4th October 2005

Dear Friends and Supporters

Greetings! We are happy to be able to bring you up to date again with what has been happening in our work with the pre-schools in Philippi. Please remember that we would love to send you photos as well but only if your computer can take it. Just let me know if you would like the picture version.

UPGRADING OF CRECHES: As reported in the June newsletter, three of the 10 creches in the Safety Unity Creche Forum were selected by the Department of Social Services (as part of Premier Rasool's delivery campaign) for assistance in upgrading their facilities. Babalwa, Noncedo and Zamukhanyo have all been allocated grants to extend and renovate their buildings. In due course they will be able to register with the department and qualify for state subidy. This is a great government initiative which could be expanded to the many hundreds of other very needy creches in our townships, and we hope it will be in the near future. 

Although Nonzame and Noluthando Educare Centres in Philippi were not selected for state support, SAEP can now channel most other donors towards their upgrading, so they will also benefit indirectly from the initiative.

SELLING CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR FUNDS: This year SAEP will be selling two lovely Christmas cards for funds. The cards are on sale at the Charity Card kiosks at Cavendish Square, Blue Route and Constantia Village shopping malls from now until Christmas, at R12 a packet of 5 cards. The cards are also available from us at 10 Surbiton Road, Rosebank 685.3431 if that is easier. We also have the same cards available with no writing inside, so that they can be used for birthday cards, thank you notes etc. If you would like me to send you the scanned pictures of the cards so that you can see them before buying, please let me know.

 GRADUATIONS TO PRIMARY SCHOOL: This is the time of year when each creche starts planning their `graduation' party for the 6 year olds who will be leaving pre-school and going on to primary school. They are wonderful occasions, with the children dressed in full graduation gown regalia, (made by June Fourie and Robyn 2 years ago) with real university graduates from the community to act as role models for the children. If you would like to attend one of these celebrations, please let me know so that we can organise it. 

VOLUNTEERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE: We  continue to be blessed with wonderful volunteers who help out in a variety of ways:

In August we had a team of 4 wonderful volunteers from Commundo in Holland: Marc, Anouk, Eefje and Frans-Jan. In the two short weeks they were here they managed to do so much - installing a sink at Qhama, fixing holes in roofs, driving volunteers to the creches and schools, dancing and playing with the children and much more. They really showed how much can be achieved within a short space of time with willing and commitment. Thank you all!

As you are probably aware, there are many foreign students now studying at UCT. Many of them want to get involved in a practical way and we now have 10 going out to the creches on a weekly basis to do stimulating activities and to play with the children. Thank you Ida, Kirsten, Melissa, Lauren, Kirema, Esther, Ernestina, Tryggve, Stephanie and Shari! In addition, Lauren is working on a handbook for volunteers working in the creches, to help prepare them, and enable them to make full use of the opportunities.

Special thanks to Maruschka Boomsma, a full time volunteer with SAEP, who has done endless errands and chores for the creches, including driving volunteers, delivering e-Pap and much much more, saving me a great deal of time for other pressing work.

Mark Eames and Clive Julius and a team from SABreweries have visited Nonzame and will be putting up a jungle gym and helping out with other tasks later this month.

We thanked Joshua van der Rede in our last newsletter for the mammoth task of auditing the books of the creches, a task he is still busy with! He deserves special mention for quietly and diligently doing the unglamorous but nevertheless crucial work to produce financial reports for the funders and other authorities, saving the creches a great deal of money. Thanks again Joshua!

Another volunteer who deserves an accolade is June Fourie, who has been sewing mattress covers for the creches month after month. She has just delivered another 80 for distribution to the creches.  What a wonderful contribution!

OTHER DONATIONS Thanks to the following for their very generous support:

JDI (after building a new classroom last year) are now completing a new and much needed toilet block at Noncedo. Thank you for your ongoing support, patience and vision!

Claremont Rotary Club deserves special mention. They donated R20,000 towards much needed maintenance at the creches in the middle of winter, and then a further R1500 towards toys. They are also working on a significant funding proposal for Nonzame to upgrade and expand their facilities. Thanks to Rochelle Myers, John Burdes, Jo Maxwell and their teams for all the time and work put in.

Anne Dixon (aged 97!) has been knitting beautiful blankets for the creches, which we received via Jo Maxwell. Thank you Mrs Dixon!

Cara Saven, a previous supporter through Band Aid, is due to have a baby soon. Instead of enjoying all her friends' wonderful new baby presents, she asked that they give to the creches instead. What a wonderful pile of baby clothes, equipment and toys. Thank you to Cara and friends, and we look forward to meeting this special baby. 

Cape Town Productions has recently given us a large donation of furniture and equipment no longer needed in their film shoots, which has been shared amongst the creches. So often donations are second hand or old but these items are almost brand new and much appreciated.

Lesley Bryam and Melanie Gosling from the Cape Times, gave toys to Nonzame when Jo Maxwell was elected Woman of Worth. Congratulations Jo!

Meerendal Pre- Primary School has donated a desk, filing cabinet, fax/ answering machine and various other bits and pieces.

The Quakers have donated copies of the ELRU book on financial and other record keeping for pre-schools, to each of the creches, to help them keep their books in order.

Korbitec Holdings donated masses of beautiful room dividers which will be a great asset at the creches, giving them flexibility in arranging their very limited space. They also provide wonderful display areas for the children's art and educational posters. 

Eefje Prins from Commundo, brought donations from friends and family with her in August, and bought wonderful gifts of toys and mattresses for all the creches. We have also had generous financial donations from Rosemary Baragwanath and Jude from UK, Michele Cohen from Australia, Rize Blom and Tessa Welch from Johannesburg. Thank you all!

Grow Peace in Africa has raised money to provide each creche with a large wonderbag, big enough for an enormous pot. This is going to save on fuel costs and make cooking safer with children around.

MY SCHOOL CARD: As mentioned in previous newsletters we are trying to advertise the use of the `My School Card' as much as possible amongst our friends and supporters, especially those who are not already supporting another school or educational project. Please get your friends and family to sign up. Only by enrolling a large number of people can we get significant benefit (1% of every purchase made at Woolworths or other participating stores. Just a reminder that the card costs nothing to use, and I will happily email anyone the details for further applications.

REPORT ON COMPUTERS DONATED: In our last newsletter we reported on a generous donation of 6 second hand computers by Alexander Forbes through Belinda Burger. All of the creche principals and some of the staff have now had basic training on the computers at the SAEP office and the computers are now installed at the creches in Philippi. Understandably on-going training is still needed so if you know anyone who can assist with basic computer skills and maintenance we would love to hear from them.

TRAINING OF STAFF: Indigo Cosmetics has offered to pay for 3 creche staff to get training from Grassroots Educare Trust next year - a wonderful contribution alongside their monthly supply of ePap to Noluthando Educare. Thank you! In addition, Qhama, Kamva and Zamukhanyo Educare centres all received grants from the City Council for staff training in 2005/6.

LOTTERY APPLICATIONS: We have again sent in applications to the Lottery for 9 of the creches, although we don't expect to hear any news from them until next year. Qhamani has just received funding for the second year running (this time for R100,000, for running costs, based on their 2004 application. This is wonderful for Qhamani, but we are very disappointed that more creches have not been successful as yet.

ON GOING NEEDS: We continue to need donations of toys, equipment, time, skills and money. If you think you can help in any way please get in touch - either by email janekeen@worldonline.co.za or 685.3431. We would love to hear from you.

If I have left anyone out of the thank yous, I do apologise! Because of computer problems I have had to rewrite this newsletter a number of times, and fear I may have left someone off the final version. If so, please let me know and I will correct the mistake in our next newsletter.

Best wishes,

Jane Keen

South African Education and Environment Project