December 2023: We hope you are all already in the Christmas spirit and that the preparations are not turning into stress, because the Christmas season is supposed to be a time for reflection, contemplation and gratitude. We are happy to look back with you on a good year 2023 for Siyabonga. Here are the highlights of the year.
In the run-up to Christmas, people are asked to donate particularly often and everywhere. We are all the more grateful for your loyal support - and not just at Christmas. After the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we were able to provide aid in 2023 at almost the same level as before the pandemic, despite higher food, gas and oil prices.
In total, we were able to support our four projects with around 21’500 EUR.
In the township project, our social worker Phindile visits 15 different and particularly needy families every month and provides them with help and advice. In addition to the survival packages consisting of food and hygiene articles (e.g. adult diapers for stroke patients), counselling and help with applying for documents and state funds are also very important for the families. We are particularly happy that many families have been able to plant small vegetable gardens with our help and thus have fresh vegetables available for their families and in some cases even for sale. In the new year, we are planning to distribute smaller rainwater barrels, as watering is a major problem, especially in the dry season. At the start of the school year in spring, we financed school uniforms for poor families. In South Africa, uniforms are compulsory, without which it would not be possible for children to attend school. We also contributed to the transportation costs to hospitals and authorities.
In the village project, project manager Paul and his team of volunteers have completed several larger and smaller construction projects at the preschools this year. Among other things, one of the school buildings was repainted and a large vegetable garden was planted. We now support a total of four preschools in the dry rural area around the villages of Muden and Keates Drift with food and school materials. The biggest event for the little ones was the graduation ceremony before they start school. The festivities are always a huge spectacle with loud music and dancing. Of course, the annual Christmas goody bags with presents also put a sparkle in the children's eyes. As usual, poor families in the village project were provided with food and drinking water every month in addition to the preschools.
The children's home held its annual Christmas party at the end of November and everyone had a great time. This year, some large appliances such as washing machines and ovens had to be repaired or replaced and the playgrounds on the premisses were renovated. During the winter, which can also be very cold in South Africa, we financed nice warm clothes for all the children. In addition, our donations were used for medical care and psychological counselling for some of the children, who often had to endure difficult fates.
In the feeding project in Greytown, food was served to children and people in need on Tuesdays and Thursdays as usual. In addition to the nutritious stews, visitors often also receive vegetables (some from the soup kitchen's vegetable garden), bread or canned food to take away. To mark Nelson Mandela Day on July 18, each child was given a large bag of winter clothes. For Christmas dinner, there will again be a chicken dish and small gifts for the children.
There were also some great fundraising campaigns again in 2023.
We are particularly proud of and grateful for the charity run organized by Moritzschule Erfurt, which was held for the 10th time this year to benefit our projects. Under the motto "by children for children", the hard-working runners raised the fantastic sum of 4’429.40 EUR, which was used to finance warm winter clothes for the children in the home and vegetable plants for the school gardens in the preschools. Simply fantastic!
The pupils of the Edith-Stein-Schule have also been donating to the children in South Africa for many years through various activities, such as concerts.
On the occasion of birthdays or family celebrations, donations are also repeatedly collected for our projects.
A premiere this year was our participation in the Netto fundraising campaign "Get involved for your organisation". Thanks to your voting, we won a 17-week donation partnership at the Netto store Geiblestraße in Erfurt. You can support us until 30.12.2023 by "rounding up" at the checkout or by donating a “bottle deposit voucher".
A DJ friend of ours has creatively put together a compilation of music to auction off for Christmas and donated the proceeds to us.
As you can see, there are no limits to your creativity and we look forward to your ideas for fundraising campaigns in the new year. You can still take part in our Christmas Facebook fundraising campaign, which we are using to finance the Christmas presents for the children in the village project.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all donors and supporters of our organisation once again. Even the smallest amount helps and motivating and appreciative words mean a lot to us! Siyabonga = THANK YOU.
We wish you and your families a peaceful holiday season full of joy, warmth and gratitude, as well as all the best for the New Year 2024!
Your Siyabonga-Team