Having a Look at Jo Slovo

This little girl needs our help. This is her main street through the settlement of Jo Slovo ... this gives a bird's eye view of the settlement ... it is described as an unincorporated settlement, and basically people just started to squat here years ago ... Vivian took on the initiative to do something with the Children



Is there such a thing as after school play for these kids, not really ... is there such a place as after school safe places for these kids ... yes with Vivian's help ... the vast majority of people especially adults are ignorant of medical facts and it is a belief that if one has HIV/AID then if he ... has sex with a virgin then he is cleaned ... well some of these children in the Creche are children who were used for those purposes ... Others have lost their parent and fell in with adults would would care for them in return for sexual favours but a 6 years old supplying sexual favours is really sick and that is the future some of these kids have to face ... but with Vivian they have a safe place to be ...

As we walked through her community it was very apparent that she is a person who demands the respect of many if not all of her community ...

She has a dynamic that is palatable if you are near to her ... when you are with Vivian you just know that you are with some body ...

She pointed out this group of kids and that home ... and these are the people and the places she has organized to look after the children who are too young to look after themselves ...

She told me "Stay close to me Neil and you will be safe." I never doubted her for a moment ... I was told later that just a few miles away the xenophobic riots had taken place and many people were killed ...

It was a cold blustery day when I was there and there was no heat in the school ... the kids just dressed warm as they could and I know that one of the other agencies that supports Vivian supplied the cloths or they would have nothing ... It is like the front Porch to Hell and Vivian sets up shop there every day and pulls in the kids so they might have a change. Might have a chance is right up there with having Hope because without what she is doing then there is nothing ...















So can you help ... contact me at neiltubb@shaw.ca ... or 250 385 3181 ...in Canada ...things don't really work because we have to ship them there ... but dollars allow us to purchase in ZA ... and we can buy more there with a dollar then we can here ... thank Neil

Vivian Nukuzola Dlabantu-Jo Slovo ZA

Vivian with Gisela in her Garden

Vision: Vivian and her organization, small as if may be, are working together with the Lions Club of Tableview in South Africa (ZA) and the Union of Jewish Women and several other charitable organization in and around Cape Town to simply provide an opportunity for children who otherwise would not have any.

They are non profit organizations in ZA.

She had a vision and about 25 years ago she started to intervene simply because it needed to happen and it started from a cargo contain. She moulded a kindergarten, day care facility for the youngest members of her community. She now helps educate both the children and some of the adults... she also works programs to reunite families.

The children in her community; the most valuable asset any community has and she noticed over 25 years ago that the society there was consuming its children at a great rate and not offering them the opportunity for a future. This one is last for school and when Vivian called out to him he jumped and ran ...big smile on his face too.

Here is the play ground and equippment ... would like to do something creative here if possible.

I made contact with the Lions Club at the suggestion of Cleone Melnichenko a then special projects staff officer with the Cape Town Convention Center. It was a wise choice because I got past all the necessity of reinventing the wheel on how to operate in a place I had no idea how to operate in. Silken Laumann suggested that if I wanted to work successfully in Africa then it is best to find someone who is established and up and operating. She at the time was sitting on the board of directors of Right To Play. I followed her advice and it worked beautifully. They, the Lions Club had their program up and operating ... and me and my small crew took advantage of it ... so now we linked. Hence, in aroundabout fashion I came to meet Vivian

So now if I am able to raise money here, I forward it directly to the Lions Club Bank in Tableview. It goes down in dribs and drabs, generally a thousand dollars at a transfer. Since the on set of the recession it has nearly totally dried up ... but ...

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that 100 percent of what I send goes to their projects with Vivian and her kids. Our largest fee so far is the 30 dollar bank transfer the TD Charges to transfer the funds.

Gisela and the Lions Club together with the Union of Jewish Women are working in combination Vivian and her various other support and funding bodies (we) and are attempting to help her guarantee the well-being of tiniest members of her community in Jo Slovo. The stories surrounding some of these kids are horrific but they are children and should be respected for that fact.

Vivian does this. They do this by simply providing quality services to underprivileged children, the toddlers and the new born(s) too ... food, shelter, clothing and education, creative stimulation. There are times where this outreach touches base with the Parents as well. they have disperate needs too.

Vivian is a dynamo and she does what she does in a planned, coordinated, efficient and effective manner. BTW there were 64 children in the Creche that day ... 65 was the lad above who was late Smile


I have said it often but I really never actually saw it at work before but in the Creché ... ORGANIZED CONFUSION works. they have one room, divided in the middle ... lots of poopy diapers and kids learning to read, paint spell and count. It boils down to: Vivian knows her stuff. She has been doing with the kids for over 25 years and she does it well.

Did I mention that she also has a house full of 35 babys ... 0 to 2 years at her house ... more on that later

If you think you can help please call 250 385 3191 in Victoria BC or neiltubb@shaw.ca or in Cape Town Gisela Weitz, President of the Tableview Lions Club @ Work: 011 021 5578288. F: 021 5578288. C: 083 556 9818 ... or by email gisela@mangela.co.za.... Moneys are transferred from TD Bank in Oakbay to the Lions Club in Tableview ...