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 | MASIKHULISANE
CRECHE
The Crèche was established in 2005 by Miriam
Sipondo, a social auxiliary worker, employed at a city hospital, who offered up
her house to be used as a crèche. She named the crèche Masikhulisane
which translated from Xhosa means “Lets grow each other”. |  |
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6687
Charles Ndaba Street
Samora Machel, Phillipi
The Crèche
was established in 2005 by Miriam Sipondo, a social auxiliary worker, employed
at a city hospital, who offered up her house to be used as a crèche. She
named the crèche Masikhulisane which translated from Xhosa means “Lets
grow each other”.
The Creche finds itself in the middle of a very
poor community. The result is that the children at the Creche are vulnerable,
the majority affected by HIV and AIDS in some way, resulting in orphaned children,
parents involved in alcohol abuse, and toddlers and babies often cared for by
other siblings which gives rise to child abuse. The majority of the children’s
mothers are under 25 years and HIV positive living in shacks in the Kosovo informal
settlement nearby. Although the number of HIV positive children at the Crèche
is unknown due to the fact that they are not asked to be tested or required to
disclose their status on admission, there are those known to the staff as well
as orphans who have lost their parents due to HIV.
Miriam is also involved
in monitoring those children on ARVs as well as keeping in close contact with
the HIV+ 'graduates' who are now attending primary school. Some of the orphans
are taken care of by the grannies in the communities who receive a trial grant
of R190 per month for each child and others by extended family. One such 'magogo'
(see Wish List) is 80 years old and lives on her pension, supporting 21 family
members, most of whom are her own HIV positive children or her grandchildren of
those who have lost their parents. Donations have enabled her to be supported
with 25kg of rice and beans on an on-going basis.
Miriam not only has a
heart for the children but also the families and as an auxillary social worker
conducts household visits helping them access disability grants and deals with
social issues such as alcohol abuse, HIV and abandoned children. She would also
do referrals to social services of neglected or abused children. “Many of
the mothers drink and don’t care for their kids”, says Miriam. When
witnessing this Miriam encourages the parents to bring their children to the Crèche
and then in turn invites the parents to workshops where she empowers them with
all kinds of advice including hygiene and parental skills.
Over the past
3 years the Crèche has come a long way! Through the Argusx2 (driven by
Anton de Waal) donations ARC was able to orchestrate the extensions to Miriam’s
house maximizing capacity as well as build extra toilets. In addition these donations
were able to sponsor the majority of children at the Creche during 2007 as well
as in 2008. Although every gift is a blessing, the most enjoyable for the children
was a R10 000 jungle gym donated by Champions Church (UK) who visited the Creche
and responded to the need. This has also given the kids the opportunity at play
time to exercise their little muscles and rid themselves of that extra energy
as the house itself is small. In 2009 the Charity Challenge (driven by Anton de
Waal and Adam Pike) made continued sponsorship possible as well as building maintenance
and other needs. (See Progress Reports for details).
Great progress has
been made in equipping the teachers with trainiing. Prior to the involvement of
ARC and the Argusx2 the staff were mostly volunteering and untrained. November
2008 and 2009 were filled with excitement as we saw the graduation of 30 of the
Grade R children each year celebrating in dance, drama and song. Thanks to the
Argusx2 support, 2008 was the first year graduates were equipped to tackle Grade
1. Prior to graduating they were invited by Radio Zibonele in Khayletisha to go
on air sharing rhymes, greeting listeners and interacting.
VACANT LAND
- A BIGGER VISION
Recognising the need for a larger intervention for the
'most vulnerable' children of the area - and a need confirmed to us by Cllr. Baliswana
- ARC is currently in discussions to develop a piece of land given to the community
by Province, as a Multi-Purpose Day Centre. This development would be a project
of the Ubomi Trust/Life Church
The plan is for the Centre to incorporate
a Creche catering for the 'poorest of the poor', and after-school day care helping
older kids with homework, music and dance. Acting as a Children's Resource Centre
it could also accommodate a Children's Church on Sundays should space be enough
for a hall. The large kitchen where meals are prepared in the day for children
and staff could also provide a facility to teach nutrition to parents. If funds
accommodated a 2nd floor, these rooms would provide areas for lifeskills, homework
guidance, prayer meetings, drug and hiv support groups for children and a social
worker's office (orphan identification, child abuse, emergency needs etc).
There
would also be a large outside play area with a jungle gym and a food/flower garden
taken care of by the children. If space permits we would like to establish SOS
type homes for orphans in a family setting. The idea of the centre is to integrate
it with the community and be an expression of the church.
If you would
like further information please contact Niki at the Aids Resource Centre on 082-8999591/
021-4332017 or email arc@aca.org.za
informing Niki of the deposit. |
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