Care Village AGM

The Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday 29 August 2007 at the Care Village with representatives from both the Management Board, the Mpumalanga Department of Health an Social Development and the local community. The financial statements were presented by the auditors and the Chairperson, Mr A Brandmuller gave an overview of the progress and activities since the last report. Special mention was made of organisations and individuals who had contributed to the well-being of the children in one way or another.

JULY STATUS REPORT AND WISH LIST

Short summary of activities.

4 July 2007 a rededication service was held for the Village. The service was led by one of the Care Givers, Pastor Joseph Mahlangu and was attended by a number of people from the local community.

The new Care Givers (house parents), Mr and Me Steenkamp took occupation of their house on 1 July 2007. As they are both trained counsellors, their presence has already started to bear fruit. As Mr Steenkamp has also been appointed as factotum, he has started with repairs to the houses which are presently occupied. However, funds are urgently needed to renovate the 3 houses that are presently vacant, to provide additional accommodation. We are in the process of obtaining quotations.

The manager and 5 car givers (house parents) of the Village attended a development course for care givers at Volksrust from 9 – 12 July 2007, facilitated by the nationally association of Child Care Workers. Follow up courses are being planned. The cost of the first course was R5280 while these costs still have to be met.

On 14 July 2007 Cathy Pacific Airlines and Ubungani Wilderness Experience, entertained all the children of the Village at Botshabelo, a nature resort on the outskirts of Middelburg. Activities and meals were arranged for the children, while a number of overseas journalists were also present.

On 23 and 27 July 2007 presentations were given to the children by the Life Health Care Groups on relevant health topics.

Me A Grobler, a dietician and member of the Board of Directors of the Care Village visited the Village on 24 July 2007 to discuss new menus and dietary needs for the children with the kitchen and support staff. Training sessions for kitchen staff are being planned while the vacant post of Head of House Keeping has been advertised in the local press.

Weekly meetings are held with the care givers (house parents) and other support staff to plan and co-ordinate the day-to-day running of the Care Village to promote participative management and to discuss policies and procedures.

WISH LIST

Capital needs

14 Seater bus
Industrial washing machines

Large generator
Developing and extending boreholes
Renovating vacant houses
Furnishing vacant houses
Clinic and salary for sister
Entertainment Centre
Renovating security guard office at gate
Intercoms office, houses and gate
Small compressor
Medical Fund for staff and children
Salaries (domestic workers, social workers etc.)
Sewing machines, irons, ironing boards
Vacuum cleaners
Microwave ovens, toasters, snack wiches
Cutlery, crockery, pots, pans etc for homes
Kitchen equipment and utensils
Toothpaste-cup holders
Shower racks
Waste paper baskets
Lounge Furniture
Carpets for lounge and bathroom/shower floors
Pictures/paintings to hang on the walls as well as for the bathrooms
Paint: “wall and all” type for interior and exterior use
Photostat paper & stationery
Toiletries: Shampoo; deodorants/roll-on (boys & girls); soap; toothpaste; aqueous cream; Vaseline
Hair driers for girls.
School Clothes
a. White shirts: Size 13 years to 16 years
b. Grey shirts: Size 13 years to 16 years
c. Grey shorts: Size 13 years to 16 years
d. Black school shoes: Sizes 1-8
Black belts for trousers, size 75cm
Tackies: Sizes 1-8
Industrial cooker

9 August 2007 Farm day

We decided to give back to the children who achieved their goals in some areas, like for example house duties, their respect for elder people and their friends, and who always have a smile on their face.

We took these children to a farm for a day and what fun they had. They drove on tractors, rode horses and even tried to catch a rabbit, (but the rabbits were very smart). They got the opportunity to feed some calves.

They told me that they would like to come back again, and we will. Busi,Cindy, Busi, Jacques, Elias, Maluleki, JP and Piet, it was great to have you on the farm and keep on being the wonderful kids you are.

The Ridge Casino

During the school holiday the 29 children who were staying in the Care Village were treated to Shrek at The Ridge Nu-Metro. For some of the children it was their firts time at the movies. On 16 July The Ridge went to welcome the children back after the holiday. The Ridge handed over some sport equipment to the children. The Ridge would like to support the children in developing sporting skills. The Ridge also launched an art competition with the Care Village and handed out Art & Craft Kits. By exposing the children to different and new art and craft skills they could discover hidden talents.

On the photo The Ridge Staff can be seen sorting out

Rotary helps again!!!!!!

The Middelburg Care Village was the beneficiary of the goodwill of a German Rotary Club. Renate Erichson a Rotary Exchange Student from Middelburg who spent a year in Germany.

She told her host club about the Middelburg Care Village.They were so impressed that they immediately organised a project to raise funds. The Care Village received more than R51 000 from this project.

Thank you to everybody involved and Renate for her efforts.

On the photo Renate is handing over the checque to the Chairman of The Board, Mr Andre Brandmuller. Also present were Pres Andreas Mastoroudis of the Middelburg Cycad Rotary Club, and Suzette Bekker a volunteer at the Middelburg Care Village.