Success Has a Nice Flavour

The Fence you helped make

The Room that was Added

Smile is a Universal Language All Its Own

We Have Results

The Way it is today



 If you have been following this blog you know that we here in Canada are attempting to support a lady and a group of kids in South Africa. We work through the Lions Club of Tableview near Cape Town.

The Way it was

  

  



Making it Happen



With the guidance of the Lions Club in Table View and the wisdom of several people here in Canada we have been able to get this thing rolling ... We are not the major contributors but we do contribute and these little kids get a chance to have a chance ... The attached photos show the end result of a year or so of fund raising ... The school yard that was once a wrecking yard has been transformed into a wonderful playground ... there has been a room added on the crèche ... a protective fence has been built around the property to protect the children and the crèche from both the elements and the neighbours ...

I would like to thank students at Stelly’s High school’s GSA and Ms Hayashi ... Mike Miller Abstract Development for his contributions ... Ron and Anne Kirkaldy for the Tea Pot contributions ... Terri Cielak for his tea pot contributions ... and Silken Laumann ... for her contribution and who simply pointed out to me not to reinvent the wheel, work with someone who was already doing the doing ... and all the people who dropped in nickels dimes quarters and 5, 10, and 20 dollar bills into the tea pot in my office ... you all know who you are ...

At the Other end of earth now. The help of Cleone Melnichenko and Joanne Hendrickse ... they/we found a way to work around the system ... and Joann’s Daughter Lee Ann ... who simply gets things done when they need to be done ...



Most of all to Gisela Weitz, without her insight and know how on how to get things done under difficult circumstances none of this would work really be made manifest ... and finally to all the members of the Lions Club at Table View ... miss you all and would love to be there again for KM of toys ... there are many others who work on this project with Gisela W ... and they contribute more ... both money and time then we do ... Every Little Bit Helps ... 100% of what we raise except bank transfer fees ... however meagre ... goes to the project ... these photos will go up on the blog this week ...



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Now that is a Playground



A Crew At Work



My Friend Gisela



My Friend Vivian



A Note from South Africa .... Hello all

Hello all

The prefab wall was finished today at last!!! I will do the white paint with the parents this Saturday from 9 to latest 12 o'clock. Anyone who can join please let me know? See directions hereunder.

We arranged the children's painting party to take place after the school holidays on Saturday 16 October, also from 9 am with a boerewors braai for the children at lunchtime, other details to follow. John, Liz W, Rocky and Ronnie put their names on the planner for 25 Sept. Will you be able to come instead on 16 Oct.?

Anyone else?

Directions: Koeberg Road, past Racecourse Road intersection, turn left into Freedom Drive at the Formula 1 Hotel, turn left at 4 way stop. 50 meters on you will see the new wall on your right. Turn right.

Best regards

Gisela

cell 083 556 9818

Tel/Fax 021 557 8288

A Note From A School Teacher at Stelly's High School

"From Comments" ... September 1, 1:53PM

Hi Gisella, Vivian, and Neil. I just wanted to tell you a bit of news. One of my students is a budding film-maker and to encourage her and to give her something more to put on her curriculum vitae I hired her to do the video of my wedding with the plan that I would pay for the rental of the camera and equipment and give her $100 for her work. Well, I was chatting with her 2 days ago and she said "Just put the $100 in the Project Hope box." So, we have $100 already from the wedding! As more comes in, I will let you know.

Ciao.

Diane

Diane and Nick, have been "an item" for several years and they engaged recently ... they are going to be married on July 31st 2011 ... and she has volunteered that gifts of money made at her wedding be donated on to Gisella and Vivian and Project Hope and the Lions Club of Table View ...

see: http://www.weddingmapper.com/dianeandnick/page/registry

Now her idea has gained momentium because she passed this idea forward ... one of her students has got hold of the and joined in ....

Masikhululeke - Good Evening Neil We have A Solution for a Problem

(Hi Neil - we got the green light to go ahead without markers, just building on the old fence line...!)

All poles for the wall were sunk on Monday but the grey water running off the shacks continuously fills up the holes and has prevented the cement from setting in the usual time. It should be safe by Monday next week to slide in the slabs.

Vivian and I plan to whitewash the wall with the parents on Saturday 11 Sept. and do the motif painting with the children and our Club on Saturday 25 Sept. when we also wanted to have a small children's party. A proper ceremony (joint event with the Union of Jewish Women who just completed the extension for the babies and toddlers) with city councillors and press is planned for October

Gisela on the Left Vivian on the Right

Best regards



Gisela
cell 083 556 9818
Tel/Fax 021 557 8288

Masikhululeke - Good evening Neil We have A problem

to set the stage ... we raised money to be able to build a wall that protects Vivian and the kids from people dumping human feces over her fence and into  the play ground   ... one of the interesting twists was Gisela crew in ZA had just met to say that they were at wits end to do this project no money ... and I called having just come out of the TD Bank in Oakbay to say money is on the way ... literally within moments and had caught Gisela in the parking lot getting into her car after their meeting ... that turned everything around and then here is the next installment

From: Gisela [mailto:gisela@mangela.co.za]

Sent: August-20-10 5:02 AM

To: neiltubb@shaw.ca

Cc: daichan@shaw.ca

Subject: Re: Please read and let me know what you can do

We have a problem... we cannot find the boundary markers of Vivian's little piece of ground, the surveying plans have gone missing, and the building inspector won't let us build the wall until the boundaries are defined. I am going with Vivian to the municipal planning office on Monday to see what has to be done and how to speed up an otherwise looooong process.

Hugs

Gisela

Emails between Cape Town and Victoria ... and and Idea about wedding gifts

Dear Diane

We thank you very, very much for the donation of $ 750! It enabled us to go ahead with the construction of the wall at the Masikhululeke Educare Center, Vivian's place. Work will start Wednesday next week. The wall will be 6 ft, span the entire boundary of the school grounds and raised to 7 ft high along the playground to provide extra protection against the refuse and toilet buckets dumped by the adjacent squatters. Picture 'playground' shows the shacks clearly. Picture 'Masik extension1' shows the new prefab (with Vivian standing in front) which was just now erected for the day-care babies and toddlers who were previously accommodated in Vivian's own house. It also has a kitchenette and 2 toilets.

On 28 August the Lions Club will hold a painting party together with the childen, teachers and parents, and I shall take lots of photographs to send to you. We received a donation of 75 tins of 1 liter paint samples and the children will be able to do their own paintings on the wall!

We are absolutely awed by the fact that instead of wedding gifts you asked for donations for Vivian!!! This is such a wonderful, gallant gesture, absolutely marvellous. I have diarised the wedding date and we will definitely keep it in mind.

Again a huge thank-you! Till later this month

Kind regards

Gisela Weitz

Lions Club of Table View
cell + 83 556 9818
Tel/fax +21 557 8288

----- Original Message -----

From: diane hayashi
To: gisela@mangela.co.za


Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 8:29 PM
Subject: fundraising
Hi Gisela


Neil told me the good news about the orphanage and the funding and I am so happy we could help. I also wanted to show you the following:

http://www.weddingmapper.com/dianeandnick/page/registry

The wedding will be next summer. I don't know how much we will be able to raise, but even if we get only $5 per person, that should bring in about $500. I'm hoping for more. Give our best to Vivian and hug those little sweeties for us. Diane

Diane Hayashi, B.Ed., M.Ed.
Teacher-Librarian
Stelly's School
School District #63 (Saanich)
Saanichton, BC

Vivian In her own words

When I was leaving Cape Town the last time, Gisella had arranged for me to go on a tour into one of the Township regions with the local Police force ... that fell through for whatever the reason and she asked me what I wanted to do ...

Well, without hesitation I wanted to go back and spend more time with Vivian ... so we did ...

I did this impromptu interview in front of her creche ... Then she took us on a walking tour deeper into her community and that included seeing the babies at her home ... 

It is probably easy to see that I am not a film-o-grapher (sp) ... but if there was ever a person who needed to have her story told it is Vivian

Inside Vivian's World on a spring afternoon

Inside the Creche with 75 Plus kids

Inside the Creche

At Vivian's Home

with 35 plus babies

Part Two of the Note From the Other End of the Earth

Miracles at the Other End of the Earth

The sportsfield at the Vissershok school is also under construction. Earthwork (4000 tons of stone and soil was brought in to level the field) compliments of a local quarry and a construction company, the recommissioning of the waste water collection tank for irrigation and the grassing of the field has been sponsored by the Worcester Lions (UK) and a Club fundraising project. We still need tribunes, fences, new goals and something to stabilise the slopes against erosion by rainwater, but these will come with time.

June has been an amazing month: I also managed to get a clothing chainstore to donate 85 rain-proof jackets to the most destitute of the Vissershok children.


Gisela

A Note from the Other End of the Earth

An Absolute Miracle!!! The Wall Around Vivian's Creche

Dear Neil


I am now back in Cape Town, recharged after a much needed 2 weeks breakaway. Yes, our treasurer confirmed that R 8500.00 arrived on 23 July. We can now build the wall around Vivian's creche! Best quotation R 30,500. I have already received a cheque to paid the 50% deposit and will meet the contractors on Wednesday for a final site meeting. Thank you very, very much, Neil! The creche extension will be completed this week and after the builders move off the premises we will start with the wall.

The timing was an absolute miracle!!! So often I am in awe of the big plans I dream up for these projects, wondering if I ever manage to get enough funds to make them a reality. Some have taken 3 years but still, one after the other is being completed!

Please let me have all the names of the people thank?

I have asked some paint manufacturers for donations because the club wants to paint the wall and decorate some sections with childrens motives. I will take pictures and send them to you all.

Vivian Nukuzola Dlabantu-Jo Slovo ZA and Her Project ... Lions Club of Tableview

She is 47 years of age, She is a mother of two daughters … 22 and 7 years respectively … She is a qualified pre-school teacher and she is furthering her education by studying on Saturdays for her Level 4 at Cape Town College … she is in her final year of study… she operates on the thinnest of budgets a preschool, day care some times orphanage for the babys of Jo Slovo ... and she has been doing this for over 25 years ... What she needs is some help with what she does ... the best help is some money. everything that she needs to operate is available in South Africa she just has to be able to buy it, thus money to augment her costs ... not a great deal ... just some ... I have raised money for her from here ... there are some highschool kids here in Victoria taking this on as a project ...and now I appeal here on this blog to some help ...for Vivian and her kids

The Crèche: it here that she holds her preschool … what I was able to determine is that she has approximately 105 children that range in age from 0 to 6 … split into two groups … about 35 children (0-2) at her home and 65 to 70 (2-6) children at The Crèche

She is the founder and head of the Masikululeke Pre-School and Nursery School, Joe Slovo Park … Joe Slovo is an unincorporated community … that is: a squatters encampment within the area surrounding Cape Town… near Milnerton.

The people who come here are from the country side and some are from countries north of ZA as they attempt to escape the war and troubles in their home land.

She originally founded her entire operation in 1990 in an old shipping container. She did it with her own money; she was later assisted by Chuku Town, she now has a pre-school registered on small, modest premises… she applied for assistance through Ikamva Labantu… this organization supplied some money and is her only source of income presently.

The Lions Club of Tableview now assists her in her efforts … Gisela Weitz President of the Table View Lions Club and the Lions Club is a supporter of Vivian and her 105/110 children...

Here is the Lions Club in November 2008 doing what they call Kilometer of toys ... they spend a Saturday and Sunday in mid November to collect toys for Xmas gifts for kids who would other wise get nothing ...

Vivian also makes the school premise available as a collection point and shelter during fires or other disasters. One of the most major concerns in the community is fire because of the flimsy nature of the house construction … the lack of running water etc … once a fire gets started it can run a much through the community and destroy what little they in moments …

The Crèche is a 6 meter sq building that serves as office, staff, class (2)and store room.

She has a Nursery that operates in a tiny, poorly equipped house. Her home …

The two schools are open from 7 to 16h00, run by a staff of 3 plus Vivian. She and her crew also cook breakfasts and lunches for 105 children daily. they also often supplies food for dinner to the parents who themselves have absolutely nothing. Some of the children have homes and when necessary she hires transport to fetch the children from home to school.

She has virtually adopted most the children … for all intents and purposes …

Vivian is now the local authority on matters of day care and child and family care and she advises 18 other pre-schools in Milnerton and Blaauwberg area. She affectively acts as an outreach person for the Ikamva Labantu program … she operates educational programs, bookkeeping, food hygiene, the handling of social, funding and admin problems for the locals…

She empowers women.

She teaches the community responsible committee work & how to implement projects/processes.

She is the founder and leader of the Pinkster Group… A boys and girls drumming group for 7-11 year olds.

She is the founder and leader of Amajika A girls dance group for 7-11 year olds which already performed on TV and at a municipal events.

She is an advisor on Joe Slovo Park Advisory Committee, and a Member of Joe Slovo Park Disaster Committee … Communal and Pre-school Vegetable Garden Projects (also involving the school’s children)

What she is planning to do: Parent Coaching: She is a firm believer that good values start at home; Vivian plans to start classes on parenting skills and healthy nutrition, and classes for youths on teen pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, rape, abuse and domestic violence, drugs and alcohol abuse.

I met her and what I found in the midst of all these kids … she is a bubbly, cheerful, loving personality, Vivian runs the schools competently on a minimum budget and that is an understatement … with an admirable balance between good discipline and fun. She is the sort of person for whom nothing is ever too much, and she has a natural talent to create instant enthusiasm for her vast social engagement, commitments and vision.

We talked about the kids. She took me on a tour of Jo Slovo and what became apparent was that she is encamped at what we could easily call the front door of Hell. What she does every day is rush in every day and rescue little kids from some of the ugliest realities then she feeds and hugs these little people. These children would not otherwise stand a chance…

She has children billeted out through the community simply because there are no parents ... they are dead.

She educates them because she knows that education is the only route out for all these kids …

She told me stories of what some of these kids have gone through and by the end of our first visit she was in tears and so was I … and all we could do was hug each other …

I had a wriggle in my schedule later in the week … and my host Gisela Weitz, President of the Tableview Lions Club, wanted to know what I wanted to do on the Thursday afternoon … I wanted to go back and spend more time with Vivian … so we did but before we went back on a second unannounced visit … we stopped and picked up food staples for Vivian and the Kids … it was an amazing afternoon … more tears and more hugs … and a promise that would carry her story home with me and see if support and sponsors could be found …

Neil Tubb
Bright Star Canada
349 Vancouver Street
Victoria BC V8V 3T3
(250) 385 3181
neiltubb@shaw.ca
http://www.neiltubb.com/
Hendrickse Foundation
Project Hope South Africa

Late For School

Vivian, Gisela and I were walking through Jo Slovo  ... an unincorporated community with in the bounds of greater Cape Town. It was about 10:15 am and it was cold that morning.

This little guy sprang out of the shanty town off to our far left ... he just appeared from no where ... or so it seemed ...

Vivian knew him instantly and she barked at him something in Afrikaans or maybe it was Bantu ... but he knew who she was and he knew he was late ... he knew he was late for a very important date ...  

When she barked, and maybe barked is the wrong word, when she just confronted him on his tardiness ... smile ... He jumped ... it was as if his little feet took off in mid air and started to spin ... when he came down from his jump up ... he was on the dead run ... I smiled ...

He was off to school and a hot meal ...

So he is late for school ... but he is going to school ... actually the the truth of the matter is: there is a school for him to go to ... and that is what Vivian is all about ... she and her crew are making a difference ...

Creating An Opportunity For Different

To Come Into These Kids Lives ...

Here’s how you can help:

$10.00 a month can simply make a difference. why because when taken with other donations of 10 dollars it is cumulative ... then

$100.00 can buy about a weeks worth of food or

$500.00 can purchase approximately a months supply or

$1000.00 can re stock the school with basic supplies for a month or more or

$5000.00 can help hire T/A’s or fund a school psychologist to see the children who suffer post trauma stress more frequently ... or

$10,000.00 allows the school, and in particular, the teachers to focus on the business of teaching, and focus less on the basic’s of survival--things like finding chalk or pencils or paper for their kids to use ... text books ...

These children and their parents have nothing ... and when I say nothing I meaning nothing ... absolutely nothing ... the kids drink water at night to off set hunger pangs ... In one family that I met the children eat in rotation ... the boys on Mondays and Fridays and the Girls on Wed and maybe Saturday or Sunday if there is any food ...

Happy Yes ...

This one could easily rise to be Prime Minister

thumbs up is a sign of hope and happy ...

Some of the older kids at the Creche ... it was cold that day I was there

This one is around one year of age and has attititude Smile