Supporting vulnerable adults and children in South Africa.

Before moving to Dubai, I lived in Pretoria, South Africa for 4 years. There I worked with 3 charities/organisations supporting educational projects in rural areas and in townships across the region.

I was back in SA July 2^nd – July 10^th to work with these charities/organisations and I was hoping one or two of you would like to support the work I do.

The Santa Shoebox Project is a country wide organisation and collects and distributes over 100,000 gifts every year to the most vulnerable children. In Pretoria I worked with a team who provided over 50,000 gifts over a 5 year period.  For AED 50 you can buy a gift for a boy or a girl aged 0 - 18. Sadly I won't be able to support them with collection, checking and delivering the boxes this year as that takes place end of October, early November. But I am spending a week there in July to sort the storage unit out, do some marketing and collect donations, ready for drop off. Last year I had sponsorship from Ford and worked with KFC and other national companies.

 The Pretoria Volunteers

 Each shoebox is packed for an individual child

 The hats my MIL knitted for Njabulo Child Care facility

Out in Soshanguve delivering gifts November 2015

The Viva Foundation provides rape support and counselling as well as running several educational centres in South Africa, including a school in Kildare, an hours drive west of Kruger National Park that I sourced donations for, they provide support for orphaned and vulnerable children in the Alaskan Informal Settlement and arrange family days to build communities, fund birthday parties and provide training to help people get into employment. One of their community projects is an annual Art's festival. I was involved with the education side, teaching and training and sourcing educational supplies.

There is little, if any, government funding for these projects and they rely almost on public donations, volunteers and cooperate sponsorship.

I fund raise and raise awareness year round for the above causes and I'm hoping a few of you would like to make a financial donation for this years trip. I paid my own flights and I stayed with friends. I'm looking for donations to support educational supplies, even if it's just your loose change, it will go a long way with the current exchange rate. I will provide you with receipts and photos of the children who receive your donations.

Please let me know if you would be interested in making a financial donation or click here for paypal.

Below are some of the blog posts I've written, with photographs, if you're interested.

Just how far does your loose change go? 

The Santa Shoebox Project 

Rural Communities 

Camping in a township and the Viva Art Festival 

When you have to walk 4km for fresh water 

The one where i just pop to the shops

Honestly the horror stories I was told prior to moving to South Africa, just up the road from Johannesburg in Centurion, over looking Super Sports Cricket ground.

Anyway I didn't think I'd be able to go anywhere, thought I'd have to make sure we had everything we needed before sunset or we would have to wait till the morning to go out and buy milk etc.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Take the last 24hrs for example.

School run at 7am as the workers are arriving from Mamelodi and Tembisa. 100's of people literally pouring off the train. Back at 9.30am to collect eldest then return him at 12pm. I then headed off in the general direction of Sandton to Lone Hill for a tweet up. As I drove down the R511 past Deipsloot a large township, my only concern was for the taxi's that seem to have a mind of their own when driving. Following basic instructions on a SMS, I turned right after leaving the mall, right again and 2nd right and tah dah I was there...not a Sat Nav or GPS in sight. The traffic was really heavy when I left, so turning left, then left again I returned to the N14 via the R55.
I was quite proud of myself.

I called in at the Mall for flowers and chocolate, then waited at the school for the kids to finish. Hubby called in via the chinese takeaway and then I returned the eldest to school. I stopped for Petrol at the BP garage as there was a price increase as from today and then back out at 8.30pm, in the dark to collect eldest from his social evening.

This morning was school run, then school run again, popped to the shops for steak and the post office, took kids back to school for hockey, nipped in at KFC for a latte.



It's getting dark soon, the youngest is out round the estate with his mates, hubby is driving home from Polokwane. I have to get the eldest at 7.30pm and then friends are coming round for a birthday tea (friend's birthday). Alcohol will be consumed.

Tomorrow I'm heading off to Badplaas about a 3hr drive North East to go camping for a few days with the kids.

The only hassle and the only thing no one told me about was that when you go out you need your driving licence and passport at all times, because if you get stopped by the police (and we have many times) it's a long painful process down the police station and you can't get into any other security estate without them.