Baby and Mom pack with newborn at Retreat Clinic

Hello Everybody

I've just received this photograph. It is of a mother and baby who is a recipient of a Mom & Baby's Pack. A little boy, born yesterday. [Name withheld to protect privacy.]

Thank you again, everybody, for making this possible.

Lots of love

Norah

xxxxx

Dec 08 Update: Information empowers an introduction

ZOE PROJECT UPDATE – 1 DECEMBER 2008

Hello Everybody

Again, I wish to thank all of you for your very considerate and thoughtful contributions and offers of help during November 2008. The collection week last week had me really busy. My car and house was full of grocery bags with items for the Moms & Baby packs as well as products for the pantry.

Thank you to the following people who contributed:
Jane and Sebastian, Ingrid, Jo D., Lorette, Dimitra , Nicki S., Nikki A., Lara S., Bronwyn H, Marlene H, Sandy S, Alexandra, Frederika S, Lisa S., Michael P.
The Anonymous Parents at Monterey School

A big ‘thank you’ too, to Jo Ashwell at Monterey Pre-Primary School and to Sharon Wewege and Heather Mylne from the New Beginnings Baby Clinic for allowing me to put our poster and brochures at both premises. The response from both has been tremendous!

There are still a couple of people from whom I haven’t heard and I know that I will hear from you soon.

I know we’re all making plans for the holidays and that the children are home from school or university and I appreciate those people who have taken this into consideration for the December collection week. When you get the email reminder for December collection week, and you have already contributed for December, please just ignore until January.



Some Very Interesting Developments…

A couple of weeks ago I met with a representative from UNICEF. We have been speaking via email and we are working towards getting UNICEF involved with our project. It would work in a reciprocal manner. They are very interested in learning our methodology and direction and adapting it to other clinics in South Africa. Needless to say, this is HUGE!

It also goes without saying that this is still in infancy stage and we are still very ambivalent about what would happen and exactly how this would unfold. I will update you in our newsletters and via the blogspot when I have news on this development.


Future growth……

I have been contacted by people from various ports of life asking for help about many things and through this and due to research, it has come to my attention that there are not many documents available regarding ‘what to do when you suspect or know that your child has been raped’.


The Child Protection Unit [CPU] was disbanded a couple of years ago, and because all of this has to follow correct procedure legally, very few organisations have material available. Currently, aspects like this are governed by the CFS [Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit]; which incorporates the Child Justice Bill, the Sexual Offences Bill and the Domestic Violence Act. I have had discussions with Lifeline and more specifically, Childline who have agreed to assist me in compiling a brochure with such information. The idea is to have it translated into English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and to distribute it to as many people as possible. Look out for that, because I may ask a couple of you to hand them out.

I ask that each of you continue spreading the word about the Zoe Project – not only because you are contributing products and knowingly are making a difference in the life of someone less fortunate, but my instinct tells me that we will be making a difference on so many more levels in our communities.


A Christmas Wish List………

Sister Linda at Retreat Maternity contacted me recently as asked whether we could put out a request for some much needed medical equipment. My philosophy in life is this: One can ask a question but one must be prepared for either answer…. A no, or a yes. I am asking a question, and obviously would love it if someone could help; or if someone knows someone who could help, but I am also prepared for the No answer.

We desperately need the following medical equipment:

Foetal Doppler Heart Monitors x 3
Suction Machine
Incubator
Dynomaps Machines - to monitor blood pressure
Phototherapy Light
Computers and printers – for administrative purposes

Please let me know if you know of anyone or any company who would be able to assist us in this quest.


I believe that each of us is placed on earth for a specific reason – one must just find that place within oneself first in order to be able to leave a mark on the world!

Enjoy the upcoming holidays. I look forward to your emails and phone calls.

Lots of love

Norah

Sports Day for staff at Retreat Maternity Clinic

November 15th, Saturday was a perfectly windless, beautifully warm day. Tracey arranged with a Navy PT instructor to host / referree some team building events. All the staff who currently work at the Retreat maternity clinic were invited to join us for a day of fun, a lovely braai lunch and a thank you to them from us via Father Christmas.

They were divided into two teams: The Gummy Bears [!] and the Lions. And the competition was on the way. From having to weave tyres through pins, to throwing netball balls through hoops; picking up 15 tennisballs - and not dropping any - to the waterslide... suitably dressed with foamy stuff to make it even more slippery. Not to mention trying to walk on planks with 3 other people also attached to the plank. Many sore bodies the next day, i promise you that!

It really was a great success, and to see everyone just relax and be themselves was wonderful. We often forget that the people who work day after day in difficult situations also have their own issues and personal feelings with which to deal. A day like the sports day ensures that one can talk in a relaxed atmosphere about things that lie close to the heart. Also a good time to get to know everyone in a more social atmosphere.

Here are some fun photographs from the day.

Nov 08 Update, pantry, 2nd hand clothing, sports day

Thank you so much to the people who have responded so far to my request for assistance with the Zoe Project. I have been overwhelmed by some – the offer of a fridge-freezer for our Dry Goods Pantry – and wowed by others – generous contributions for the pantry and our Mom & Baby packs.

I am going to list the first names of people who have contributed or helped so far. I am really appreciative to all of you, and the names are in no particular order…
Jane and Sebastian, Alison, Nikki, Nicki, Arlene, Kaye, Sharon, Heather, Jo A, Jo D, Ingrid, Sheena, Lorette, Frederika and the anonymous but generous parents at Monterey. Well done to all of you. Know that you have made a difference in the life of someone.

I have been sending out emails in the last week of each month, reminding our contributors of our “collection week”. This is when we collect from your homes. The process is the following. We collect the items, list what we receive from whom and then divide the goods into “for Pantry” and “for Mom & Baby packs”.

The reason for this is because the Pantry goods go to the clinic once a month and the products we receive for the Mom & Baby packs, go to two ladies who do our packing for us.
A full list of each item is then given to the sister in charge of the pantry, and another list to the ladies who pack the products.

Update on our progress

In addition to the contributors, I have contacted Musgrave Retirement Village and they have agreed to do some knitting for us – provided we provide the wool. The ladies there are constantly in the newspaper for knitting soft toys and clothes for the under privileged. I will make a delivery of wool once we have enough for them to knit at least 5 outfits and blankets.

Olive from the Busy Bees in Meadowridge has rounded up the “knitting ladies” in her church Circle – and they have promised 5 knitted blankets and jersey-sets per month. Thank you and well done… Anyone up for a challenge?

Further developments

No matter how small, each day we make a difference.
I have received a whole lot of second hand baby clothes, and as you all know, we have asked for new clothes for the mom and baby packs. The reason we ask for new clothes is because these women, just like you and I, would want to wrap and dress their precious babies in something new and fresh. They have nothing, and this new outfit is probably the only new outfit they will ever be able to give their child. Their dignity is important to us!

However, because of the receipt of the 2nd hand clothes, we have decided to make us of this by giving it to the 2 places of safety [because the women who go their leave their homes with nothing]; and also the 3 baby houses to which we refer the babies up for adoption .
Everything will be used! It is amazing how one event can have such a great spin-off to something else which is great!

So, if you have 2nd hand baby clothes and you don’t know what to do with it: wash them, and let me know – I’ll collect!


Dry Goods Pantry

I have spoken to the 2 sisters in charge at the clinic and asked them how the pantry was received. The patients know that there is no food, but in the last month and a half, it has made an amazing difference to them… from surprise to relief! Also, this has made the lives of those who stay overnight so much easier. They have had about 25 births over a period of 6 nights and all the moms have been fed.

In addition to the overnight deliveries, there are also a number of “kangaroo moms”. They are moms who have given birth prematurely and their babies are underweight. They also benefit from the Dry-Goods Pantry.

Yesterday, there was a little girl [unnamed as yet] who weighed 1.5 kg at birth. Her weight had dropped [as after all births] and she can only go home once she weighs 2.2kg. She was a miracle to see. I stood in amazement and watched this little thing, knowing that often these babies don’t make it.

The food is allocated by the night shift sister and she catalogues to whom it goes and even had a list for me of what they cooked!

A Couple of Questions

How many babies are born per month and how many are girls and how many boys?
The average birth rate is 200 per month, but in October there were 202 births!
Unfortunately, they couldn’t tell me the girl-boy ratio.

What things are most used in the pantry and which are not? And are there products which is needed but not on the list?
The products most used, are the tinned foods [tuna, pilchards] The products for the Dry
Goods Pantry which is not on the list, but is needed, are: Bully beef, tuna, tinned
meat, powdered and long life milk, baked beans. [I will send out a list of requirements
again when I notify everyone about our collection date.]

Products needed for the mom and baby packs but not on the list, are: roll-on deodorants
and medium sized panties [normal and disposable].

Sports Day and thank you to staff

The Zoe Project will be hosting a sports day for the staff of the Retreat Clinic this coming weekend. Watch this space for some fun filled photographs....

Thank you all for your contribution and commitment to this Project. Please contact me via email or telephone if you have any questions – you can leave your response/comment/suggestions on the blog.
Lots of love Norahxxx

great response to requests for the pantry

Thank you so much to the many people who have responded so very positively towards my request for assistance with the Zoe Project. I felt overwhelmed by the 4th email I received which was an offer of a fridge-freezer for the dry-goods pantry! We can now increase our frozen soup intake for the month. The generosity from people has really touched me. There are still a couple of people to whom I haven't spoken and I would love to hear from you.



I will officially be opening the Dry Goods Pantry on 1 October and am very excited because it means that the moms can have a meal at night.

introducing the zoe project by norah papanicolaou

Since 2006 I have been involved , in quite a remote way, with a project whose main emphasis is counseling and assisting mothers from the poorer areas surrounding Retreat, Cape Town, before and when they give birth. I say remote, because i have really only been working through a friend of mine, collecting products to give to these women and not really visiting or contributing in a way which i know would make a real difference.
I contacted Tracey, who initiated the Zoe Project 6 years ago, and visited her at the clinic, to find out exactly what the needs are and what it is that the people who work with the Zoe Project, do.

I would like to introduce this project to you and truly hope that you would join me in making a difference in the life of someone who is less fortunate than us.

The Retreat Maternity Clinic falls under Mowbray Maternity. It is a small clinic where these women, and often they are young girls, go to have their babies. There are only trainee doctors and the nursing staff to assist them. Should there be emergencies, they are sent to Groote Schuur hospital. These moms have to leave the clinic 6 hours after giving birth ; going back to their shacks in the shanty towns or their backyard Wendy houses - if they are lucky enough to live in one.

In most cases, the moms do not even have the most basic of things [like a toothbrush, sanitary pads or even a blanket in which to wrap their precious little babies.] The clinic has a kettle and they make tea and coffee - with the once a month delivery from the Department of Health, but they do not provide enough. They do not have a dinner facility to those who stay overnight to have their babies - so, if they don't bring their own food, they do not eat! [A very kind lady prepares 40 x 250g margarine tubs filled with soup, which is frozen and kept for the overnight deliveries. But that is only once a month and when it is done, there is none left until the next delivery.]

The Zoe Project was established approximately 6 years ago by Tracey. She and her partner, Joanne have worked very hard at establishing a relationship with the sisters and nurses at the clinic. They have been allowed to provide this very necessary service through very hard work. The Zoe Project offers the following free services to these new moms:

* Give pregnancy and psychological counseling - which is the main concentration of the
program.
* Give pregnancy educational talks - 1 hour long - of what to expect during pregnancy and
labour.
* Assist in information about adoption as well as facilitate the adoptions - 20% of all
children adopted from South Africa internationally, come from the Retreat Clinic.
* Assist in removing moms and children from dangerous and abusive situations and place
them in a place of safety.
* Try to give a MOMS & BABY pack to every baby born at the clinic - although there is
never enough and we therefore, only give to the neediest and most desperate.
* Try to get Dullah's involved with the clinic - women who sit with the moms while they are
in labour - just holding hands, rubbing tummies or wiping foreheads with a damp cloth.
* The 40 x 250g margarine tubs filled with soup.

What is it that I'd like you to be part of?
My involvement is purely to get a network of caring people together who will assist me in the following:
Providing some of, or all of the products for one MOM&BABY pack once a month.
Providing some of, or all of the products to fill our Dry-goods Pantry at the clinic - this was opened on 1 October 2008. - once a month.

The Zoe Project is not just a "let's give away a whole lot of things" where everyone in the neighbourhood goes because they know they get "free stuff". These products to ONLY to the neediest of people.

So, what is a MOM&BABY'S pack?
MOM'S PACKS consists of:
1 x 2litre ice-cream container filled with the following goods:
* a toothbrush and toothpaste
* one panty - sized Medium
* sanitary towels - 2
* soap and a facecloth
* a booster snack or biscuits
* small fruit juice
* small hand lotion or lip ice

BABY'S PACKS consists of:
1 x litre ice-cream container filled with the following goods:
* all NEW PRODUCTS AND NEW BORN SIZED [it is important to the dignity of the people who already have nothing that they are given NEW THINGS for their precious babies]
* Baby grow
* vest
* 2 Nappies
* Knitted or other cap, booties and jersey
* knitted blanket
* receiving blanket
* soft knitted toy
* baby products - no earbuds or powder

DRY-GOODS PANTRY
Goods to continue with our dry-goods pantry include:
* Jungle oats
* Tea and Coffee
* Sugar
* Powdered or longlife milk
* 2 minute noodles
* rice
* pasta
* tinned foods [mixed veg, bully beef, pilchards, baked beans, tinned tomatoes, etc]
* spreads for bread [marmite, peanut butter, jams]
* cup-a-soup

As I said, these things make such a huge difference in the lives of people who already have so little. Please help me and become a part of this network of incredible people who contribute and help.
Leave a message on the blog of how you may be contacted if you are interested in helping.

A further update about our project will follow.
Best wishes
Norah
xxxxx