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
Showing posts with label INTRODUCING THE ZOE PROJECT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label INTRODUCING THE ZOE PROJECT. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2026
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Update January 2010 by Norah Papanicolaou
Life is Precious!
Hello Everybody
What a wonderful way to start the year and get going! We have had a great response this month with people phoning and emailing to find out about the Zoe Project and Information Empowers! Word spreads fast and good things happen because people care.
Thank you to the following contributors…
Alison Roberts, Arlene Johannson, Dr Lara Smith, Bronwyn Hopwood, Marlene Helfrecht, Jane and Sebastian Dunn, Tara and Dave Dunn, Jo Dix, Nicki Stock, Nikki Andrew, Sandy Schuurman, Sharon Wewege, Heather Mylne, Sheena Hutchings, Rene Grimmbacher, Donna Cobban, Michael P, Jennifer Norman, Anna Johannson, Antoinette and Claude Denis, Melica McCrae, Yolanda Parry, Constantia Ladies’ Gardening Club, Nurith Henderson and Ivodent, Georgie and Constantiaberg Pre-primary school, Thea Bessie and Thea Athina Kotsopolous, Anonymous friends at The New Beginnings Clinic and anonymous friends at Monterey Pre-Primary School.
A Special thanks to Elsie and Ras Du Plessis for helping out one of the moms and her toddlers in an emergency situation… Elsie and Ras run Miracle Kidz and they are emergency foster parents to little ones who require special care.
Births at the clinic during January…
There were 187 births with 107 of them being boys!
I would like to add the following [due to a couple of questions posed to me recently] that most of the moms who go there to have their babies, actually want their children and have planned their pregnancies.
They are just in a situation where they cannot afford the luxury of a private hospital. Circumstances are preventing them from giving their children expensive medical care, but that cannot be a detraction from the fact that they have planned that child and are able to give that child their best. Like you and I would.
The women who are addicted to substances, or are living on the street also go there to have their children. These are the ones we are helping most of all because of their situations. To us, it doesn’t matter from which demographic situation you hail, but rather that we are in a position to help you and that precious child.
Dry goods pantry…
I have learnt that the bread supply [2 loaves a day] is no longer being supplied to the clinic. I would like to put out an appeal for 14 loaves of bread a week – they can be frozen at the clinic, in order to assist with this desperate shortfall.
We are continuing with the frozen soup [40 x 250g margarine tubs a month], and with the 2 minute noodles, pasta, rice and tinned food, et cetera.
The food makes a huge difference to the moms who are breastfeeding their underweight babies [Kangaroo moms] and to those who do not get a meal delivered to them by family – which is most of the women.
Please let me know if you would like to sponsor 14 loaves of bread a week.
Mom and baby packs…
They continue to wow me! Thank you for the lovely items for both mom and babies. They are very much appreciated and needed.
Interest in the clinic and wanting to do something more…
I have had a couple of people ask about physically helping out at the clinic. Please contact me to discuss the needs. Again, we are in need of birthing assistants [Dullahs] and this can only happen if you have the time to sit with the mom while she is in labour UNTIL the baby is born.
Please keep forwarding our emails to your friends, family and associates. We have a busy year ahead and the more people we reach, the easier it is for us to help others and keep this project going.
Thank you again and happy February.
Lots of love
Norah Papanicolaou
norah@xsinet.co.za
Thursday, November 5, 2009
October 09 Update - The Zoe Project and Information Empowers!
Hello Everybody
It has been a really positive and eventful month for both the Zoe Project and Information Empowers!
Thank you to the following contributors…
Alison Roberts, Arlene Johansson, Dr Lara Smith, Bronwyn Hopwood, Marlene Helfrecht, Hilton Franz and Brandon Weeavind from InterMet Africa, Lisa McNamara, Jane and Sebastian Dunn, Tara and Dave Dunn, Nikki Andrew, Antoinette Denis, Ronnie Morrison, Sandy Schuurmans, Sharon Wewege, Heather Mylne, Meg and Luke Carter, Rene Grimmbacher, Liam Grimmbacher, Samuel Grimmbacher, Donna Cobban, Luc Michot, Anna Johansson, Tracey and Sean Fraser, Thea Athina Kotsopolous, Thea Vessi Kotsopolous, Kirsten Hopwood, Annette Cowley-Nel, Johnathan Ackerman, Michael P., the anonymous friends at the New Beginnings clinic and the anonymous parents from Monterey Pre-Primary, Jo and Steve Thomas from Sothebys Real Estates Constantia and John Wesson from Bill Rawson Real Estates, Bergvliet.
Births at the clinic in October…
There were 180 births in October – 92 girls and 88 boys. Three of the babies were born prematurely with the smallest being a little boy called Liam, 1479grams at birth. He was born to a 16 year old matric student who is writing her English final exams on Thursday. The youngest mom was a 14 year old, and there were 14 babies born to 17-year old girls.
The pantry…
I cannot stress enough how important every food contribution is for the Retreat MOU. Every time I go to deliver the food, the cupboards are bare and the frozen soup is on its last little bowl. Thank you so much – we are nourishing young moms and inadvertently, their little babies.
A funny story – one of the night staff gave me a recipe that she cooks for the patients. She says, “And I put a little garlic and sometimes some curry powder in it…” Well, that would explain why the babies can’t sleep and are crying. Any spicy food will cause colic because it goes through the mother’s milk to the baby. I will give them a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding, and they can pass it on to their patients. I have asked her not to put any garlic or curry in any of the food.
Mom and baby packs…
We have tried to increase the 20 mom packs and 20 baby packs that we supply each month by at least half that. Unfortunately, we don’t come close to that at all. But the ones we are giving are still being given to only those who most need it. The little items in the baby packs are so beautiful and it breaks my heart to think that this is probably the only new thing this child would ever get.
Zoe Project Sports Day…
We are hosting a soccer day on Saturday, 7th November at the Simonstown sports field. You may join and enter a 6-a-side team. Registration starts at 8.15 am and cost is R20 per person. The money raised on this day will be used to fund a team building day for the staff who work at the Retreat maternity clinic. This is an annual event and has proved to raise the spirit of the staff. We show our appreciation for the hard work they do under very difficult circumstances by organising the year end function.
Build-A-PC…
Donna Cobban who is a feature writer for CAPE TOWN’S CHILD MAGAZINE and an author had an idea that she put to her boss and the magazine has agreed to this initiative.
Donna arranged for a computer to be built from bits by a company called InterMet Africa. Hilton Franz and Brandon Weeavind built a pc and Donna delivered it to Place of Hope. CPT Child Magazine will do a call for companies and ask them to get their IT departments to build a pc from scrap, and they will be able to donate fully working computers to places of safety and clinics where they are very much needed. Please support this initiative if you are able. Have a look in the February 2010 issue of CPT Child magazine for further details.
Premier Helen Zille and Good News…
I attended a meeting where Premier Zille spoke on 23 October 2009. The lack of social workers in the field was heightened and the importance of NGO’s stressed. NGO’s play a vital part in communities as they supply a service where government [local and national] cannot. There are currently 1800 NGO’s who fall under the Western Cape government and get funding from government in order to do their work. Only 933 of these have proven to give results that would justify their financial support from government. Premier Zille has spoken about implementing a plan in provincial government whereby they change the accountability structure. NGO’s will no longer be able to apply for government funding and not produce accountable and consistent results. A Dashboard system will apply and NGO’s who receive funding will be regulated through this.
There are also 2 new drug rehabilitation clinics that will be opened by the Provincial Government next year. These clinics will only be for children just starting out on drugs. It will work on an out-patient basis. The research done indicated that if the children are helped at the outset, that there is a greater chance of rehabilitation and putting them on the right track.
Provincial government has also opened a new department to co-ordinate all the departments within government who deal with issues relating to women and children. The reason for this is to ensure that there is no duplication of work, that work is done and it is also a monitoring mechanism for the Provincial government. This is fantastic news as it will ensure that matters are dealt with timeously and effectively.
Mayor Dan Plato and good news…
I attended a meeting on 29 October where Mayor Dan Plato spoke to residents from ward 71. I indicated that child sexual abuse is not a justice issue as he mentioned, but an issue that touches all citizens in the Western Cape and indeed this entire country.
After his answer session to all the questions posed to him, he replied to me and pointed his finger, saying: “Let’s talk!” He has indicated that we will meet and I am preparing for this meeting with the mayor and trust that it will be fruitful.
We want the Information Empowers! workshops and workbooks to be introduced to all the schools in order to teach children about safety. We want to ensure that communities have access to practical information and implementation of their rights as far as reporting of abuse and other related issues go. We want to create awareness and prevention mechanisms for all our children. I will keep you updated as to the result of this meeting.
Our website and good news…
http://www.informationempowers.org.za/
I am proud and very excited to say that our website and blogspot is up and running. We have had fantastic feedback from people who have visited it. Please take the time to go through the website and if you have any questions or suggestions, please email me.
It is quite user-friendly and informative and even has fun pages and activities for children.
Kids2Kids (c) 2009…
Kids2Kids (c) 2009 is a pilot project this year, and I’m hoping it will become an annual event in Cape Town. The next couple of weeks will prove if we can deliver the Christmas gifts to the places of safety and children’s homes we have earmarked for this. It is all dependent on the support we receive from the schools. If your child received a flyer, encourage him or her to participate. This teaches our children who are very blessed, a valuable life-skill: compassion and thinking and acting for those who are less privileged than themselves.
Workshops….
Even though at outset I decided not to present workshops myself, I will be presenting a workshop next week, and it would appear as if next year will be quite busy for me in this regard.
I have made information freely available to counselors and Victim Empowerment Groups in and around Cape Town. They are to fund their own printing as we cannot.
I am appealing to anyone who has access to printing facilities and paper to assist me with this for next year. We need to give material to all the children who attend workshops, and at the same time, send home a ‘parent information pack’.
It would be of great help if we could get a sponsor for printing and paper for our workbooks and workshop material. Should you be in a position where you can help, please contact me to discuss.
As I said in the beginning of this newsletter, it has been a very busy month for both the Zoe Project and Information Empowers!
Thank you all for your wonderful support and encouragement – it is invaluable, not just to me but to all who work on these 2 projects. A little encouragement goes a long way!
Please remember to send our updates to your family, friends and colleagues. Visit the blogspots [ http://www.thezoeproject.blogspot.com/ and http://www.informationempowers.blogspot.com/ ]
And our website http://www.informationempowers.org.za/
Contact me with your feedback, questions and suggestions.
Lots of love to you all
Norah Papanicolaou
It has been a really positive and eventful month for both the Zoe Project and Information Empowers!
Thank you to the following contributors…
Alison Roberts, Arlene Johansson, Dr Lara Smith, Bronwyn Hopwood, Marlene Helfrecht, Hilton Franz and Brandon Weeavind from InterMet Africa, Lisa McNamara, Jane and Sebastian Dunn, Tara and Dave Dunn, Nikki Andrew, Antoinette Denis, Ronnie Morrison, Sandy Schuurmans, Sharon Wewege, Heather Mylne, Meg and Luke Carter, Rene Grimmbacher, Liam Grimmbacher, Samuel Grimmbacher, Donna Cobban, Luc Michot, Anna Johansson, Tracey and Sean Fraser, Thea Athina Kotsopolous, Thea Vessi Kotsopolous, Kirsten Hopwood, Annette Cowley-Nel, Johnathan Ackerman, Michael P., the anonymous friends at the New Beginnings clinic and the anonymous parents from Monterey Pre-Primary, Jo and Steve Thomas from Sothebys Real Estates Constantia and John Wesson from Bill Rawson Real Estates, Bergvliet.
Births at the clinic in October…
There were 180 births in October – 92 girls and 88 boys. Three of the babies were born prematurely with the smallest being a little boy called Liam, 1479grams at birth. He was born to a 16 year old matric student who is writing her English final exams on Thursday. The youngest mom was a 14 year old, and there were 14 babies born to 17-year old girls.
The pantry…
I cannot stress enough how important every food contribution is for the Retreat MOU. Every time I go to deliver the food, the cupboards are bare and the frozen soup is on its last little bowl. Thank you so much – we are nourishing young moms and inadvertently, their little babies.
A funny story – one of the night staff gave me a recipe that she cooks for the patients. She says, “And I put a little garlic and sometimes some curry powder in it…” Well, that would explain why the babies can’t sleep and are crying. Any spicy food will cause colic because it goes through the mother’s milk to the baby. I will give them a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding, and they can pass it on to their patients. I have asked her not to put any garlic or curry in any of the food.
Mom and baby packs…
We have tried to increase the 20 mom packs and 20 baby packs that we supply each month by at least half that. Unfortunately, we don’t come close to that at all. But the ones we are giving are still being given to only those who most need it. The little items in the baby packs are so beautiful and it breaks my heart to think that this is probably the only new thing this child would ever get.
Zoe Project Sports Day…
We are hosting a soccer day on Saturday, 7th November at the Simonstown sports field. You may join and enter a 6-a-side team. Registration starts at 8.15 am and cost is R20 per person. The money raised on this day will be used to fund a team building day for the staff who work at the Retreat maternity clinic. This is an annual event and has proved to raise the spirit of the staff. We show our appreciation for the hard work they do under very difficult circumstances by organising the year end function.
Build-A-PC…
Donna Cobban who is a feature writer for CAPE TOWN’S CHILD MAGAZINE and an author had an idea that she put to her boss and the magazine has agreed to this initiative.
Donna arranged for a computer to be built from bits by a company called InterMet Africa. Hilton Franz and Brandon Weeavind built a pc and Donna delivered it to Place of Hope. CPT Child Magazine will do a call for companies and ask them to get their IT departments to build a pc from scrap, and they will be able to donate fully working computers to places of safety and clinics where they are very much needed. Please support this initiative if you are able. Have a look in the February 2010 issue of CPT Child magazine for further details.
Premier Helen Zille and Good News…
I attended a meeting where Premier Zille spoke on 23 October 2009. The lack of social workers in the field was heightened and the importance of NGO’s stressed. NGO’s play a vital part in communities as they supply a service where government [local and national] cannot. There are currently 1800 NGO’s who fall under the Western Cape government and get funding from government in order to do their work. Only 933 of these have proven to give results that would justify their financial support from government. Premier Zille has spoken about implementing a plan in provincial government whereby they change the accountability structure. NGO’s will no longer be able to apply for government funding and not produce accountable and consistent results. A Dashboard system will apply and NGO’s who receive funding will be regulated through this.
There are also 2 new drug rehabilitation clinics that will be opened by the Provincial Government next year. These clinics will only be for children just starting out on drugs. It will work on an out-patient basis. The research done indicated that if the children are helped at the outset, that there is a greater chance of rehabilitation and putting them on the right track.
Provincial government has also opened a new department to co-ordinate all the departments within government who deal with issues relating to women and children. The reason for this is to ensure that there is no duplication of work, that work is done and it is also a monitoring mechanism for the Provincial government. This is fantastic news as it will ensure that matters are dealt with timeously and effectively.
Mayor Dan Plato and good news…
I attended a meeting on 29 October where Mayor Dan Plato spoke to residents from ward 71. I indicated that child sexual abuse is not a justice issue as he mentioned, but an issue that touches all citizens in the Western Cape and indeed this entire country.
After his answer session to all the questions posed to him, he replied to me and pointed his finger, saying: “Let’s talk!” He has indicated that we will meet and I am preparing for this meeting with the mayor and trust that it will be fruitful.
We want the Information Empowers! workshops and workbooks to be introduced to all the schools in order to teach children about safety. We want to ensure that communities have access to practical information and implementation of their rights as far as reporting of abuse and other related issues go. We want to create awareness and prevention mechanisms for all our children. I will keep you updated as to the result of this meeting.
Our website and good news…
http://www.informationempowers.org.za/
I am proud and very excited to say that our website and blogspot is up and running. We have had fantastic feedback from people who have visited it. Please take the time to go through the website and if you have any questions or suggestions, please email me.
It is quite user-friendly and informative and even has fun pages and activities for children.
Kids2Kids (c) 2009…
Kids2Kids (c) 2009 is a pilot project this year, and I’m hoping it will become an annual event in Cape Town. The next couple of weeks will prove if we can deliver the Christmas gifts to the places of safety and children’s homes we have earmarked for this. It is all dependent on the support we receive from the schools. If your child received a flyer, encourage him or her to participate. This teaches our children who are very blessed, a valuable life-skill: compassion and thinking and acting for those who are less privileged than themselves.
Workshops….
Even though at outset I decided not to present workshops myself, I will be presenting a workshop next week, and it would appear as if next year will be quite busy for me in this regard.
I have made information freely available to counselors and Victim Empowerment Groups in and around Cape Town. They are to fund their own printing as we cannot.
I am appealing to anyone who has access to printing facilities and paper to assist me with this for next year. We need to give material to all the children who attend workshops, and at the same time, send home a ‘parent information pack’.
It would be of great help if we could get a sponsor for printing and paper for our workbooks and workshop material. Should you be in a position where you can help, please contact me to discuss.
As I said in the beginning of this newsletter, it has been a very busy month for both the Zoe Project and Information Empowers!
Thank you all for your wonderful support and encouragement – it is invaluable, not just to me but to all who work on these 2 projects. A little encouragement goes a long way!
Please remember to send our updates to your family, friends and colleagues. Visit the blogspots [ http://www.thezoeproject.blogspot.com/ and http://www.informationempowers.blogspot.com/ ]
And our website http://www.informationempowers.org.za/
Contact me with your feedback, questions and suggestions.
Lots of love to you all
Norah Papanicolaou
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