Siyabonga-Christmas letter 2025

Dec 2025: Looking back on the year 2025 fills us with great gratitude. Thanks to your loyal support, we were able to give hope, alleviate hardship, and pave the way for a better future in our four aid projects in South Africa this year. We would like to take you on a brief review of the year.

Children's home

As every year, at the beginning of 2025, we were able to finance school supplies, school fees, clothing, and hygiene items for all the children in the home. A special highlight was the new playground, which opened in March.

In spring, we said goodbye to the long-standing director of the home, Pieter Swanepoel. We thanked him and his wife René for 28 years of tireless care with a photo album full of memories. Since April, the home has been managed by social worker Futhi and Kelisha, who is responsible for finance and administration.

Over the course of the year, we were able to accompany many wonderful developments: numerous academic and athletic awards, new solar panels for greater independence from the unstable power grid, and many precious everyday moments – from monthly birthday celebrations to a jointly planted vegetable garden for Mandela Day to warm winter clothing and a diverse holiday program. These experiences give the children a sense of belonging, confidence, and the feeling that “I am important.”

At the end of the year, everyone looks forward to the big Christmas party before the summer holidays – with a colourful program and thoughtful gifts.

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Township-project

In the township of Haniville near Pietermaritzburg, we were able to enable many children to attend school again this year by financing school uniforms – an insurmountable hurdle for many families. Every month, we provide 15 different poor households with food and hygiene packages, including adult diapers for people in need of care.

Our social worker Phindile is on duty every day: she helps families to apply for birth certificates and government assistance, organises urgently needed furniture for kindergartens, and provides warm winter clothing for the little ones.

During the Christmas season, we support elderly people in the township with warm blankets. We are also collecting donations for a wheelchair for a boy – more on this below in our current fundraising campaign.

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Village project with preschools

In February, severe storms hit the Keates Drift region. Several preschools and houses were damaged. Together with project manager Paul and his team, reconstruction began immediately, supported by dedicated youth groups. We are particularly pleased about the complete renovation of the Sikhulile preschool with a new, colourful coat of paint.

At the end of the preschool year, the children once again received lovingly packed gym bags containing hats, teddy bears, crayons, toiletries, and little surprises.

We also regularly support families in particular need with food parcels, drinking water, blankets, and seeds.

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Feeding project

Twice a week, our soup kitchen provides children, elderly people, and families with a hot meal—often the only one they will have that day. Bread, canned food, fresh fruit and vegetables are often provided as well.

On Nelson Mandela Day, we were also able to support the children with warm clothing and school supplies. For December, we are planning the annual Christmas dinner and the distribution of food parcels to families in particular need.

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Siyabonga – Thank you

A big thank you goes to the Moritzschule Erfurt, which once again raised an impressive amount of donations during its charity run in May – a real “by children for children” initiative. Thank you to all the children, teachers, parents, and sponsors!

We would also like to thank the Edith-Stein-Schule Erfurt, which has been supporting us for many years with fundraising events such as book bazaars and concerts.

We are also deeply grateful to all our regular and individual donors who faithfully support us. You are the reason why our projects are growing and continuing.

Siyabonga – thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support!

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Fundraising campaign – A wheelchair for Tsoanelo

This Advent, we would like to give hope together – specifically to Tsoanelo Gcawu, a six-year-old boy from our township project. Until the age of two, Tsoanelo was able to walk and talk normally – then he lost both abilities due to an unknown cause. Today, he can only move around by crawling or using a walking frame. He urgently needs a suitable wheelchair to regain more independence, mobility, and participation in life.

Please support our Advent campaign until December 24, 2025, so that we can provide Tsoanelo with this wheelchair – and also give other children in our projects a little Christmas joy.

Donations can be made via PayPal or bank transfer.

We wish you and your loved ones a peaceful Advent season, a blessed Christmas, and a hopeful New Year 2026.