Hello Everybody
It has been a really busy and difficult month for us but I’m happy to say that the worst is over, we are all well again and that hopefully soon, we can all get back on track and do what we need to do.
Thank you for all your well wishes and love and help.
Thank you to the following contributors:
Arlene Johansson, Dr Lara Smith, Bronwyn Hopwood, Marlene Helfrecht, Jane and Sebastian Dunn, Tara and Dave Dunn, Sharon Wewege, Heather Mylne, Rene Grimmbacher, Liam and Sam Grimmbacher, Michael P., Donna Cobban, Luc Michot, Anna Johansson, Yolanda and Alan Parry, The DA Ladies Committee, Bessie and Athina Kotsiopolous, Jessica Midlane and baby Lucy, Helen Schick and baby Maia, Claire Surman and Baby Ellie, Catherine Orr and baby Benjamin, Cahterine Johnson and Baby Charlie, Jill Barker and baby Oscar, Kara Williams and baby Noah, Melissa Talbot and baby Evie, Rachel McCurrie and baby Hamish, Catherine Swindles and baby Neave, Elaine Aquadro, Willem and Denise van Bergen, Annette Milner, Tara Girdlestone, Our friends at the New Beginnings Clinic, and our friends from Monterey Pre-Primary School. If I have left any names out, please forgive me. There are just so many caring people out there who have contributed generously with products as well as time and expertise – thank you to each of you and know that you have made a difference in someone’s life.
Babies Born during September:
There were 206 babies born at the clinic in September; 94 boys and 112 girls.
I found it very surprising at the amount of new moms aged 40 +… there were at least 15 of them and I had to giggle to myself and ask if there was a power failure 9 months ago.
But jokes aside, there is still a large number of young girls giving birth and when asked, they all say that it is a planned pregnancy. The clinic saw twin boys born at the end of September – this is unusual as the twins are seen as a complicated birth and are normally sent to Groote Schuur hospital.
The largest baby weighed 4,554 grams.
Mom and Baby packs:
We continue to receive the most beautiful NEW items for the mom and baby packs – thank you very much for this as we only give NEW items for these. We still have a shortfall of panties for all the moms who go to the clinic.
Dry Goods’ Pantry:
Yolanda Parry still continues to add to the pantry in terms of frozen soup – this is on top of the contribution of 20 frozen soups per month from another person. Fresh bread, jam and peanut butter is given weekly and this just adds to our existing pantry of noodles, packet soups, baked beans, tinned tomatoes, rice and pasta.
The government still only supplies one dry Provita and a cup of soup daily for each patient.
2nd hand baby clothes from UK:
Jessica Midlane and friends [noted above] collected clothing for safe houses and baby homes. We managed to get Rob Aquadro who works for Richard Branson’s Virgin Group of companies to transport free of charge, the goods via ship to Cape Town. We were awed by the response from everyone involved who helped to do this.
Reality set in and the goods could not be cleared through customs due to red tape. 2nd hand clothing is an item that cannot be imported as a donation. VAT and clearances needed to be paid – which were going to be waved, but unfortunately due to the fact that there were 15 nappies and 4 pairs of baby shoes in the consignment, another additional two permits were needed.
These could only be given once an 8 page document were completed in triplicate and sent to Pretoria; and in addition to this, a document from a registered NGO needed to be completed stating that we are not going to re-sell these items.
While all this was happening, the consignment was stored and the storage fee amounted to more than the value of the clothing – a couple of thousand rands.
Due to this and the fact stated above, the goods have been moved to the State warehouse where one of the following things can happen:
It will be auctioned off. If not sold it may either be destroyed or the government can donate the goods to less fortunate.
We are investigating attending the auction in October some time.
This has been a harrowing experience for me as well as a huge learning curve for all involved.
Place of Hope
Numerous people have been paying a lot of attention to Place of Hope – one of the safe houses to where we send some of our moms and babies.
Thank you so much especially Suzelle and your group – the room make overs are valued more than you can imagine and the Pamper day is still spoken about.
Staff at the clinic
These are dedicated and hard-working women who are often affected by the patients they see daily. One cannot do this work without having amazing amounts of compassion for others.
Last month during a gang-shooting at the day hospital next door, they just continued working with this going on and police running around – that is dedication!
Dullah course
I have had a number of enquiries for this even as far away as Rustenberg. Please send me more emails and I will give you the details of the courses run for our Dullahs.
Soccer Day
Annually we have a soccer day in order to raise funds for a special day for the staff at the clinic. This usually happens in November and teams may enter at R20 per person.
It has proven to be a day of great fun and the funds are then taken and we have a team building day for all the staff who really value the fact that we do something special for them.
If you want to enter a soccer team and join us for this, please email me and I will send the details.
DA Ladies group
Councillor Denis Joseph and the DA Ladies’ Committee have visited both the MOU and Day hospital in the past month, distributing sandwiches and soup.
Thank you Denis and Harriet for what you do for the Retreat community.
Donations of 2nd hand clothing for women, men and children:
At present I am still busy organising our house. As you know, we have moved recently and I still have to unpack and sort personal things, so I am going to ask that you hold on to the clothing that you’d like to donate for safe houses and children’s homes until such time that I say that I am collecting again.
Should you wish to, however, I can give a list of places to where you may take these items yourself.
Thank you again and I hope you’re all well and healthy.
Enjoy the spring blossoms and the occasional rain – summer will be here soon!
Lots of love always
Norah
Showing posts with label DA Ladies Network. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DA Ladies Network. Show all posts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
7 July Update by Norah Papanicolaou
Hello Everybody
My humble apologies for only sending the update now. I’m running a couple of projects at the same time and sometimes it is difficult for me to get to everything at once.
It is July holidays and before we know it, it is Christmas. I hope you have all taken some time to spend with your family.
Thank you to the following contributors:
Arlene J., Dr Lara S., Bronwyn H., Marlene H., Jane and Sebastian D., Nikki A., Sandy S.,
Sharon W., Heather M., Sheena H., Michael P., Anna J., Kirsten H., Annette C-N., Johnathan A., Guy W., Constantia Pharmacy, Sue [New Beginnings Clinic], Julie and Greg B., Samuel G. and Luke C.
Your contributions this month have again proved to me that magical moments and miracles do happen. The amount of clothing and household items that
we have been able to give to the safe houses this month has been great. Funny how I had just enough toys for the children at Place of Hope – there are 32 little children
and we had 34 toys. Each of these children now has something of their own to cuddle and name. I have also appealed to everyone that if they know a plumber or a plumbing company who would assist with fixing the giant leak at Place of Hope in Crawford to give me a call, and I know that somewhere someone will assist us in helping them out.
The food that has gone to the Retreat Maternity Clinic is indeed a blessing. We had a meeting last month and we were told that from the beginning of July 2009
the moms will only be given 1 dry Provita and a cup of soup as the meal for the day by the clinic. They have been given a couple of packets of Oats-so-Easy and a box of Jungle Oats and this must last through the month. This boggles the mind as this is supposed to be sustenance for moms who have given birth as well as the Kangaroo moms who are breastfeeding their babies.
The freezer is in place but at the moment it only holds 40 x 250gram margarine tubs filled with soup. I know that we will get someone to make more soup to be frozen and given to the women.
I would like to thank Guy Wood and the Constantia Pharmacy especially this month, because they have donated some incontinence sheets. The clinic had run out and their delivery wasn’t scheduled until a couple of days later. The nursing staff was assisting moms giving birth and they had nothing to put under the babies when they were born. Guy and his team helped us in giving them a more hygienic entry into life. I think it is wonderful that local businesses are recognizing the need in poorer communities.
Information Day on 13th June 2009
Thank you to those of you who joined us. I know you have all learnt a bit more about the Zoe Project and everything we are involved in – more than I can ever write in an email.
To those who couldn’t make it, here is a little update.
The Zoe Project is growing arms and legs – as with all good things.
Bethany from BABY SAFE told us about the safe for babies. Let me explain. With the magnitude of babies being dumped in bins and toilets and open fields, an engineer in the States came up with the idea of creating a safe place for moms who don’t want their babies, to safely leave the babies. This is not something that is advertised as it is a sensitive issue and we don’t want people to think that this is now a ‘way out’. Baby safe was engineered to work in the following way:
It is located in Fish Hoek and when someone opens the door and places the baby inside the ‘safe’, a sensor goes off which is attached to an alarm system. The alarm system works like the one you have at home. It starts phoning telephone numbers. There are at least 3 people on call at a time and the first call it makes is to a private security company who is there within 3 minutes. So, the baby who has now been abandoned is not alone for longer than 3 minutes.
The other people who are contacted by the ‘sensor’ are emergency care and the counselors who place the baby in emergency foster care or hospital – should there be a need to do so.
This is the most incredible technology I’ve heard of in a long time. There are only 2 baby safes in South Africa. The one in Fish Hoek hasn’t been used yet, but it is there as an alternative option to just dumping your unwanted baby in a field.
Tracey spoke about the wonderful help we’ve received from members of King of Kings Baptist Church. They have undertaken to look after very young moms and their babies, and re-introduce them to the community after they have given birth and in some cases, gone through rehabilitation. It is not easy for us to understand about the difficulties experienced by someone who is in a state of despair. The ladies at the church take the young girls into their care, counsel them and help them find their place in the world again. They are doing a tremendous job and are filling a need where no one else is available to help.
Sister Lynda Smith, Manager of the Retreat MOU spoke about the wonderful support that her staff has received from the Zoe Project personnel - Just making their work so much easier. The gratitude of these women who work so hard and under such difficult situations is over whelming. They shine even under pressure and it is all because of working together with caring people. Without that, the Zoe Project would not be as successful as it is. I would like to add that each of you is helping in this. Please remember this on the days that you’re feeling down or not sure about yourself. You are an incredible support, anonymous though it is, to an incredible bunch of women.
A Radio Station from the United States has come to hear about the Zoe Project. They have contacted us and are interested promoting our cause in the States. The technicalities of this still need to be worked out and it will take a while before anything materializes. But it is great news as the Zoe Project and the work we do is gaining an international name.
I invited an honoured guest, DA ward counselor Denis Joseph joined us at the information day. He has rallied the DA Ladies Alliance to provide soup twice a month to the people who visit the Retreat Maternity clinic. With approximately 450 registrations per month and the additional average of 200 births per month, that is a lot of people to feed. Thank you Denis and Harriet for your sincere interest in the community and wanting to make a difference where you can. The first soup day was Friday, 3rd July and according to Sister Lynda, it went really well.
Our vision…
The ultimate vision and goal of The Zoe Project is to have a safe house and baby house of our own. There are a hand full of baby houses and safe houses in Cape Town. I visit them often and many of them are in a state of disrepair. They all need funding, they all need help. They are all providing an incredible service to humanity and improving the lives of so many people. Our goal is to provide this. And it will happen when the time is ready and everything is in place.
The Zoe Project as an example…
We endeavour to assist other clinics in other areas to do the same work we do at Retreat. This is huge – the main criteria for this working, is that people who are passionate about helping others need to work together. This is the main ingredient of our success so far.
Births at the clinic this month….
There were 214 births at the clinic during June 09. I have been privileged to witness births and I am telling you, it IS a portal for souls to enter this world. Watching a baby being born is a miracle that cannot be compared to anything. The endorphins that pulse through the body of the mother enable them to go through the pain of birth and immediately love that child. That baby crying for the first time is the most beautiful sound in the world.
Information Empowers!
Although Information Empowers! is separate from the Zoe Project, we link in because of the people we help. I am proud to say that Information Empowers has developed workshops about child sexual abuse for children and adults which are currently being used by 3 Victim Empowerment groups in the Western Cape. I have also just finished a workbook that ties in with the workshops and it has proved to be an additional tool in fighting child sexual abuse and helping victims and non-victims become empowered. There are a couple of workshops and workbooks in development at the moment and it is all very exciting knowing that we are helping those who are most vulnerable. Thank you so much to those people who have been supporting me with their encouragement and love.
I hope I haven’t left anything out. I know this has been a very long email filled with news, and I’d like to receive feedback. Anything positive you would like to share with the moms or the staff of the clinic, please email me and I will pass the message on to them.
I would like to leave you with this thought:
Individuals CAN make the difference – even if you think that your little bit is too little: it is helping someone with nothing. You ARE making a difference.
Thank you and lots of love and many blessings
Norah Papanicolaou
For the Zoe Project
Information Empowers!
Because every child matters.
norah@xsinet.co.za
My humble apologies for only sending the update now. I’m running a couple of projects at the same time and sometimes it is difficult for me to get to everything at once.
It is July holidays and before we know it, it is Christmas. I hope you have all taken some time to spend with your family.
Thank you to the following contributors:
Arlene J., Dr Lara S., Bronwyn H., Marlene H., Jane and Sebastian D., Nikki A., Sandy S.,
Sharon W., Heather M., Sheena H., Michael P., Anna J., Kirsten H., Annette C-N., Johnathan A., Guy W., Constantia Pharmacy, Sue [New Beginnings Clinic], Julie and Greg B., Samuel G. and Luke C.
Your contributions this month have again proved to me that magical moments and miracles do happen. The amount of clothing and household items that
we have been able to give to the safe houses this month has been great. Funny how I had just enough toys for the children at Place of Hope – there are 32 little children
and we had 34 toys. Each of these children now has something of their own to cuddle and name. I have also appealed to everyone that if they know a plumber or a plumbing company who would assist with fixing the giant leak at Place of Hope in Crawford to give me a call, and I know that somewhere someone will assist us in helping them out.
The food that has gone to the Retreat Maternity Clinic is indeed a blessing. We had a meeting last month and we were told that from the beginning of July 2009
the moms will only be given 1 dry Provita and a cup of soup as the meal for the day by the clinic. They have been given a couple of packets of Oats-so-Easy and a box of Jungle Oats and this must last through the month. This boggles the mind as this is supposed to be sustenance for moms who have given birth as well as the Kangaroo moms who are breastfeeding their babies.
The freezer is in place but at the moment it only holds 40 x 250gram margarine tubs filled with soup. I know that we will get someone to make more soup to be frozen and given to the women.
I would like to thank Guy Wood and the Constantia Pharmacy especially this month, because they have donated some incontinence sheets. The clinic had run out and their delivery wasn’t scheduled until a couple of days later. The nursing staff was assisting moms giving birth and they had nothing to put under the babies when they were born. Guy and his team helped us in giving them a more hygienic entry into life. I think it is wonderful that local businesses are recognizing the need in poorer communities.
Information Day on 13th June 2009
Thank you to those of you who joined us. I know you have all learnt a bit more about the Zoe Project and everything we are involved in – more than I can ever write in an email.
To those who couldn’t make it, here is a little update.
The Zoe Project is growing arms and legs – as with all good things.
Bethany from BABY SAFE told us about the safe for babies. Let me explain. With the magnitude of babies being dumped in bins and toilets and open fields, an engineer in the States came up with the idea of creating a safe place for moms who don’t want their babies, to safely leave the babies. This is not something that is advertised as it is a sensitive issue and we don’t want people to think that this is now a ‘way out’. Baby safe was engineered to work in the following way:
It is located in Fish Hoek and when someone opens the door and places the baby inside the ‘safe’, a sensor goes off which is attached to an alarm system. The alarm system works like the one you have at home. It starts phoning telephone numbers. There are at least 3 people on call at a time and the first call it makes is to a private security company who is there within 3 minutes. So, the baby who has now been abandoned is not alone for longer than 3 minutes.
The other people who are contacted by the ‘sensor’ are emergency care and the counselors who place the baby in emergency foster care or hospital – should there be a need to do so.
This is the most incredible technology I’ve heard of in a long time. There are only 2 baby safes in South Africa. The one in Fish Hoek hasn’t been used yet, but it is there as an alternative option to just dumping your unwanted baby in a field.
Tracey spoke about the wonderful help we’ve received from members of King of Kings Baptist Church. They have undertaken to look after very young moms and their babies, and re-introduce them to the community after they have given birth and in some cases, gone through rehabilitation. It is not easy for us to understand about the difficulties experienced by someone who is in a state of despair. The ladies at the church take the young girls into their care, counsel them and help them find their place in the world again. They are doing a tremendous job and are filling a need where no one else is available to help.
Sister Lynda Smith, Manager of the Retreat MOU spoke about the wonderful support that her staff has received from the Zoe Project personnel - Just making their work so much easier. The gratitude of these women who work so hard and under such difficult situations is over whelming. They shine even under pressure and it is all because of working together with caring people. Without that, the Zoe Project would not be as successful as it is. I would like to add that each of you is helping in this. Please remember this on the days that you’re feeling down or not sure about yourself. You are an incredible support, anonymous though it is, to an incredible bunch of women.
A Radio Station from the United States has come to hear about the Zoe Project. They have contacted us and are interested promoting our cause in the States. The technicalities of this still need to be worked out and it will take a while before anything materializes. But it is great news as the Zoe Project and the work we do is gaining an international name.
I invited an honoured guest, DA ward counselor Denis Joseph joined us at the information day. He has rallied the DA Ladies Alliance to provide soup twice a month to the people who visit the Retreat Maternity clinic. With approximately 450 registrations per month and the additional average of 200 births per month, that is a lot of people to feed. Thank you Denis and Harriet for your sincere interest in the community and wanting to make a difference where you can. The first soup day was Friday, 3rd July and according to Sister Lynda, it went really well.
Our vision…
The ultimate vision and goal of The Zoe Project is to have a safe house and baby house of our own. There are a hand full of baby houses and safe houses in Cape Town. I visit them often and many of them are in a state of disrepair. They all need funding, they all need help. They are all providing an incredible service to humanity and improving the lives of so many people. Our goal is to provide this. And it will happen when the time is ready and everything is in place.
The Zoe Project as an example…
We endeavour to assist other clinics in other areas to do the same work we do at Retreat. This is huge – the main criteria for this working, is that people who are passionate about helping others need to work together. This is the main ingredient of our success so far.
Births at the clinic this month….
There were 214 births at the clinic during June 09. I have been privileged to witness births and I am telling you, it IS a portal for souls to enter this world. Watching a baby being born is a miracle that cannot be compared to anything. The endorphins that pulse through the body of the mother enable them to go through the pain of birth and immediately love that child. That baby crying for the first time is the most beautiful sound in the world.
Information Empowers!
Although Information Empowers! is separate from the Zoe Project, we link in because of the people we help. I am proud to say that Information Empowers has developed workshops about child sexual abuse for children and adults which are currently being used by 3 Victim Empowerment groups in the Western Cape. I have also just finished a workbook that ties in with the workshops and it has proved to be an additional tool in fighting child sexual abuse and helping victims and non-victims become empowered. There are a couple of workshops and workbooks in development at the moment and it is all very exciting knowing that we are helping those who are most vulnerable. Thank you so much to those people who have been supporting me with their encouragement and love.
I hope I haven’t left anything out. I know this has been a very long email filled with news, and I’d like to receive feedback. Anything positive you would like to share with the moms or the staff of the clinic, please email me and I will pass the message on to them.
I would like to leave you with this thought:
Individuals CAN make the difference – even if you think that your little bit is too little: it is helping someone with nothing. You ARE making a difference.
Thank you and lots of love and many blessings
Norah Papanicolaou
For the Zoe Project
Information Empowers!
Because every child matters.
norah@xsinet.co.za
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