The Family Africa

School Uniforms for orphans

2012-01-22T03:33:00.000-08:00

These school uniforms for our orphans were made possible becuase of a donation all the way from Italy. School uniforms mean a child can go to school. Below Lunki who was turned away from school as a child becuase he did not have a uniform and so never learned to read. We helped him to get an ID for the first time in his life ( see below) and we are teaching him to read.

Sewing and knitting classes at our centre

2012-01-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

Learning to repair clothes.

Learning a range of different stiches.

Knitting can be quite challenging when you are learning..

New Year Candle Light Service

2012-01-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

We decided a candle light service with the HIV+ mothers and Gogos would be a great way to start the New Year. Each woman prayed a prayer thanking God for all their blessings for 2011 and then their prayer for 2012.It was a very moving and beautiful time together.

We never stop -even Christmas Day!

2012-01-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

Delivering two bakkie loads and 2 trailers of food on Christmas Day.

Our Sunday Club Christmas party

2011-12-21T23:55:00.000-08:00

It is very hot at Christmas time so how about an ice pop!

Our Sunday Club for 350 kids has been running every Sunday 52 weeks a year for the last 9 years. Every year we hold a Christmas Party for the children. Below - Singing Christmas Carols with our teenage group

!- 4 year old queue here for your Christmas presents!

.So now we are in our age group queues where are the presents?

Lunki, who has been with us for 9 years, now a full time staff member

Excursions for Gogos (Grandmothers and some Grandads)

2011-12-16T04:47:00.000-08:00

Preparing lunch for the Gogos (including a special treatof pizza)

During November and December we organised two trips for Gogos.(Our Gogo support groups have been formed becuase most of them are looking after their orphaned grandchildren due to AIDS). The Gogo support group from Diepsloot went to Pretoria Zoo and the Gogo group from Thabo Mbeki went to Johannesburg. The Gogos were thrilled. At Pretoria Zoo they went on the overhead train and when they came back, they said they had been "flying". Most of them had never ever been to a zoo so the whole experience was very exciting.

World AIDS Day event

2011-12-16T04:45:00.000-08:00

Our World AIDS Day event which included moving songs, poems and dramas and a candle light ceremony dedicated to those infected and affected by HIV.

Graduation of 22 children at our Free Day Care Centre

2011-12-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

Mega Christmas Party

2011-12-14T04:15:00.000-08:00

Huge Christmas Party for 2000 underprivileged kids - can you help?

2011-11-13T01:56:00.000-08:00

3 Day Christian Leadership Retreat

2011-10-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

We held a 3 day retreat at our training Centre this month for Christian leadership trainees and ministry/project leaders. Everyone enjoyed the classes, group activities and the opportunity to just relax, play games and have quiet time in the gardens.

Reactions:

What did I enjoy? Music, food, fellowship, laughter, questions and answers – Nduduzo

I first of all thank the Lord for organizing such a wonderful retreat. The fact is that I enjoyed every part of the program. – Gracious

I have enjoyed the retreat to the fullest. I have enjoyed meeting more brothers and sisters in the Lord. I very much enjoyed the singing and the spirit of unity amongst us. – Victor

And finally, many thanks to the owners of this place, the teachers and the cook. This is not and will not be forgotten but I shall always remember your contribution to my future and my generation too. - Charles

Teen Dream Programme: October

2011-10-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Although we run the teen dream programme every week, we also like to transport the teens to our training centre for special activities especially swimming which they would otherwise not be able to enjoy. Above: learning to do "hip hop".

Doing the "limbo"

Games in our beautiful gardens.

Clothing Distribution

Swimming and water games

Let's not forget - lots of food!!

Excursion for Grace Academy Kids

2011-09-20T02:02:00.000-07:00

What a pleasure to leave the township behind and spend the day at Zoo Lake!

HIV Awareness programmes and seminars in KZN

2011-09-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

This month we conducted 6 programmes in Kwa Zulu Natal

In the beautiful but impoverished Valley of 1000 hills, in Chatsworth, and other areas in Durban. We also conducted a seminar for Caregivers, counselors and staff at Womens clinic at Valley of 1000 hills community centre and another onefor young mothers.

Silly Willy is always unforgettable!!

Schools have asked us to come back next year to do series of workshops with their " life orientation teachers" to train them in HIV education.

The gift of sight!

2011-08-28T03:32:00.000-07:00

We were able to fit 18 Gogos with reading glasses this month. Having reading glasses makes a big difference to the quality of life for these members of our support group who look after their orphaned grand children. Now the literate ones can read their Bibles and fill in forms at the bank. Those who cannot read hung back, scared they might be asked to read something but realising the problem , we asked them “Who needs sewing glasses?” and so four more put up their hands and we fitted them with glasses much to their delight!

Support Groups Choir and Drama Competition

2011-08-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

Every year we hold a choir and drama compettion for all our support groups.

TB/HIV group

The Gogo group acting out a drama about the importance of respect in a marriage.

The Mother’s Club came first this year after an outstanding performance which included songs, dance, poetry and a 45 minute drama. They received toiletries and flowers as prizes.

Mandela Day - 50+ volunteers on 4 different days.

2011-07-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Over 50 volunteers did their 67 minutes with us on four different days serving hot meals, playing games and distributing over 1,000 blankets and clothing to our Support groups, orphans and underprivileged children.
ETV filmed and their presenters and news teeam volunteered. A team from Woolworths braaied for the our Free Day Care Centre. Highveld Radio did a blanket/clothing collection for us as did PMT Midrand. Tracker sent a team of 22 to distribute clothing and blankets. People from as far a field as Italy clubbed together to buy blankets. Individuals collected clothing and toys and gave their time.It was a wonderfully heart warming experience for all involved.

Keeping Gogos Warm

2011-06-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

We were In Thabo Mbeki Township on the coldest day this year and the Gogos still came for the Support group where we handed out warm blankets, steaks and soup for their whole families. We covered health issues, sang, danced and involved the group in laughter therapy to keep warm.

Violet is over 80 and was so happy to receive her blanket.

Winter is here!

2011-06-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

"We are huddling together because it is cold and the electricity if off but we are going to finish our sums, whatever the weather!"

The younger children at Grace Academy keeping warm while they colour.

May News

2011-06-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

Every week we conduct group therapy with the HIV+ mothers. This week we used The bridges activity whereby you imagine where you want to be in 5 years time and then try to go across the bridge avoiding the crocodiles (risk behaviour) to your desert island. It is a lot of fun and everyone learns a lot as they hear each one's dreams.

"I'm concentrating on not falling in the water- I don't like the look of those crocodiles!"

New Project in Thabo Mbeki Township

2011-05-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

We were asked by the Department of Social Development to respond to the needs of orphans and vulnerable families in Thabo Mbeki township. We have already assessed the needs, started our fourth food garden and begun health education and serving hot meals to all the members of the support group.

Conducting a needs assessment with Gogos caring for their orphaned grandchildren.

"Breaking ground" on our fourth food garden

Enjoying a hot meal.

Distribution of over 8,000 litres of Amasi milk

2011-04-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

Douglas Dale Dairy kindly donated over 8,000 litres of milk this week. Umpteen bakkie and trailer loads, the help of many volunteers and a police guard enabled us to distribute the milk to families living with HIV/AIDS, underprivileged children, pregnant women, creches and the old aged. One doctor asked us when he saw the huge quantity "What is this:Manna from Heaven?"

Freedom Day Braai for Support groups

2011-04-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

We served over 60 members of our HIV/TB groups a special chicken and vors braai for Freedom Day.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter with our Sunday Club of over 300 children by showing them an animated version of the Easter story plus chocolate eggs and a big bag of crisps each plus a huge amount of food for each child. It took us two hours just to load the food and two vehicles and two trailers to transport it to our centre!

All the children pray so earnestly.

The story is translated carefully into Zulu.

And every child receives an Easter egg and a BIG packet of crisps.

Graduation for Teens at Risk Computer Course

2011-04-14T01:57:00.000-07:00

The successful graduates of the computer course which we arranged for some or our teens at risk, thanks to Change The World Computer Training Centre in Midrand. These teenagers attended every week for 16 weeks to gain their diploma and it was a wonderful experience to hold the graduation ceremony and celebration at the Family Africa training Centre during April.
Our Support Centre in Diepsloot acts as an information centre and meeting point for Diepsloot youth who are interested in learning about computers and we are already organising more students for courses in the future.

Team Building:Teens at Risk Programme

2011-03-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

Above—Teambuilding activities for teens at risk programme. Our theme this month was learning to make the right decisions for life along with HIV education. One of the girls during a group discussion shared that she had been so depressed recently that she had swallowed rat poison and had spent a month in hospital. Thank God this young girl is doing much better and participated in the programme enthusiastically.

Below This month we sadly lost an 11 year old member of our Sunday Club to drowning when he was with his parents playing near a river so we are more determined than ever to teach our teenagers to swim and as you can see from their faces they are really enjoying themselves!

Family Africa Youth Mission Volunteers are teaching the girls contemporary dance.

It is tough to make the right decisions in a township - how do you survive the pressures of drugs, early sex and crime. We used power points and frank discussions to open up the floor for the teens to talk about their everyday challenges.

Primary HIV programmes in Alexandra

2011-03-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

This week we conducted two HIV programmes for a school in Alexandra. The programmes were very well received and the children involved in the dramas were so enthusiastic! The HIV coordinator said that she was so impressed by how we teach this age group about such a sensitive topic and wanted all our material so she can use it in the future. Our plan is to continue to conduct more programmes throughout Alex and to hold Teachers Seminars as well.

The soldiers of the immune system are very determined to protect the body from sickness!

The students say thank you the traditional Venda way

Township Teachers Early Education and HIV Seminar

2011-03-07T06:09:00.000-08:00

Teachers from 24 creches attended our packed one day seminar for township preschool teachers.

We covered the following important

topics through power points, role play and interactive dramas:

* Motivational section covering what it takes to be a good teacher.

* How to use the reading programmes and other educational resources which we have donated every year for 7 years to

over 40 of the crèches in Diepsloot.

* Basics of teaching reading and writing including pre writing activities.

* A talk from the librarian on the benefits of using the library.

* In depth study of HIV/AIDS covering safe sexual behaviour, testing, ARVs etc.

* How to teach children about HIV

* How to use puppets (or dollies/teddies) to teach children about Stranger Danger

and domestic abuse.

* Guidelines for health and safety in a crèche environment and care of HIV+ children.

The teachers were also given posters, book and charts and a Valentine’s gift.

Reaching the teachers is an effective way of improving the health, welfare and education of preschool age children. We believe that the seminar will have a big impact on the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged children in the township.

Valentine's Day

2011-02-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

A different way to keep Valentine’s Day!

We received an email from a company asking if volunteers could come and distribute mealie meal and teddies on Valentine’s Day. They told us they wanted to celebrate Valentine’s Day thinking about others rather than themselves and their own relationships. We thought this was a wonderful idea so on Valentine’s Day we celebrated with our HIV + Mothers and children by having a special Valentine’s meal, dancing and singing. The mothers also received a beautiful bouquet of flowers. As many of them are either without partners or in abusive relationships, we feel it was especially important that they had an opportunity to feel special on Valentine’s Day.

January News- Free Day Care Centre

2011-01-29T02:22:00.000-08:00

Due to working closely with Witkoppen Clinic (Fourways, Johannesburg) we are receiving more orphans which have been referred to us by the clinic. We have decided to close applications for the time being at 38 children at our Free Day Care to ensure they all receive the education, nutrition and care they should have. It is hard however to turn more orphans away.

The girls were so happy to receive their new green dresses supplied by Woolworths

More Christmas Parties: Free Day Care Centre, Mothers and TB/HIV

2011-01-04T01:17:00.000-08:00

Teenagers acting out the nativity story. "Mary" is 17 and "baby Jesus" is her own child.

We have just discovered we love mince pies!!

I hope I don't drop all my Christmas presents

A strawberry plant makes a great Christmas present!

Golf shirts make a great present!

Princess, who cooks for the TB group every week, enjoying preparing Christmas Dinner for the support group.

Christmas Pool Party for our teens at risk programme

2010-12-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

We have been working with some of these teens for 8 years since they were small. They come every week to our Sunday Club and as often as we can we bring them back to our residential training centre and give them extra classes and we play games and have lots of fun. These pictures are of our Christmas Pool Party. Most of these teenagers never have the opportunity to swim.

The Family Africa Sunday Club Christmas party for 350 kids

2010-12-20T00:25:00.000-08:00

Excursion to the Zoo

2010-12-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

The Family Africa Free Day Care Centre Graduation 2010

2010-12-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

Mega Christmas Party

2010-12-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season is here and we are busy, busy, busy making South Africa smile. Here are some pictures from our Mega Christmas party for 1500 disadvantaged children. This is the 7th year that we have organized this massive party– one of the biggest in Gauteng and which this year was filmed by ETV.

Lots of snacks and ice pops and books and clowns and stilt walkers and fire eating and juggling and magic and hot dogs and Zulu dancers and music and fun and creche equipment and prizes and more fun and music and Father Christmas and a blanket for every child

and lots of happy faces!

Prize giving in Tembisa

2010-10-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

The children from over 40 different classes in two different schools in Tembisa received their prizes for The Family Africa HIV/AIDS essay and poster competitions - a total of 60 children received a copy of our Primary HIV book and FIFA World cup blanket. This is the way we follow up on our HIV awareness programmes and reinforce what the children have learned. The children's contributions were of a high standard and as usual it was difficult to pick the winners!

New minibus

2010-10-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

The children are very happy with the new minibus!

It never rains but it pours! ........ only this time it was milk!

2010-10-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

One of our HIV+ children, Siyabonga, has been very sick recently and in fact almost lost both his legs went they went septic - the doctor told us he must have milk and lots of it! We have been giving him whenever we could but this week we had no milk, not even one drop at our residential training centre for a cup of tea! Then we got a call from Douglas dale Dairy; can you come and pick up milk? Well we ended up with almost 3,000 litres of milk which we have giving out throughout the week.
Thousands of litres of milk were given to the members of our support groups, children at our Free Day Care Centre, 6 other volunteer centres and our Sunday Club - thank you Douglas Dale Dairy!
It is wonderful to be able to supplement the diets of HIV+ adults and children with precious milk!

Our New Minibus

2010-10-14T01:36:00.000-07:00

The Family Care Foundation has partially sponsored a minibus for our projects. This minibus will be used to take the children from our Free Day Centre and the members of our Support groups on excursions. We will also use it to take our teens at risk group to computer classes which they have been attending for the last four weeks. We will also be using the minibus for our HIV/AIDS programmes both here in Gauteng and in the rural areas.

In the picture you can see a picture of the owners (with Jake in the middle) of the company who kindly donated the sign writing.

HIV/AIDS Awareness progammes in Tembisa

2010-10-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

We have just got back from Tembisa where we conducted three HIV/AIDS awareness programmes for a total of 1800 learners and 30 educators. The programme had a new addition with Super Hero Amazing ARV taking on HIV to the music of "Mission Impossible" - a real hit with everyone. Next week we will return to the schools in Tembisa to award prizes for the winners of the Essay and Poster competitions. Over 60 teachers were presented with our book: "My friend with AIDS is still My friend" so the teachers can do follow up activities with the learners.

A Panoramic view of The Free Day Care Centre Playground

2010-10-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

A Panoramic view of The Free Day Care Centre Playground

2010-10-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

Just thought people would like to see what our playground looks like now! The children love it!

Fire in Denver township burns down 200 shacks

2010-09-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

Fire in Denver township burns down 200 shacks.
The Family Africa responded to the news of the 200 shacks burning down today by delivering a bakkie load of clothes and shoes. Apparently the fire was started when one man set fire to another man and now whatever few belongings these 200 families had are gone. Working in cooperation Johannesburg Emergency Services hundreds of articles of clothing and shoes were targeted at those who had lost everything in the fire.

Statistics can never tell the whole story

2010-09-23T02:29:00.000-07:00

A child living in a small shack. It is dark inside. There is a paraffin stove on the floor. A dirty old mattress to sleep on. A child with a look of sadness and resignation. He does not know when or even if his next meal will arrive. Nowhere to play because the next shack is rammed right up to the corrugated iron wall of the one room the child calls home. A mother dying from AIDS unable to properly care for the child. The child struggles every day without hope, without knowing the joys of childhood. This is the reality of the children with whom we work in the squatter camp. Just this week a nurse came to tell us of an HIV+ mother who had collapsed at the clinic and was now on oxygen. When asked where her 2 year old twins were, she had weakly handed the nurse a key. She had locked them into the shack 5 hours before. They came to us for help as one of our community workers knew where they lived. We rushed there in our vehicle not knowing whether they would still be alive. We discovered that she had in fact unknowingly locked one outside and one inside. We nervously opened the door of the shack and found in the dark almost smothered by the smell of paraffin and urine one twin with swollen eyes. He had stopped crying long before: filthy, tired and hungry. The other twin was found wandering around outside. We packed them into our vehicle and drove them back to our free day care centre where our cook Gladys quickly undressed them so she could wash their clothes and they were soon sitting there with clean clothes and a hot meal in front of them.
On the same day that we rescued the twins an emaciated girl came to our TB/ HIV group. She looked 13 but we discovered she was 18. A refugee hoping to escape the ravages of Zimbabwe’s present state: no money, no prospects, unable to finish school because she does not have the proper paperwork. I took her to the library and showed her all the Maths and English books she can study for free. Her eyes lit up with thanks. By attending our support group she will be helped with her paperwork, encouraged to take her TB medicine and ARVs. She will receive a hot meal when she attends the group and 10 kg of mealie meal a month, food packages,clothes and blankets and education. She also will benefit from our new minibus to go on excursions like the other teenagers we take to the theatre and back to our residential training centre for games and hot dogs. We believe that these disadvantaged teenagers can be given real hope for the future through these opportunities to step outside their dreary existence in the squatter camp.

Update

2010-09-08T06:12:00.000-07:00

World Cup and TV coverage

We were given a stand by FIFA to work from and performed on FIFA stages, which was quite miraculous. Our TB and HIV+ support groups also performed HIV dramas and songs in Fan parks and in a shopping centre. Towards the end of the World Cup, one of our members, Chris White, who speaks fluent Spanish, was interviewed by a popular Spanish speaking American TV programme talking about the work of The Family Africa . The next day our dance troupe, Triple Fusion (third generation Family Members) were also featured on the same TV programme when we were given another opportunity to explain our work reaching a total of over 20 million viewers through out the USA, Mexico and Spain.

Update

2010-09-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

The World Cup

The World Cup was an amazing experience for our home here in Johannesburg. During the World Cup we were out at the Fan Parks and outside the stadia every day distributing literature and Activated, performing provocative street drama covering issues like drugs and alcohol, eating disorders and a challenge to everyone to realize that Jesus is the answer. We also performed HIV/AIDS dramas on the streets and on stages in a new and innovative way which really caught the attention of the fans. Our methods using drama, stilt walking, free face painting to collect follow up addresses attracted the attention of other Christians and we were filmed and interviewed by the Christian organizations, who are going to be doing outreach for the World Cup in Brazil and also the Olympics in Brazil.

Our centre passed out 20,000 pieces of World Cup related literature, 11,500 Activated and 4,000 DVDs (Brazilian footballer Kakar’s testimony) and prayed with hundreds of people. During the World Cup we also ran a special World Cup feeding scheme every day for children in the township where we work.

Projects

2010-09-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday Club
The Family Africa also runs a club for 300+ disadvantaged children every week for children ages 2-16 which includes sports, music and drama based around character building themes. HIV/AIDS education and anti drug awareness are also promoted with the teenagers.
This club also includes a feeding scheme every week and the distribution of clothing and blankets on an ongoing basis. We also provide Christmas parties and presents for them every year.

Projects

2010-09-07T04:47:00.001-07:00

HIV/AIDS School programmes

Interactive programmes for Primary and Secondary Schools using music and drama and encouraging active student participation.

The programme is an audio visual extravaganza covering the basics of HIV/AIDS education through a dramatic fast moving show. It covers information on how the learners can protect themselves, destroys the many myths which surround HIV/AIDS and promotes a positive response to people living with AIDS from a Christian perspective. A new addition to the show is an anti drug song emphasising how drugs and alcohol are important factors which hinder wise decision making. The desperate need for this form of education is underlined by the fact that, sadly, in some of the schools where we run this programme there are pregnant girls as young as 11 years old.

We also take the programme on the road around South Africa and into surrounding African countries of Namibia and Zambia.

Beneficiaries: 33,000 students so far.

Projects

2010-08-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Family Africa Free Day Care Centre for the children of HIV positive women and AIDS orphans

We are running a free day care centre for the preschool children of our HIV positive mothers as well as AIDS orphans. The children receive two nutritious meals a day, a good education and health care. We believe this is an excellent way to offer community based support to HIV positive women and also to the grandparents who are left caring for the orphans once the parents have died of AIDS. Additionally we provide breakfast for other orphans who are attending government school but who would otherwise face the school day hungry.

Projects

2010-08-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

The Mother’s Support and Counselling Centre for HIV positive mothers and their children.

In this group the women are all willing to disclose their status enabling them to make real progress in addressing the specific needs of their condition. They also receive the same training and support as the other group but with one extra valuable goal and that it to try by all means possible to ensure they receive the correct education so that their babies have an opportunity to be HIV negative. Although some babies are HIV positive due to the mixing of blood at birth there is hope for the other babies to test negative if their mothers are trained and encouraged to maintain the proper feeding and care of their babies. We also help them to build happy memories with their babies and families: giving the mothers short term and long term goals to help the women look forward to the future which helps to prolong life. We now run a full time free of charge Counselling and Support centre for these women with a food garden, netball team and choir. The women are also encouraged to attend training courses and

initiate micro businesses with our support. By volunteering at the Centre the women gain valuable work experience whereby we can provide them with references to help them find work. We also offer assistance to ensure they can obtain the necessary paperwork such as birth certificates and IDs so that they can receive the government grants to which they are entitled. All of these services mean that the women are being empowered to take control of their lives and put food on the table for their children.

Beneficiaries: 45 mothers.

Projects

2010-08-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

TB/HIV Support Group

As there is a terrible stigma attached to HIV/AIDS we initiated a HIV/AIDS support group which would include TB sufferers. In the township where we work, 90% of TB patients are HIV positive and as there is no stigma attached to TB, we discovered that it meant that patients were happy and willing to be involved in the support group and thereby receive the help they need. All our clients are economically disadvantaged and many depend on the group for their basic food.

This support group has been running successfully since January 2005 and involves skills training and development programmes such as literacy, knitting, sewing, and food gardening and ongoing HIV/AIDS education. It is community based in the township and we have a chairperson and secretary who are part of the community. Although there are some male members of the group it is mainly women who are benefiting. We also supply nutritious food as a healthy diet is a important to help build up their immune systems and prolong life. We also supply warm clothing and blankets during the winter months when they are most at risk due to their poor health. A very important element of the support group is the spiritual support they receive and the support they give each other. The food garden helps to promote gentle exercise and also provides them with a sustainable food source and a feeling of self worth.

Beneficiaries : 30