There are always so many exciting things on the go at this end of KAS and in this report I share with you a variety of stories, starting with a trip to prison – again!
Last year, Abegail Ndaba, one of our board members, made contact with Vivian Ledwaba who is the Manager for Education and Training for the Department of Correctional Services in the Polokwane Management Area. She was very keen to involve prisoners at both the Polokwane and Modimolle prisons in the work of sewing together our squares into blankets. Abegail and Wendy drove to Polokwane, a three hour drive from Johannesburg, and spent time showing the prisoners how to make up our KAS blankets.
Wendy and Abegail teaching at the Polokwane prison.
Once the blankets were made up, some of the staff and prisoners distributed them, on behalf of KAS, at a nearby home for children with disabilities.
Happily, THIS year, both the Polokwane and Modimolle prisoners are keen to continue assisting us, so Wendy and her husband Peter will be taking another 135 blanket packs up to Modimolle this weekend. Abegail will manage the project for KAS as she is currently working in the area.
For the second year running we supported the GOMA outreach last year. Wendy and I joined the (Grace Outreach Ministry Africa) team for a few hours during the full day’s work they held in a disadvantaged area near Randfontein. This time, members of the church had been sewing together blankets for distribution prior to the actual day of distribution. This took the immense pressure off the ladies from the community who, in 2013, tried to sew all the blankets together ON the day!
With the pressure off on the day, the ladies could enjoy sewing together a few blankets.
There was a full day of activities planned for everyone and the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Face painting, colouring in, sack races and soccer – some of the very many activities the children enjoyed.
And my favourite activity of the day – wrapping these gorgeous children in warm blankets!
Another Day Care Centre that we visited was the Isibuko Sezwe Centre in Snake Park.
Unpacking all the items on our arrival at Isibuko Sezwe Day Care Centre.
The warm blankets and beanies were well received by the children. The classroom is a properly built and plastered structure and is well equipment, but the concrete floors and plastered walls were very cold indeed. However, all the bright colours excited the children and brought smiles of delight!
The children play with their toys and enjoy the warmth and the bright colours of the blankets.
The hand warmers were a big hit too.
Sadly, as a result of not receiving any mail again this week, we had to cancel our volunteer opening day. But, on a positive note, we did our first 2015 distribution last week and have been out again today, handing out 160 blankets at an extremely poor community care centre in the Weiler’s Farm area, Kwa Majazane Informal Settlement where there is enormous scope for more work this year.
We are going to use this lull in mail to pack for the numerous distributions that are planned in the coming months … and to knit as many navy blue scarves as we can.
Our deadline to collect 3000 navy blue scarves is looming – end April – and it now seems that we will be obliged to purchase a large percentage of the required number in order to meet the deadline we promised. Buying scarves was never in our original plans, but with the number of those we know are “in transit”, so to speak, we don’t have any choice. However, let’s please all keep knitting navy scarves and just imagine how many we will have for next year’s Med-Lemon challenge!
Replies
Lovely report, sad to hear that mail is again not getting through though and that this has affected the arrival of navy scarves. I know I have one on the way, and am planning to do more soon, but unfortunately they will not arrive by the end of April deadline (as I use Seamail which takes up to 8 weeks to arrive).
I am in the same situation Wendy. I've sent off 5 but two more are due to go by seamail and it runs about 6 weeks it seems, from here. As Ronda says, we can stockpile for next year. I am hoping we can contribute financially towards the buying of the extra scarves needed. We shall have to wait and see.
Thank you for this wonderful report Ronda.
Re the scarves. I have given this some thought and I understand your problem solving techniques. There is an old saying "Due to Circumstances beyond our control". The purchased scarves would not hold the love that the knitted scarves hold. The ambitious promise was fine, but with many scarves in transit, perhaps the Principals of the school children to receive them could be told that due to circumstances beyond your control (mail delays) some of the scarves will be a little late but will be delivered as soon as possible after the date.
That's a very good solution Maudie. Way to go on thinking it up.
Ronda, thank you for taking the time to keep us abreast of the distributions and outreach programs in SA. It is really heartening to hear that the same events are happening in successive years and that the learning curve is improving. About the navy blue scarves, I will try my best to get as many as possible into my next parcel. Greetings to all the KAS Team in SA.
Thanks SO much Mili - you are a true friend !
Ronda, thank you especially for the report on the disabled children. It touched my heart as all 3 of my children ages 7, 6 and 4 are also disabled. Some of children look just like my babies. It's a reminder to me that autism happens everywhere and we not alone in this.
Veronica we are deeply humbled by your loving words and to know that you are so bravely coping with three special needs children yourself. And still you send us LOVELY contributions for our little ones in SA ... truly you are an amazing blessing of a woman ! Sending you many hugs.
Thank you Ronda. Knitting for KAS is our fun family project. My little girl helps with the sowing and she loves it. Therapy for both our minds and our hearts.
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