Dear Friends,

Even after 57 days  (as at 22 May), only a few easing measures are anticipated as of 1 June 2020.   A lot of opposition has been building up to the current lockdown – especially regarding the many, and partially illogical, regulations many of which are incomprehensible to the majority of the SA population.  The serious financial consequences for the economy are being discussed in the news while more and more children and poor people suffer from malnutrition and other signs of deficiency.

In these extra-ordinary and difficult times, we see ourselves forced to not only support the 6 projects of the Kinderhilfe Kapstadt but also to consider requests from 3 other organisations to help relieve their pressing financial distress.

Again, we ask for your trust and empathy in the sure knowledge that your donations to us go where there is the greatest need.

Hereunder is an brief overview of our 6 current, plus 3 extra projects – as well as the financial support being provided this year by Kinderhilfe/SEEDS  to them via your generous donations.

Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt / SEEDS Trust –  6 Projects

1. Little Lambs Christian Daycare in Hout Bay

Presently, 18 employees look after 300 children aged 1-6 years.

A new after-school care facility was in the planning for our Little Lambs children once they leave for Primary School– but this project has had to be placed on hold due to Covid 19 situation.

Instead we are now supporting, on a monthly basis, 300 families with food parcels and vouchers as well as continuing to pay wages to our 18 teachers and assistants.  At the same time, we are receiving no school fees as most parents are out of work and thus have no income.

The funding to pay for these food parcels and vouchers was only made possible by the heartfelt responses of sponsors to Kinderhilfe/SEEDS’s urgent appeal for financial help.

2. Heuwel Speelskool in Calitzdorp

240 children are cared for here every day by 16 teachers.  The children are 2-5 years of age.  Despite the lockdown, these children continue to be touchingly embraced by Klaus and Ursula Triebe.    As with other similar kindergartens, the parents are unable to earn a wage – thus the school has no income; however Heuwel Speelskool is handing out food parcels to the families to ensure that the children, at least, eat one hot meal a day.

At the end of February, the foundation was laid for the planned Afterschool Care building – but, here also, construction has been halted because of the effects of Covid-19.   Before the lockdown, the kindergarten had a routine fire inspection and, as a consequence, was instructed to provide each of the 8 classrooms with a new emergency exit.    This was a shock; such unplanned and costly building alterations were not possible for the Heuwel Speelskool to fund by themselves.  Thus, to ensure that they do not lose their right to government subsidies, Kinderhilfe/SEEDS is supporting them with emergency relief funding of R100,000 for  the cost of this regulatory building  alteration work.

3. Ark Angels Educare in Overcome Heights/Vrgyrond

Kinderhilfe/ SEEDS Trust no longer support this Educare and its administration now lies entirely in the hands of the Ark Angels Board and Pastor Prosper.   However, SEEDS Trust remains owner of the building, but agreed in a lease agreement signed with Ark Angels that the Educare can use the building rent free.    Kinderhilfe/SEEDS pays for the insurance costs of the building. i.e. R1 000 p.m.

Thanks to the generosity of all sponsors this turned out to be the most amazing ECD Centre we ever built. Our vision of giving back to the community and creating a space for children where they are cared for in a loving and safe surrounding, where they are able to learn and play,  away from crime and poverty,  became reality.

4. True-North in Overcome Heights/Vrygrond

True-North partners with 29 kindergartens which, in turn, employ a total of 137 staff and cater for more than 1500 children in Overcome Heights / Vrygrond.  Each kindergarten is independently managed and supervised by the owner – who is also the principal of each Educare facility.

In all of the kindergartens it is the same crisis:  no income is coming from school fees – but all the kindergartens are engaged in supporting their children and families with soup kitchens as well as vegetables and food parcels.

Kinderhilfe/SEEDS is currently supporting with R50,000 towards wages and R20,000 for their soup kitchens.

5. iKhaya le Themba in Hout Bay

IKhaya le Themba is an afterschool care facility which offers care also for our Little Lambs children once they leave the kindergarten and move onto Primary School.  Unfortunately, only a few Little Lambs children are admitted yearly because of limited space, thus Marlis decided to build our own afterschool centre for the Little Lambs children, in order to continue keeping them safe and benefitting from continued stimulation.  iKhaya le Themba cares for 90 children aged between 7 and 13 years offering academic support and sport programmes.

Since Covid 19 iKhaya le Themba has been providing food parcels and vegetables for their parents.  In addition to these expenditures they urgently need aid for a new security fence along their boarders to prevent ongoing break-ins.
Kinderhilfe/SEEDS supports the cost of the new fence with R100,000

6. Sakhisizwe Youth Development Programme in Hout Bay

This project was supported for the first time in 2019 when Mhinty approached us to assist with wage payments.   Situated on the same property as iKhaya le Themba and caring for young kids aged between 14 and 25 years, it only seemed logical to take Sakhisiwe on as a new project.

Sakhisizwe Youth Development Program offers mentorship and leadership support to young people of ImizamoYethu in Houtbay.  They run an after school programme that offers academic support, sport, life skills, spiritual journey and creativity.
For this year Kinderhilfe/SEEDS has donated R150,000 towards their salary bill.

Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt/SEEDS Trust assisted 3 other organisations to help relieve their pressing financial distress.

1. Lucky Point in Botrivier

Recently, we visited a Swiss friend, Margrit Schwendimann, in Botrivier.  Her project, Lucky Point, impressed us very much indeed.  In addition to a recycling centre, she has also established a kindergarten, an afterschool care centre and a youth centre – all under a single roof.  Kinderhilfe/ SEEDS  has assumed responsibility for the wage costs of the 2 kindergarten teachers for a year i.e. R100,000.

2. Lukhanyo Educare in Khayalitsha

This kindergarten in Khayalitsha cares for 170 children aged between 1-5 years. Until recently, it was built up and managed by Elsie and her husband, Raymond.  3 weeks ago a fire destroyed nearly the entire building.  The accountant of Little Lambs thereafter approached Kinderhilfe/SEEDS for help with the reconstruction.

Tragically, as a consequence of smoke inhalation during the fight to save the burning premises, Elsie later died in hospital.

Kinderhilfe/SEEDS is supporting the renovation costs with funding of R100,000.  Elsie’s daughter intends to continue her mother’s legacy and will run the kindergarten when it is re-built and the children can thus return to their former safe space.

3. Bright Student Learning Centre in Wynberg und Bellville

Both schools provide for approx. 400 children – mainly from Zimbabwe, and provide excellent schooling from Grade R to Form 6/ Grade 12 – including a Caps, Zimsec or Cambridge Curriculum

Since Covid-19, both schools are in a dilemma since the parents cannot afford to pay the monthly tuition fee of R700 per child.  The schools do not qualify for any SA government grants.  Teachers are desperate to receive at least part of their wages.

Kinderhilfe/SEEDS agreed to assist with R50,000 towards teachers’  wages and managed to provide food parcels – with donations gratefully received from sponsors in Cape Town.

Our tasks are diverse and widespread.  We want to help where there is great need and where there are good people involved and whose efforts deserve recognition and help.

With your donations to SEEDS/Kinderhilfe Kapstadt, you support Marlis and myself to willingly continue to provide encouragement and positive responses for emergency aid in many unforeseen situations – without which any number of these wonderful endeavours would fail.

Please be assured that all donations are spent entirely on our projects as per above. All donations are Tax refundable.

The SEEDS Trust,  Standard Bank, Constantia,  Account No.:  076021459,  Branch Code:  025309

Swift:  SBZA-ZA-JJ,  Reference:  Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt

All donations to SEEDS/Kinderhilfe Kapstadt are very much more than welcomed and it is with deep appreciation that we thank you for your amazing generosity during the past years.