‘People often think that everyone always has children and vulnerable adults’ best interests at heart, but unfortunately this is not always the case, even in the world of development cooperation. Too often cases come to light where children, or vulnerable groups, have been victims of abuse, exploitation or neglect.‘ This is what Wilde Ganzen wrote in its invitation to us for a relationship morning. On Saturday 5th of October, this meeting was entirely dedicated to protecting children. We at SUON were immediately excited to participate.
After all, as a foundation, we believe it’s incredibly important that the children we support are safe. But how does this work when we are based in the Netherlands and are therefore not in direct contact with the children ourselves? What is our role and our own responsibility? We ask ourselves these questions regularly, so we hoped this meeting would bring us answers.
Results of the day
And answers we got. About how we could safeguard children as a foundation ourselves, but also how we might better support the Ubomi Obutsha Centre in this. This is not simply settled in a day and will be a process of steps. It is a subject that we would very much like to put further on the agenda in the coming period, first for ourselves, but hopefully also with the centre together. Because besides being important and a first priority, it is also just hugely fascinating to discuss about this together! So from here a big thank you to Wilde Ganzen for this kick-off and inspiration on this topic. To be continued.
The Ubomi Obutsha Centre does everything possible to ensure that children can develop themselves every day. Every day and week is different and sometimes a lot of things happen at once in just one week time. Last week was such a week and we would like to take you through all these wonderful happenings.
The results
Sometimes children need extra educational support. Thanks to the help of a psychological clinic, these children were able to take psychometric tests. Their parents were also asked for additional information about their development. This helps in deciding whether a child should be referred to a special education school or not. This way, they get the right support where needed.
The Educare children went on a day out to Holmeleigh Farmyard, the local petting zoo. They went along with staff of the local Alkegen factory who support the work of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. They had a wonderful day there!
The mentoring programme for the fourth semester started a little earlier with a baseline assessment of the 48 students. They will be helped to catch up in school and the assessment will help to gain insight into their progress. Also wonderful news is that with that, three new volunteers started at the centre!
The families of our Phase 2 (2nd year) Family Focus Programme were the lucky recipients of this year’s 3rd clothing distribution. Great that so many good quality 2nd-hand clothes were donated recently to support these families!
Three Educare facilitators worked on the third-quarter reports for the little ones in their groups. They also had engaging meetings with all parents to discuss their child’s challenges and progress. Great progress was made this trimester!
This all took place alongside all the normal day-to-day activities. However tired they are, the dedication and work ethic of the staff remains top notch and we are very grateful for all they do and for the support many of you give them! They are looking forward to a quiet week during the school holidays next week before making the final push to finish the year strong.
Would you like to continue supporting this great work? Then check out how you can do so soon here on our website.
The Ubomi Obutsha Centre also provides food packages to the participants of its programmes. Earlier, these packages were made up with donated food from supermarkets, however, due to reluctant donations, this no longer works. Therefore, the centre now buys the produce itself and makes the packages. This pilot was made possible by a contribution from SUON and thus your donations. Every month, the centre’s staff hand out the packages, which consist of fresh and longer-lasting food, as well as care products. Read more about why the centre started this in our earlier post.
The first results
The project is now four months on and the first results are known. As a result, a few days ago we received an enthusiastic update from Mark, the director of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre: ‘Based on our estimates in April, we assumed that the money would last until the end of June or July (3-4 months). However, thanks to Mabhele’s thoughtfulness in looking for good deals, the fluctuating prices (especially of potatoes) and a few families who no longer need food parcels, we can extend the project until the end of September! This is fantastic, as the supply of ‘ordinary’ donated food continues to decline slowly, making this support a huge help! Our families are incredibly grateful! Thank you so much!
Do you want to make sure we can keep the Ubomi Obutsha Centre developing and piloting new programmes? Then donate to SUON. You can donate once or monthly. If you commit your donation for five years with a periodic donation, you can even deduct it from your taxes. And if you don’t currently can’t donate additional money, you can even donate through your online purchases at the Doelshop without additional costs.
Pakketten samenstellenAlle pakketten bij elkaarTijd om uit te delen
Recently, many beautiful developments have taken place within the Family Focus Program. Therefore, it’s high time for an update.
Working on Trust
Trust is one of the keys within cohesive and resilient families. If family members can trust each other, they will support each other and make progress together. To symbolize this, the educators of the Family Focus Program did a simple exercise.
In pairs, they took turns leading each other blindfolded through a room full of obstacles. How does it feel when you have to trust someone else because you can’t see anything yourself? And how does it feel when someone else trusts you to lead them safely through the room? In this way, they learn a lot about building and maintaining trust, which trickles down to trust in each other within the family.
Developments from former participants of the program
Janeth has now completed the three-year Family Focus Program. She now organizes a ‘support group’ for her neighbors every few weeks. In addition, she now has a thriving vegetable garden at her house. She was able to start this garden with a ‘compact garden’ box from the Ubomi Obutsha Centre.
Another success comes from Mama Zoz, who after completing the program has her own business to beautifully decorate cakes. She takes care of her grandchildren and has had a difficult time, as two family members have passed away. However, she recently came by the center to tell them that she is doing better and she is working. The center received a note that said: “Thank you. I just want to show you that I am serious and that you have not wasted your time and resources on me.”
Do you want to contribute to the mission of SUON and the Ubomi Obutsha Centre? Donate via our donationpage. Do you want to stay informed about all developments of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre? Then also follow their Facebookpage.
Wonderful proceeds from the fundraising campaign of the Free Flemish Primary School Ukkel
The Free Flemish Primary School in Ukkel raised over €2900 in April for the Ubomi Obutsha Centre with their fundraising campaign during the Lenten season before Easter! The Belgian Lotte Brants, a teacher at this primary school, organized this action.
Background
In 2016, Lotte did an internship at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre for 3-4 months. She says that this was an experience that changed her life. This was due to the awareness of the difficult circumstances in which the people and children in the township live, but also the positive impact that the center made. She holds the center dear to her heart and has held several fundraising campaigns over the years. In 2018, she visited the center again with her partner and it touched them again. ‘We are so used to our luxury. It’s so normal for us to flush the toilet, shower, or go to the store. We then met a child who couldn’t go to school because he didn’t have shoes. It’s hard that such simple things deny a child access to education, a child’s right.’
Various Actions
When Lotte’s school was looking for a cause for the fundraising campaign this year, Lotte didn’t have to think long to nominate the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. The school also responded enthusiastically! The collection consisted of various actions, which were also thought up by the students. Lotte: ‘We sold popcorn, there was a car wash for cars and bicycles and there was an Obstacle Run through the school. The students had themselves sponsored for this by, for example, their parents and family members. They themselves thought about which obstacles we had to make. It was wonderful to see how involved they were!’ She continues: ‘Many of the students know me and my story about the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. They knew what they were being sponsored for and knew ‘the children of Teacher Lotte in South Africa’ through those stories. Their parents were also very involved in the action.’ See the photos for an impression of the action. For privacy reasons, the faces of the children have been made unrecognizable.
Proceeds
After all the actions, there was a moment when the amount was revealed. ‘I didn’t know what to expect, but that it was over €2900, I really didn’t think’, Lotte proudly tells. The money is transferred to the Ubomi Obutsha Centre via SUON. Lotte: ‘I still have regular contact with Mark. We have agreed that he will keep me informed about what the money is spent on. Then I can also tell the students and parents again, so that they also know what happened to their money.’
Have you become enthusiastic after Lotte’s story and do you also want to set up an action for the Ubomi Obutsha Centre? You can always contact us for questions or advice.
The Ubomi Obutsha Centre not only supports its participants with its programs. It also does this by distributing food packages. The food for this is donated by local supermarkets. However, these donations have been declining in recent years. Therefore, the center is now developing a different model, which they want to introduce gradually. This allows them to see how it works, they can adjust more easily and it remains feasible. This increases the chances of success.
The center will now buy the products for the packages themselves. They then put together the food packages and distribute them to the participants of the Family Focus Program. The packages contain fresh and longer-lasting food as well as care products. The intention is for the participants to receive a package monthly.
The Importance of Food Packages
The packages are extremely valuable to the families. They first and foremost provide the need for food. In addition, they also provide peace of mind to the parents and/or caregivers. Their everyday worries about having too little food are taken away by the packages. This creates more emotional and mental space, allowing them to actively participate in the Family Focus Program. In it, they learn how to build a future in which they can be self-sufficient. This shifts the thinking from what is needed in the short term to what is needed in the long term.
Last week, a pilot of this program started. The first packages were bought, made, distributed, and received by the families. The center had not told any of the families what was coming, so they were all surprised, happy, and very grateful!
Contribution from SUON
SUON was able to financially contribute to this pilot thanks to your donations. Do you want to continue supporting the work of SUON and the Ubomi Obutsha Centre? Sign up as a monthly donor to SUON or make a eenmalige donatie.
At the end of January, Noma and Zameka, two employees of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre, left for India to participate in two local community projects for two weeks. Noma and Zameka are now back home and already fully engaged at the center.
Impact of the trip
Mark says, ‘The trip made a deep impression on them. It starts with the fact that residents of a township have little chance to make such a trip. A township is literally a secluded place, but also figuratively, because there is poverty. Making a long trip is often not possible and few of them travel to India. Noma and Zameka felt like ‘an attraction’ in a positive sense: it felt to them as if they were famous.’
The fact that Noma and Zameka were given this opportunity has had a lot of impact on them. ‘The realization of how big the world is, how friendly people are, and how delicious the food is. However, also the realization that unfortunately poverty is visible everywhere in the world made an impression. But they also saw that the Indian people do everything they can to generate an income instead of waiting for the government to help. They saw many similarities, both culturally (for example, around marriage), but also in terms of work. How home visits were done in India was similar to how we do them. There were also differences visible, for example, how free we are as Christians in South Africa to go to church.’
Mark continues: ‘Due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, there has been little time to reflect well with them. Yet we already see changes in their interaction with people and their work. It still needs some time to become aware of the further impact, but that it is deep is very clear to us!’
Contributions
This trip was made possible in part by donations to SUON. Do you want to continue supporting the work of SUON? Then read here how you can make a donation.
Participation in the Ubomi Obutsha Centre’s programs
The new year is now in full swing at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. This year, 65 families are participating in the Family Focus Program, reaching a total of 406 parents and children. One adult participates per family. In addition, a total of 100-150 children actively participate. Of the 65 families, 25 families are starting the three-year program, 13 families are in their second year, and 8 families are in their final third year. The group of 16 families who completed the program in 2023 want to stay connected. An alumni program is being created for this.
In addition to the Family Focus Program, the Life Skills programs have also started again. Children participate in this in different age groups. Each age group has its own afternoon in the week for the activity. Currently, 586 children are registered, a huge number! Of these, an average of 432 children participate weekly. However, to ensure the quality of the programs with the available capacity at the center, the current numbers are too high. Therefore, it is being looked at how the number of children can be controlled and reduced to 250 participating children over the coming months.
A beautiful article about the work of Nondumiso Langa, written by reporter Tshepiso Mametela, appeared in the South African newspaper The Herald on January 11. Mama Nondo has been involved with the work of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre for 25 years, currently as a social work manager. She also recently celebrated her 60th birthday. A group of former participants of the center, children/teenagers before 2010, found this reason enough to honor and praise her role. This led to a beautiful article, readable below in English.
Heroine honored for her role in improving the Kwazakhele community Beneficiaries laud Nondumiso Langa for 25 years of selfless service
After uplifting Gqeberha communities for 25 years, a heroic Kwazakhele woman’s selfless dedication to shaping the lives of those from disadvantaged backgrounds has drawn high praise.
Nondumiso Langa, who turned 60 on January 1, became a volunteer at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre nonprofit organisation (NPO) in the heart of the bustling township, and has witnessed the success of thousands of beneficiaries, many of whom she mentored. Langa’s efforts were recognised in December when the NPO presented her with a volunteer service award, just before previous beneficiaries threw her a surprise birthday party on New Year’s Day.
Vuyisile Nkomombini, 37, who attended a life skills programme at Ubomi Obutsha in 2003, said Langa’s influence had changed the trajectory of his path.
In 2006, when the then grade 11 pupil became an orphan, Langa took him under her wing. ‘She recruited me as one of the youth leaders of the life skills programme I attended, later taking on management, executive and board roles [at the NPO],’ Nkomombini said,
‘She pushed me to study further, and that’s when I enrolled in a bachelor of social work course at Nelson Mandela University in 2007, graduating with honours in 2010.’ Now employed as a health and wellness assistant director at the co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) department in Bhisho, Nkomombini doffed his hat to Langa for her guidance. ‘She became a mother to me, playing a pivotal role in my life … and she continues to do exceptional work in the community.’
Ubomi Obutsha – meaning ‘new life’ in isiXhosa – was started in 1998 by American missionaries Don and Judy Bixler as an outreach project. The centre was established as a stand-alone NPO in 2015. It is run by a management team, implementation staff and several volunteers. More than 300 children a month participate in life skills and education support activities. About 50 ‘high-risk’ families are included in a family-focused support and development programme.
Larry Gandura, 30, also made inroads in his journey after arriving at the centre in 2013. Now a barista of tow years at a corporate company in Newton Park. Gandura applauded Langa for her selflessness. ‘I almost gave up school because I didn’t have a uniform and stationery. “But sis’ Nondo [Langa] took me in as her child and provided for my education, uniform and stationery. That on its own changed my life” Gandura said.
Thobela Matinise, 33, who arrived at Ubomi Obutsha as a fresh-faced 14-year-old in 2005, echoed similar sentiments. The supervisor at TotalEnergies Deal Party asl described her as a heroine. “I had family issues and had to fend for myself for some time. Her house was my home. She can make even a stranger feel welcome.”
Community worker and fellow volunteer Busisiwe Ntlabathi, 50, said Langa deserved the praise. ‘She is a straight-talking hard worker who loves people, especially children.’ Ntlabathi said.
Ubomi Obutsha director Mark Lawler said: ‘She has been the key contact point within the community, with the project itself built around collaboration between people and outside the community. Her commitment has made an incredible difference to more youngsters and family units than I can count.’
A soft-spoken Langa said witnessing the social decay in Kwazakhele had spurred her passion for community service. ‘My motivation came from seeing [widespread ] school dropouts, teenage pregnancies and substance abuse by the youth. I then thought to myself: ‘What can I do to save these children? I knew [then] if I could positively impact the youth, I could transform an entire community. That is when my life’s work began.’
At the Ubomi Obutsha Centre, the month of December was, of course, filled with many festivities around Christmas. Celebrations for the families of the Family Focus Program and the children of the other programs at the center. Three days of celebrations brought a lot of happy faces! All 207 children received a gift: a full box of clothing, toys, and care products such as soap and toothpaste. SUON was able to sponsor some of these boxes thanks to your contributions.
The staff at the center are very proud of the progress they have seen in all participants. However, they feel even more pride when participants describe this growth themselves. It’s extra special when they talk about it themselves.
The staff and volunteers at the center were not forgotten either. They were treated to a delicious lunch by their partner organizations! Rightly so that they were put in the spotlight!
Christmas did not stop for the center afterwards! Customers and employees of the South African shopping center, Moffett on Main, shopped and bought gifts for the children of the center. That means an extra surprise for all children after the Christmas holidays!
De Love BoxesKerst bij UbomiLunch voor het Ubomi TeamDonatie van Moffett on Main
