12 from Meetsetshehla Secondary School & 8 Leseding High School)

MEDICAL ISSUES – 8 : Asthma, Chicken pox, Herpes Zoster, Epilepsy, Dental infection and HIV

MINOR ISSUES – 55 : Menstrual issues, abdominal cramps, headaches, sports injuries and allergies

SOCIAL PROBLEMS – 20 :Due to poor family support, obesity due to improper diet, lack of funds to access a rehabilitation centre, and unhealthy living conditions, which distract pupils from studying.

PSYCHOLOGICAL – 10 : 6 cases of hysteria, 2 rape victims, 2 grieving the loss of loved ones, plus cases of abuse.

ADHERENCE COUNSELING – 25 : HIV medication, Epilepsy and depression.

CONTRACEPTIVES – 29 cases referred to access various methods of contraception

Sister Grace in the Waterberg

FUTURE PLANS:

  • I will continue to educate learners’ about the risks of teenage pregnancy, reproductive and sexual health, sexual transmitted infections and preventative measures.
  • I will invite stakeholders from the local government clinic who run youth friendly programs to motivate our learners and to encourage more girls to access different contraceptives
  • I will regularly meet up with security personnel who can assist with learners’ safety due to increasing number of drug addicts who hide in the bushes and want to commit crimes like raping girls and snatching phones or school essentials.  One 16 year-old girl was raped on her way to school. She’s currently receiving medical care and psychological counseling from the local clinic.

Schools are closed for 2 weeks from the 18th March and re-open on the 4th April 2022

Explaining how to use washable sanitary pads

If you would like to help The Waterberg Trust finance this amazing work, you can find details or who to contact and how to make a donation here.

MANY THANKS!

Even very small amounts of money go a long way to help the people of the Waterberg and enable learners to achieve their dreams.

2022 news from the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Healthcare, Home Based Care, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Waterberg, Youth, , ,

Dr Peter Farrant of the Northern Education Trust reports that January and February 2022 have been a very busy time with all sorts of challenges in the schools and the community. As Covid slows down, there is a slow return to normal life. “The uptake of vaccine in the community has been good and, consequently, the severity of infections of Covid has declined.”

Nursing Sister Grace Ismail working in the Waterberg

ACTS OF MERCY REPORT JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2022

Sister Grace worked in collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure necessary requirements and social support was provided for 43 people in need. The Department of Social Development referred some families to us as they had no supplies. Others were referred by local religious leaders who asked us to help those in dire need. On being contacted, each beneficiary goes to the supermarket to collect their food parcel.

If you would like to make a donation to help, please click here for more information

Collecting food parcels for the needy

Sister Grace liaises with church elders and reassess beneficiaries before providing support. “I come across challenges like loss of shelter due to rain, no food or essential supplies, and orphaned children left with no proper guardians to look after them.” Other issues have been violence-related due to misunderstandings, with youngsters involved in domestic theft, alcohol and substance abuse. “I noticed that many children who live with secondary guardians lacked proper care. Their social grants are being misused.”

Purchasing food for food parcels for those in need

CHALLENGES:

  • Insecurity in our community is on the rise, which has led to houses being broken into and belongings being stolen
  • Increase in teenage pregnancies. Girls aged between 14 – 20  are expecting and drop out of school
  • Social grants are mismanaged: funds intended for buying food are used for gambling and alcohol
  • Youth with addictions have no access to rehabilitation due to lack of funds. As a result they still roam within the community, abusing drugs such as glue, smoking nyaope, and sharing injections. Those addicted are between the ages of 10 -20 years.
  • Increase of prices for essential supplies and food stuffs including clothing.
  • Inadequate food supplies from the Department of Social Development.
  • I do face difficulties reaching out to many families due to damaged roads but am able to call or send someone to deliver messages and food.

WHAT WE ARE DOING:

Helping teenage school girls who fall pregnant

A knitted blanket was donated to a 14 year old expecting a baby

“TEENAGE MOMS HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH BLANKETS AND BABY EQUIPMENT. ALL ATTEND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.”

The kind donation of a hand-knitted jersey

“TEENAGE PREGNANCY IS HUGE PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY. MANY OF THESE GIRLS DON’T WANT TO USE CONTRACEPTIVES REGARDLESS OF ALL THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION OFFERED TO THEM.”

Re-gaining health in the Waterberg

ONE MOZAMBICAN NATIONAL WAS UNAPPROACHABLE, AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS, UNTILL WE INTERVENED AND SENT HIM FOR MEDICAL HELP.

Sister Grace says, ‘I collect his medication from the clinic every month to ensure he doesn’t default treatment.’ He now seems to be doing well

A man whose home blew down in the storm

“THIS MAN LIVES IN A SHACK WHICH WAS BLOWN AWAY BY WIND AND HEAVY RAIN. I PROVIDED FOOD AND A BLANKET BEFORE REFERRING HIM TO THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ASSISTANCE WITH PROPER SHELTER.”

DONATIONS:

“I am thankful for the sanitary pads and clothes donated by Horizon guests, which I was able to distribute to those in need. The sanitary pads benefited school girls who received them with gratitude as they will not miss out classes due to menstrual issues.”

The Department of Social Development managed to provide food parcels to those with valid identification documents.

Even very small donations go a long way in the Waterberg where funds are carefully monitored by Dr Peter Farrant. There are different ways you can give detailed on our website here.

PLANS:

As we have moved to level 1 of lockdown restrictions, many people are back at work. Some are receiving the Social Relief Grants to enable them to provide food for their families.

“I will continue to reach out to those who are in great need and encourage those with income to spend it on basic needs instead of alcohol and gambling.”

Learners have access to daily meals from all surrounding school’s feeding schemes.

“I will continue regular meetings with the local Police Victim Support Unit, religious leaders and with social workers to ensure community members have access to services they need.”

FOOD PURCHASED FOR THE NEEDY by TWT Donors

Update on care for the needy in the Waterberg, South Africa

Africa, Charity, Charity fundraising event, Community projects, Education, Healthcare, HIV, HIV awareness, HIV prevention, Home Based Care, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, Orphans, Palliative Care, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Trustees, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, Youth, , , ,
Sister Grace monitoring the development of a baby

The Board of The Waterberg Trust met this week to review projects being supported in the Waterberg region of South Africa.

One of the Trustees, who had just returned from a visit, was able to report that Sister Grace has been busy looking after people’s health and welfare in schools and the wider community. One of her objectives is to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, which take girls out of school and entrench poverty.

The Knitting Club have been busy producing the most beautiful blankets, hats and shawls, providing comfort for the very young and very old in the Waterberg. Sister Grace distributes these while making home visits when she can check that patients are taking their medication and have enough to eat.

Care for the elderly

Thanks to our supporters’ kind donations, The Waterberg Trust continues to work in partnership with St John’s Church ‘Acts of Mercy’ initiative to help those in need through the pandemic.

Sister Grace distributing hand-knitted blankets

Volunteers help purchase and pack food parcels for about fifty individuals within family groups.

Food parcels donated to the needy in the Waterberg

These are collected from outside the local super market by friends or relatives of the needy. Local farmers donate food.

Food for the school nutrition project is being supplemented with vegetables grown in school veggie gardens by the Environmental Clubs.

Food parcels being collected

TWT has set up a ‘Dignity Dreams Club’ to raise funds to purchase eco-packs of washable sanitary pads for every girl entering secondary education. This is an important, low-cost initiative that gives girls confidence and means they do not miss lessons. Some were taking absence from school for five days a month.

Sister Grace explains how to care for washable sanitary pads.

The pads come with a book for teachers and are distributed with a structured sex-education talk about puberty. TWT is aiming to provide 400 packs a year at a cost of £15 each. The pads are carefully made by Dignity Dreams, a non-profit organization in Pretoria who provide work for the disadvantaged. They last four years. If you would like to help by making a small donation, please click here

For a full list of projects supported by TWT, please click here.

Handmade blanket and hat

TWT donors enable learners in the Waterberg to go on a residental course at Lapalala Wilderness School

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Education, Limpopo Province, Nature Conservation, Nonprofit, Peer Education, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, Youth, , , ,
Thanks to The Waterberg Trust supporters who made this life-changing experience possible

‘Our courses are no longer regarded as a luxury but rather as a vitally important component of the education of all our children, with the message that the health of people is intimately connected with the health of the environment.’ Chairman of Lapalala Wilderness School

 Clearly, one of the best ways of ensuring future conservation is to educate the young people. 

After delays caused by C-19 Lockdown, and floods that washed away the access road, a group of twenty-two teenage students from Meetsetshehla Sceondary School in Valwater were able to attend a week-long environmental course at Lapalala Wilderness School in 2021. TWT hope to send another group from Leseding High School in Vaalwater soon.

Learners from Meetsetshehla Secondary School in Vaalwater learning about rivers

The main objectives of the Environmental Education programme are:

  • To spark an interest and passion for the natural world and the conservation.
  • To share knowledge relating to local and global environmental issues and sustainable living.
  • To demonstrate how individuals can have a positive impact on the environment.
  • To build team spirit and nurture leadership skills.
  • To cultivate an appreciation and respect for a pristine wilderness environment.

Students learn about recycling, biodiversity and gain practical help if they are seeking a career in tourism and wildlife conservation. For further details of the course, please see Lapalala Wilderness School’s website here.

Learning to identify plants of the Waterberg. There are approx 340 different species of trees in the area.
  • Lapalala Wilderness School can accommodate sixty pupils and two teachers who reside at the Wilderness School for five days, under COVID -19 lockdown regulations
  • It costs R 400 (£19) per person per day.
  • For 62 individuals for five days costs R 124,000 (£5,885)
  • Return transport from Vaalwater costs R10,000 (£475)

This is exceptionally good value. All in all, it costs R 134,000 (£6,360) to host a group, fully inclusive of teaching, equipment, food and accommodation.

If you would like to find out how to sponsor another group of children to attend the Wilderness School, please click here

Leaners on a game drive through Lapalala Wilderness where they saw lion and a variety of antelope

The Chairman of Lapalala Wilderness School writes:

‘In this, our 35th anniversary year, our supporters will be delighted to know that all of our environmental education programmes are being enthusiastically received, not only by primary and secondary schools but also by university students already specialising in aspects of the conservation and management of biodiversity.’

‘We have influenced teachers from a variety of schools to embrace and acknowledge the critical role of environmental conservation in many facets of our daily lives, and our work to identify and nurture the conservation leaders and champions of the future through our youth development programme has never been more urgently needed.’

Students learning about nature conservation and the job opportunities in tourism and wildlife management

‘In all of these activities the Lapalala Wilderness School is most fortunate to be able to call on a talented team of passionate and enthusiastic educators, many of whom are today widely recognised as truly inspiring mentors.’

Leadership and communication skills are nurtured on each course.

‘Our citizens must understand and support the need to conserve water catchments, wetlands, and the many species of plants and animals which receive far too little attention, such as the pollinators so essential for food security.’

Thank you letters from some of the students

The children were truly grateful for the opportunity and wrote to thank the director of Lapalala Wilderness School:

A letter written to thank the director of Lapalala Wilderness School

The course fits in with the national curriculum. Sister Grace founded an Environmental Club for schools in Vaalwater. Members tend vegetable gardens and have been taken to local game reserves.

Back at school: some of the students who attended the Lapalala Wilderness course, with Sister Grace
Extending knowledge learned at Lapalala Wilderness in the school veggie garden established by the TWT corporate sponsor in South Africa: Environmental Impact Management Services.

For further details about Lapalala Wilderness School, please click here

Can you join the Dignity Dreams Club?

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Education, Healthcare, HIV awareness, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, Orphans, Peer Education, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, Youth, , , , ,

School nurse Sister Grace distributing packs of Dignity Dreams washable sanitary pads for schoolgirls

Could you change a schoolgirl’s future?

Did you know that the majority of secondary school girls in the Waterberg can miss a week’s education every month? Can you imagine what this means to their future life chances?

The reason? They lack sanitary protection. You can change this. For just £15 a girl will receive 6 re-suable Dignitary Dreams sanitary pads with two pairs of pants that will last them for 5 years. This is an educational  game-changer, ending shame and improving self-esteem for vulnerable teenagers.

It’s simple, it makes an immediate difference, and has a lifelong benefit.

Can you help?

The Waterberg Trust aims to provide all girls in secondary schools of the Waterberg with an eco-friendly pack of Dignity Dreams reusable sanitary protection.

Please join the Dignity Dreams Club and commit to an annual donation of £15 (or more) in order to provide a girl with sanitary protection.

Click here for our page on ways of making a donation

Sister Grace using a book on how to use the pads

Students are given a talk on puberty and how to use the pads before they are distributed. It is a good opportunity for them to ask questions and learn how to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.

The NGO Dignity Dreams issue a book for teachers to use, helping them to give engaging talks on puberty and the female reproductive system in line with the curriculum. There is also an instruction leaflet in in pack.

The book commissioned by Dignity Dreams for teachers to use when distributing the pads

There are six pads in each pack, designed for washing with Sunlight soap in cold water, rinsed in salty water and dried in hot sun. They are made by outworkers for Dignity Dreams, which is a not-for-profit employment scheme running in Pretoria. In effect, you’d be supporting two charities at once.

Sister Grace showing pupils how the washable pads work

The girls like the design of the pink and green stripped underpants that come in the packs. One pad is equivalent to 144 disposable pads. They say they are both helpful and durable.

Another class of secondary schoolgirls received a pack of re-useable pads

The Waterberg Trust first distributed Dignity Dreams pads in January 2019 thanks to sponsorship from TWT donors and Environmental Impact Management Services who kindly brought a speaker up from Pretoria. You can read about how we equipped 210 girls here.

Speaker Verita Shikwambana from Dignity Dreams

Secondary schools in the Waterberg have an annual intake of 460 girls. This year, we have managed to equip 145 girls entering one of the schools. We need another 315 packs as soon as possible. If you could help with a few it would be hugely appreciated. The girls and their parents are truly grateful.

The total number of girls in the secondary schools of the Waterberg is 948. To help them all we need to purchase another 593 pads. At a cost of £15 for a pack (+courier charges) our aim is to raise £8,895 for this project.

A note of thanks from one of the students

3rd Covid-19 Emergency Food Parcel Distribution in the Waterberg – July 2020

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Healthcare, Home Based Care, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, , , , , , , , ,

5305B1BD-33C6-4ECF-B8B4-308790E9EE9D
– VOLUNTEERS AND BENEFICIARIES HELPING TO PACK FOOD PARCELS IN VAALWATER-

Thanks to our generous supporters, emergency food parcel distribution in the Waterberg has continued every month. Nurse Grace has conducted an assessment on how this is going, conducting home visits to beneficiaries. These are her photos and finding for the month of July 2020. We will be able to provide an update for activities in August soon.

Some recipients have managed to find a source of income or work and received a UIF payment to enable them to buy groceries for their family. Others still have no source of income or only work on certain days of the week when they are paid according to the hours worked. New beneficiaries have been identified including teenage mothers who depend on the child social grant.

36E4A61B-4CF0-44ED-AD17-FD47F567762F_1_201_a
– SUPERVISED FOOD PARCEL DISTRIBUTION –

Kind donations were received in the form of clothes, sanitary pads and bedding, for which acknowledgements and thank you messages have been sent. These came from individuals, St John’s church members and The Fold children’s home. Those in need were grateful.

59C89D04-6390-4E3A-B728-151975631AEC

This enabled bedding and kitchen utensils were donated to a homeless, elderly man who has no family and no known identity.

96CA5D52-1ADF-4404-9B85-9E1465577CED_1_201_a

Knitted blankets were also distributed thanks to kind donated wool for the knitting club ladies.

CHALLENGES faced in the township of Leseding:

  • People spend money on alcohol instead of buying food for their families.
  • Gender-based violence.
  • School children roaming the streets – some get involved in crime and physical violence.
  • Child-headed homes with no parents to guide nor provide.
  • Patients with poor adherence due to lack of food and family support.
  • Foreign nationals with no identity nor family.
  • An expectancy of receiving food parcels regardless of employment.

However, many needy adults and children are benefiting enormously. More food parcels will be purchased when new list of beneficiaries is ready. If you wold like to make a donation to help provide for the poor, please click here.

2576E840-1180-4BEF-93A0-E9DCD8FEED88_1_201_a

2nd Covid-19 emergency food parcel distribution in the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Waterberg, , , , , ,

Since the rural population of the Waterberg in the Limpopo Province of South Africa relies heavily on tourism, many people have been suffering from lack of income during Lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Waterberg Trust has launched a Covid-19 Emergency Appeal to raise funds to provide those in extremis with basic food so they can feed their dependents.

TWT has partnered with the Church of St John the Baptist who have been raising funds locally and providing volunteers to deliver nutritious food parcels consisting of 10 Kg Mealie meal – the staple carbohydrate, 2 Kg sugar, tins of fish in tomato sauce, tins of baked beans, 2 litres cooking oil, 7 Kg potatoes, 1 Kg packet of powdered milk, 250g teabags and packets of Koro Krunch. The plan was to include 2kgs of flour, but it was out of stock, so a bottle of mayonnaise was added instead.

In May 2020, we were able to feed 167 adults and children, as reported here.

In June 2020, we have been able to do the same again but, with winter pressing in, we need more funds to keep going. No one in the area has contracted Covid-19 but food security is an issue and the recipients and deeply grateful:

“Can’t thank you enough for what you have done.” Karabo

“Thank you for the food parcel.” Priscilla

“Thank you for always remembering me at this difficult time.” Lizzy

 

Nurse Grace who is managing the project reports:

  ACTS OF MERCY REPORT FOR JUNE 2020

DAILY TASKS:

Follow-up home visits were conducted to those who received food parcels to check if there is any income or job opportunities for them. Some had returned to work and some were doing business, whilst some are still struggling to get income and support their families.

New families have been identified and added to the beneficiary list. Social development also provided a list for those in urgent need of food parcels. School children in certain grades are back to school and are able to have food from the feeding scheme program, and those at home at home continued to study through television and radio broadcasting lessons.

Distribution of clothes donated locally

CHALLENGES:

  • Many families are still struggling to feed their families due to low income
  • Jobs may be lost and lead to increased unemployment
  • Alcohol and drug abuse has risen, leading to gender based violence
  • Increase in teenage pregnancy and school dropouts during lockdown
  • Everyone in the community wants to receive free food parcels even though they don’t qualify.
  • Some people still walk around without wearing masks

SUCCESS STORIES:

Some small businesses were allowed to reopen, generating income to support their families, others found new jobs and surrounding Schools reopened after meeting the required standards to ensure learners and staff are protected from contracting the Corvid-19 virus.

School children are able to have a meal at school and be able to study longer to catch up on their studies.

Food parcels were distributed to the vulnerable families including foreign nationals.

 

Nurse Grace on a home visit

STATISTICS:

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOMES VISITED 75

OF WHICH 40 WERE FOLLOW-UP AND 35 ARE NEW BENEFICIARIES

Food parcels – 34 distributed: 20 identified by social development and 14 assessed during home visits

Clothes donation – 20 people (children & adults)

Counselling – 15 (adherence to chronic treatment, gender- based violence, basic hygiene measures at home, alcohol withdrawal syndrome and coping techniques due to job insecurity and no income)

Teenage pregnancy – 12 teen moms from different schools both primary and secondary

Referrals – 28 (application for birth certificates, ID documents and social relief grants)

FUTURE PLANS:

To continue working with the Social Development Services as they have a database for those who are in urgent need of food parcels and social matters, other stakeholders such as churches and organizations.

Education and support to the community about Corvid 19 virus prevention and regular hygiene measures and importance of wearing masks will continue in the local language.

Food distribution to be conducted during mid-month unless there’s an emergency referral then it can be attended to immediately.

If you could help by making a donation please click here for TWT’s Justgiving page

If you would rather send a cheque, please chick here

Any support with make a real difference and help transform lives.

 

Lockdown report from Nurse Grace in the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Home Based Care, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, , , , , , , ,

Nurse Grace helping lady in Leseding

-Nurse Grace conducting a home visit in the township of Leseding-

DAILY TASKS:

During this Corvid-19 pandemic lockdown I dedicated my work in the community to educating families and school children about the Corvid 19 virus signs and symptoms as well as basic hygiene measures to ensure they understand ways of transmission and how they can prevent community infection. It was during that time that I also made home assessments and identified those families that needed support with food, clothes and proper shelter.

The Waterberg Trust Food Parcel distribution during Lockdown

-Food parcel distribution to the unemployed during Lockdown-

School children were encouraged to study at home. I also helped those in Matric, through a WhatsApp group, to share ideas and questions for specific subjects. Others were encouraged to access learning through direct teaching from television and radio broadcasting programs at scheduled times. Counselling support service was provided to those facing serious issues and referrals were made when needed for further management.

CHALLENGES:

  • Lack of food in many families due to no income.
  • Family disputes leading to physical injury i.e. fighting and verbal abuse
  • Increase in gender based violence
  • Loss of jobs and insecurity
  • Suicidal attempts in some learners due to emotional stress and poor family support
  • Increase in alcohol & substance abuse in some learners as they are not going to school
  • Increase in crime rates like house breaking, shops and schools
  • Undocumented foreign nationals who have no job nor proper income

Nurse Grace helping a homeless man in Vaalwater May 2020

-Nurse Grace helping the homeless in Vaalwater-

SUCCESS STORIES:

Through the kind donation of funds from The Waterberg Trust, Church of St John the Baptist at 24 Rivers, individual donors and fellow Christians who donated clothes, many people were blessed with food parcels, clothing, bedding and shelter. The criteria for food donation was: vulnerable families, school children and foreign nationals who could not afford to buy food. Thorough assessments, through home visits, were completed and a list drawn of beneficiaries.  Some were referred by the Social Development and Lethabo Kids Club.

Nurse Grace with food parcels purchased in suppermarket

-Sorting TWT food parcels before distribution-

FUTURE PLANS:

To continue reaching out to the vulnerable community and those in urgent need for support.

The next food parcel distribution will be the second week of June to avoid month-end overcrowding when people are busy getting their social grants and buying goods. During mid-month is when most families run out of food supplies.  We will work with Department of Social Development who will help to distribute the food parcels. Those food parcels which are supplied by St John’s and TWT will be clearly marked and carries a personal note for the recipient.

We will continue to liaise with stake holders to avoid duplication of food distribution in the community i.e. Social Development Services staff, religious groups and other institutions which are involved in helping the community.

Nurse Grace with donations of clothes, bedding May 2020

-Sorting donations of clothes and a bed-

STATISTICS:

Total number of people visited and assessed 150 during Lockdown

Food parcels – 75 (TWT funded 40 – St John’s Church and local individuals funded 35)

Clothing parcels – 30

Providing shelter – 2

Counselling – 10 (Gender Based Violence, Sexual abuse, suicide attempts & fighting)

Referrals – 13 (Application for birth & ID certificates, Social grants and food parcel application)

Treatment support – 20 learners reached and assisted to collect medication from clinic and needed adherence counselling.

The above duty commitment was made possible because of the support received from donors, fellow Christians and individuals.

May God greatly bless you for supporting our community during this challenging time.

Nurse Grace and reciepient in Leseding May 2020

ACKNNOWLEDGEMENT MESSAGES FROM SOME OF THE BENEFICIARIES THAT RECEIVED FOOD PARCELS:

  • ‘On behalf of my family I would like to say thanks to St John’s and The Waterberg Trust, the donors and supporters. May the almighty Lord bless them, thanks –’ Emmy Banda
  • ‘Thank you very much you are really God sent’ – Lisa Mofokeng
  • ‘Thank you for the food parcel we appreciate your help Sister Grace’ – Dikeledi Mokoena
  • ‘God knows your heart’ – Julia Ntomane
  • ‘I don’t know what to say but only God will bless you more’ – Maria Nel

Report compiled by: Grace Ismail. Note: The people who appeared on the photos gave consent and agreed that their pictures can be used and shared with sponsors.

Thanks to kind donors in the UK, The Waterberg Trust has been able to send enough funds for a second allocation of food parcels but we winter has set in and we don’t know how long the emergency will last. Schools have gone back but tourism, which is the main source of employment in the district, remains shut down.

To see more photos of the food parcel distribution, please click here.

If you would like to make a donation to TWT’s Covid-19 Appeal, please click here for TWT’s Just giving page (please leave a brief message) or here for the address to which cheques can be sent.

 

 

Nurse Grace has been making preparations as schools open in the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Education, Healthcare, HIV awareness, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Vulnerable Children, Waterberg, Youth, , , , , , ,

Nurse Grace profile picture in TWT uniform 2020~School nurse, Sister Grace Ismail~

Schools in South Africa re-opened today, bringing a number of challenges in the light of Covid-19.

Nurse Grace has written to say, “I have been busy preparing schools, to ensure classrooms are cleaned and sanitised, also to plan the screening area for learners.” Masks are obligatory for all – by law.

Ever since schools in South Africa closed in March due to shielding, Sister Grace has been helping pupils with their studies at home. “I am attending to issues and challenges presented by learners. I have been in contact with the social development services to seek help for problems in the community.”

Sister Grace helping learners with studies through Lockdown

-Home schooling in the Waterberg –

Thanks to over fifty kind donors in the UK, who responded to The Waterberg Trust Covid-19 emergency appeal, Grace has been co-coordinating the procurement and distribution of food parcels to the needy, working with volunteers from St John’s Church ‘Acts of Mercy’ initiative. You can read more about this here.

Nurse Grace buying groceries for food parcels

-Nurse Grace purchasing groceries for food parcel donation- 

Grace writes: “The next purchase will second week of June.” If you would like to help with the purchase of food parcels by making a donation, however small, please click here for The Waterberg Trust’s Justgiving site or here to send a cheque.

Winter is on its way, with clear sunny days but temperatures dropping radically at night. “I have been handling clothes to the community which are donated by Horizon and Bulls Eye”. She has also been distributing knitted blankets. “My targets are school children and vulnerable elderly.”

Grace has now returned to work in the schools of the Waterberg, including Meetsetshehla Secondary School, where she is based. If you would like to read more about her work, please click here.

Nurse Grace at Meetsetshehla School in TWT uniform

Food parcels for vulnerable families in the Waterberg

Africa, Charity, Community projects, Limpopo Province, Nonprofit, South Africa, The Waterberg Trust, Uncategorized, Vaalwater, Waterberg, , , , , ,

2F376859-3A37-43F9-835D-99BAF7EFF194
-Nurse Grace preparing food parcels for the needy in the Waterberg-

Thanks to over fifty individuals in the UK who made personal donations to The Waterberg Trust’s Corvid-19 emergency appeal, food parcels have been distributed to people in need in the Vaalwater community.

The original idea was to support those who lost their jobs due to Lockdown, which virtually closed the tourism in South Africa overnight. In practice, Nurse Grace drew up a list of about 40 families / persons in need.

A local supermarket, which has very good prices, packed the food into bundles. Volunteers from St John’s Church supervised distribution directly from the shop to the grantees, who collected their food parcels to avoid transport costs. The volunteers checked the contents of each food parcel and recorded receipts from the correct grantee. Each package contained a message of encouragement in the local language.

All funds are carefully monitored by TWT’s local partner, St John’s Church.

Nurse Grace and volunteers from St John’s Church purchasing the food

Thanks to careful planning and the support of Choppies Supermarket, each food parcel contained a decent amount of nutritious groceries for the equivalent of about £27.

DAB9AB17-8815-4C00-B26F-EED9904527F6

10 Kg Mealie meal – the staple carbohydrate

2 Kg Rice

2 Kg Sugar

4 Tins of fish in tomato sauce

4 Tins of baked beans

2 litres Cooking oil

500g Salt

3 packets of soup (used as a sauce with mealie meal)

7 Kg potatoes

1 Kg packet of powdered milk

250g teabags

1 bottle dish washing liquid

The plan was to include 2kgs of flour, but it was out of stock, so nurse Grace added a bottle of mayonnaise instead.

-Some of the many people who received food parcels in May 2020-

Very many thanks to all our donors!

If you are able to make another donation please click here for TWT’s Justgiving page where donations show up if you leave a message. We can take CAF cheques and normal cheques. The address can be found here.

2D222E81-DB71-433A-8A07-293E29753ADA_1_201_a
Thanks also to Nurse Grace and the volunteers from St John’s Church at 24 Rivers – it was heavy work!

Nurse Grace has also able to help a pregnant lady who had been evicted from her home and organize a kind donation of a bed and equipment needed for the baby.

8D89AC8A-5430-4F63-B62F-86B8567C65A4_1_201_a