Dear Friends,

First an important note: Please make sure that the correct account number is used when transferring money to Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt! If necessary, visit our website for review.

Donation receipt for South Africa www.seedstrust.org.za
SEEDS Trust, Standard Bank, Constantia, Account No .: 076021459, Branch Code: 025309, Swift: SBZA-ZA-JJ

We thank you!

Covid-19 has us still under control! Some easing of restrictions was introduced from 1st June and certain sections of the economy were carefully re-started – thus allowing some people to finally go back to their jobs and earn an income.

In the townships, many people work without a fixed contract / income; they exist hand-to-mouth. These people have had no income since 27 March 2020 (the first day of the lockdown) to buy food, electricity, disinfectants or even face masks. This is where we help.

In the first instance, we made up grocery packages for parents of Little Lambs – then, in Mid-May, we gave them vouchers totalling R60’000 to buy necessities from the local branch of the Checkers Supermarket chain. Recently, we were again able to distribute to these families vouchers for the same amount. This was only possible because sponsors made such generous donations to support this food-supply campaign – otherwise it would not have been possible.

Father Vincent and his two sons

I had the experience of one father, Vincent, who read the covering letter attached to the voucher which asked parents to please continue paying school fees. He looked at me in embarrassment and explained that he currently has no job and no money; he is waiting for a message from his boss as to when he can work again. He apologised that it was impossible for him to pay school fees as he has already great difficulty to even provide food for his young family.

This is the big dilemma faced by all kindergartens. It is a question of bare survival for these facilities as all are dependent on income from fees – otherwise how are the standing expenses of wages, rents, insurance etc. to be paid? I was able to speak to some mothers who normally work as Domestics. Even now, when most can go back to work, it is often not happening because either their regular employers have their own financial problems or these employers fear the risk of infection being brought from the townships if the Domestics resume work in their homes.

Our dilemma is that we feeling morally obligated to hand out food parcels or vouchers so the children do not become malnourished and, at the same time, ask parents to pay school fees – even though we are aware that many of them cannot or will not respond to this call since their children are not yet allowed to attend kindergarten – and so why should they pay.

Some parents write and report how happy and grateful they are for our help at this difficult time.

One of these letters is shared hereunder as it is your financial support which is being acknowledged:

Dear All, I am a mother of Hannah. She is in the Purple Class and started schooling at Little Lambs since she was a baby of 1 year.

Little Lambs is a very helpful Day Care, with a good principal and great teachers.

During the lockdown period this school is helping us a lot, they are providing us with a lot of groceries and vegetables. The grocery parcels they are giving us is enough for my whole family, my husband, me and my 3 kids.

We are really happy with what Little Lambs is doing, helping us in our everyday lives. They are even giving us vouchers to buy groceries and electricity at Checkers.

We really appreciate everything this day care is doing in this lockdown period. God bless you all. Regards Hannah Nkhwazi

You can imagine how empty all the kindergartens currently are!!

There is still no date given for when the younger children can return. Enquiries are constantly being made as to when Little Lambs will re-open – because parents will be starting to return to work and want to leave their children in a safe place. Feeding the children is also of great concern because at kindergarten they were regularly and healthily nourished. Right now there is no guarantee of daily food for any of them.

Empty Classrooms | Masks are compulsory | Missing the laughter of our kids

True-North informs us that all teachers in their 29 ECD Centres will receive a wage of just R500 ( Eu 27 ) this month – since no further donations for this purpose could be raised by True-North.

Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt, as well as another sponsor, again stepped in to provide financial aid. The Principals of the ECD centres continue to support and care for their children and families by providing soup kitchens and aid packages with help from True-North.

Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt donated to Overcome Educare’s soup kitchen which is currently providing 50-60 people with one warm meal 5 days per week.

Klaus and Ursula Triebe of Heuwel Speelskool in Calitzdorp were able finally to have installed the 8 emergency exists in all their classrooms with the swift financial support of Kinderhilfe- Kapstadt.

These were inspected and approved by the Fire Inspectorate; thus now the urgently-needed registration by DSD was approved and the ECD’s wage payment happily arrived on 1 June to much
joy and relief of all staff.

Emergency Exits | Getting ready for food parcel distributions

Since the beginning of the lockdown at the end of March, Ursula and the Teachers are distributing food, fruit and vegetables every month to 240 families of the Bergsig Township. Heuwel Speelskool hardly receives any fees at all and this is causing great financial stress.

Teachers of Heuwel Speelskool | Foundation of the new After-school Centre

But there is also good news from Calitzdorp! Klaus has sent some great photos showing the good progress in the building of the new after-care centre. The foundation has set and the workers are pushing to complete the brickwork very soon.

As previously reported, Kinderhilfe-Kapstadt is financing this new building to enable children of Heuwel Speelskool to benefit from an after-school care facility once they leave the ECD centre. 100 children, aged 7-14, years will then receive there a cooked meal, homework assistance and participation in leisure activities in a safely, homely environment.

The new after-school care centre | The building work is making good progress

This new after-care facility will actually also provide 4 more classrooms for use by the kindergarten to continue to accommodate the kindergarten children – plus a few more, as there will now be the space to achieve social-distancing under the Covid-19 requirements.

We hope to continue to provide the children of Calitzdorp with prospects for the future and to keep them safe at this tender age.

The budget estimate of over R2 million can only be raised by donations. We endeavour to continuously report on the progress being made on the building construction so our sponsors know
what their donations are achieving. Your generosity and support help us (Marlis, Klaus & Ursula, and myself) to achieve our goal with this special project.

Despite Covid-19, we will continue to assist wherever we can to ensure these children, aged 1-14 years, are taken care of in a loving and safe environment – and to nurture and prepare them for a future as useful citizens in a better South Africa.

As always, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.