Newsletter October 2010

Page 1

Newsletter
 October
2010

Mothers Unite - Let’s Feed Our Children

A
Word
from
our
Chairperson
 
 I
welcome
you
to
the
first
edition
of
our
Newsletter
 
 We
 find
 ourselves
 within
 a
 very
 diverse
 community
 called
 Lavender
 Hill
 in
 Cape
 Town.
 Mothers
 Unite
 has
 started
 spreading
with
love
their
unrelenting
trail
of
Passion
for
the
 people
of
this
community
especially
the
children.
We
have
 sited
 the
 challenges
 that
 the
 children
 of
 Lavender
 Hill
 encounter
on
a
daily
basis.
 
 In
 this
 disadvantaged
 community
 the
 children
 have
 very
 few
real
role
models,
never
mind
services
that
are
available
 and
accessible
‐
they
are
few
and
far
between.
This
in
itself
 is
 our
 challenge
 as
 Mothers
 Unite,
 to
 make
 provision
 for
 these
 children
 with
 the
 limited
 resources
 that
 we
 have
 at
 our
disposal.
 
 The
children
come
from
very
challenging
backgrounds
such
 as
 parents
 not
 being
 employed,
 older
 siblings
 and
 parents
 engaging
in
substance
abuse
and
not
much
attention
being
 given
to
their
health.
 
 Sometimes
 it
 is
 difficult
 to
 imagine
 how
 these
 kids
 cope
 with
life.
It
is
therefore
imperative
for
us
as
citizens
of
our
 country
 and
 whichever
 community
 we
 come
 from
 to
 role
 up
 our
 sleeves
 and
 start
 doing
 something
 to
 uplift
 and
 develop
 our
 children.
It
 reminds
 me
 of
 the
 old
 cliché
 ‘Children
 are
 the
 future
 leaders
 of
 tomorrow’
 ‐
but
 that
 is
 not
 so
 if
 we
 do
 not
 play
 our
 part
 today
 to
 equip
 our
 children
 with
 the
 necessary
 tools
 that
 they
 need
 for
 the
 future.
 

 In
 my
 experience
 while
 working
 with
 children
 and
 young
 people
 they
 need
 to
 feel
 loved
 and
 wanted.
 They
 need
 to
 be
 respected
 as
 much
 as
 adults
 demand
 respect
 from
 them.
 Our
 greatest
 challenge
 today
 is
 to
 find
 that
 connection
with
children.
Often
enough
adults
believe
that
 they
 are
 the
 only
 one
 teaching
 the
 children,
 again
 this
 is
 not
 entirely
 true
 as
 children
 often
 mirror
 the
 adults,
 and
 seeing
our
own
actions
reflected
in
the
young
children
may
 be
 a
 frightening
 experience.
 By
 their
 innocence
 and
 honesty
the
children
may
often
teach
us
as
adults
how
we
 should
not
be.
 
 Within
 each
 community
 there
 are
 people
 who
 commit
 themselves
 to
 making
 a
 difference
 in
 the
 life
 of
 the
 most
 vulnerable.
 
 Are
you
one
of
those?
 
 
“The
 best
 place
 to
 find
 a
 helping
 hand,
 is
 at
 the
 end
 of
 your
own
Arm”

 Gerry

Looking
Back
at
the
Highlights
of
2009….
 June
/July
Workcamp

 Organized
 in
 collaboration
 with
 IDEM,
 students
 from
 Sweden
 and
 Germany
 came
 to
 stay
 in
 Lavender
 Hill
 for
 a
 month
and
assisted
us
in
establishing:
 •

the
food
garden

•

the
adventure
playground

See
the
workcamp
blog
for
many
more
stories,
pictures
and
 videos
@
www.mothersunite.org.za

Arrival
of
our
First
Container!
 Last
 year
 was
 buzzing
 with
 productive
 activities
 and
 there
 was
 absolutely
 no
 time
 to
 waste.
 Thanks
 to
 our
 project
 manager
Shaun,
we
were
able
to
lay
the
concrete
footings
 required
for
the
delivery
of
the
container.
This
was
done
on
 a
 Saturday
 morning
 with
 much
 appreciated
 help
 from
 all
 volunteers.


 We
were
greatly
blessed
with
a
container
from
Breadline
 Africa.
This
has
now
become
our
kitchen
dedicated
to
 providing
low
cost
nutritious
meals
for
the
children
that
 attend
the
Arts
and
Crafts
Programs
twice
a
week.

The
 slabs
 outside
 the
 container
 and
 the
 new
 palisade
 security
fence
were
provided
by
council.
We
are
extremely
 grateful
 as
 this
 has
 made
 a
 tremendous
 difference
 to
 the
 security
and
smooth
running
of
the
programs,
even
though
 the
arduous
process
took
about
a
year.

The
 fact
 that
 there
 are
 no
 ablution
 facilities
 around
 the
 Multi‐purpose
 centre
 except
 in
 the
 hall
 is
 a
 real
 and
 increasing
 problem.
 Initially
 we
 were
 given
 access
 to
 the
 community
 hall,
 where
 council
 suggested
 we
 make
 use
 of
 the
 current
 ablutions
 but
 it
 is
 extremely
 difficult
 to
 access
 the
 community
 hall
 at
 the
 best
 of
 times
 as
 booking
 and
 payment
 is
 required,
 even
 if
 you
 are
 merely
 utilizing
 the
 toilets.
Therefore
we
urgently
require
some
form
of
outside
 ablution
 facilities,
 even
 if
 it
 is
 only
 two
 temporary
 toilets
 that
are
kept
under
lock
and
key.

Become
a
volunteer
 Our
 volunteers
 have
 been
 growing
 since
 December
 2009
 and
Carol
our
co‐ordinator
 will
be
introducing
you
to
each
 of
them
in
our
next
Newsletter.
If
you
would
like
to
become
 a
volunteer
visit
our
website
at
www.mothersunite.org.za

We
 are
 also
 very
 excited
 about
 the
 arrival
 of
 4
 more
 containers
 from
 Junior
 council.
 These
 containers,
 once
 converted
 and
 equipped
 will
 hopefully
 be
 the
 hub
 of
 our
 literacy
program
for
children
in
the
community.

Perhaps
you
could
assist
us

University
of
Cape
Town
involvement
 Dietetics
students
from
the
University
of
Cape
Town
(UCT)
 have
been
assisting
Mothers
Unite
with
skills
development
 in
 the
 kitchen.
 The
 first
 group
 of
 students
 was
 very
 proactive
 in
 providing
 workshops
 on
 healthy,
 safe
 and
 economical
 cooking
 methods
 as
 well
 as
 ways
 to
 identify
 malnourished
children.

We
 often
 turn
 a
 blind
 eye
 to
 the
 daily
 challenges
 but
 feel
 that
by
reflecting
on
them
perhaps
some
organizations
and
 companies
would
be
able
to
assist
by
investing
in
our
cause
 or
 providing
 a
 helping
 hand
 in
 the
 future.
 Some
 of
 the
 challenges
that
we
experience
on
a
daily
basis
are:
 Continuous
 vandalism
 and
 theft
 in
 the
 food
 garden,
 containers
and
adventure
playground
are
the
order
of
the
 day
 but
 we
 try
 not
 to
 let
 it
 get
 us
 down
 too
 much.
 Water
 connection
 pipes
 and
 garden
 irrigation
 pipes
 have
 been
 stolen
 and
 destroyed
 on
 numerous
 occasions.
 Electrical
 fittings
 and
 lights
 for
 the
 containers
 have
 been
 destroyed
 and
stolen.
This
is
despite
the
fact
that
there
is
a
new
high
 security
fence.


 We
have
noted
that
when
 council
 erected
the
fence
there
 were
 no
 extended
 concrete
 foundations
 to
 prevent
 future
 access
by
digging
up
the
soft
sand
and
gaining
entry
under
 the
fence.
This
is
an
area
that
needs
to
be
addressed.

Swami
brings
Neti
Pots
to
Lavender
Hill
 Through
our
partnership
with
Seva
Unite,
we
were
able
to
 host
a
visit
by
Swami
Pragyamuti,
who
taught
us
and
other
 community
 based
 organisations
 the
 importance
 of
 taking
 care
 of
 ourselves
 before
 we
 can
 take
 care
 of
 others.
 We
 received
 a
 generous
 donation
 of
 Neti
 Pots,
 which
 we
 distributed
 among
 the
 families
 that
 suffer
 from
 sinusitus
 and
asthma.

Kidz
help
Kidz
 A
 young
 boy
 by
 the
 name
 of
 Aaron
 generously
 blessed
 children
 less
 fortunate
 than
 himself
 for
 Christmas.
 He
 donated
2
large
boxes
of
toys
to
Mothers
Unite,
and
these
 were
 distributed
 as
 part
 of
 our
 Kidz
 Unite
 program.
 35
 children
received
their
very
own
toy
for
Christmas
in
2009.

Creative
Recycling

The
 children
 use
 recycled
 materials
 to
 make
 toys,
 games
 and
birdfeeders.
In
the
pictures
below
they
used
old
plastic
 2l
 coke
 and
 milk
 bottles
 to
 make
 birdfeeders
 for
 the
 garden.

ARTS
&
CRAFTS
PROGRAMS
2010

Mosaics

 st

A
 series
 of
 introduction
 workshops
 were
 run
 by
 the
 1 
 Naruna
 and
 Constantia
 Scouts.
 The
 purpose
 of
 these
 workshops
was
to
familiarize
the
children
 with
the
various
 steps
in
creating
mosaics
artwork.
Currently
15
children
are
 registered
in
our
mosaics
program.

Claire
Philips
sings
for
Mothers
Unite
 A
 successful
 event
 was
 organised
 by
 Cape
 Town
 Collaboration
 at
 the
 Vodacom
 Golf
 Range,
 where
 Claire
 Philips
performed
 unplugged,
 and
 we
 were
 given
 an
 opportunity
to
 showcase
 the
 wonderful
 mosaic
 artwork
 produced
by
the
children.

Food
Gardening
 Facilitated
 by
 Soil
 for
 Life,
 the
 children
 are
 taught
 how
 to
 make
 compost,
 plant
 seedlings,
 water
 and
 care
 for
 their
 growing
vegetables.
They
are
taught
how
to
reduce,
 reuse
 and
 recycle
 in
 the
 garden,
 the
 value
 of
 earthworms
 and
 how
to
start
a
worm
farm.
Soil
for
Life
has
also
assisted
us
 with
many
donations
for
the
food
garden
such
as
compost
 and

seedlings
but
also
ingredients
like
flour
for
the
kitchen
 which
has
been
very
well
utilized
for
the
children’s
meals.

June/July
Holiday
Program
 Organized
 in
 collaboration
 with
 Cape
 Nature,
 the
 children
 visited
 Blaauwberg
 Nature
Reserve,
 went
for
a
hike
at
the

Driftsands
 Nature
 Reserve
 and
 learnt
 all
 about
 the
 importance
of
alien
vegetation
clearing.

Calendar

st

Don’t
forget
to
visit
us
in
Muizenberg
on
the
1 
Saturday
 and
last
Sunday
of
every
month

@

 
 • the
craft
market
2
October
9am‐2pm
 
 • the
talent
market
on
31
October
1pm‐4pm

Wish
List
for
2011

SUSTAINABLE
PROGRAMS
2010

Sewing
Cushions
&
Place
mats
 Carol
and
the
members
of
Mothers
Unite
have
been
very
 busy
sewing
cushions
and
place
mats
on
the
days
where
no
 programs
are
running
for
the
children.

We
urgently
need
a
vehicle
–
as
you
can
see
the
4x4
that
 we
are
currently
using
is
quite
heavy
on
the
back
especially
 when
traveling
long
distances
after
going
grocery
shopping.

Literacy
Program

• • • • • • •

4
Desks
 8
chairs
 shelving
for
books

 5
storage
containers

 5
bean
bags

 4
x
10lit
different
colour
paints
for
the
containers
 rollers
and
paint
brushes

Bench
making

In
 collaboration
 with
 Mason,
 pallets
 are
 taken
 apart
 and
 recycled
 into
 beautiful
 benches.
 The
 children
 help
 with
 sanding
the
wood
and
painting
the
benches.

Early
Childhood
Development
Centre

• • • • • • • •

•

blackboards
 educational
toys
 100
kids
cups,
plates
and
utensils
 2
x
40
lit
cooking
pots
 40
kiddies
chairs
&
10
kiddies
tables
 5
storage
containers
 2
mops,
2
brooms,
2
buckets
 cleaning
 
 material
 such
 as
 domestos,
 jick,
 handyandy,sunlight
 steel
wool,
cleaning
cloths,
sponges,
drying
cloths

Arts
and
Crafts

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

200
reams
of
plain
white
paper

 100
sheets
of
cardboard
(colour
and
plain)
 20
sets
of
water
colour

paint
and
20
sets
of
acrylic
 paint
 20
sets
of
crayons

 50
pencils

 20
pens

 buckets
of
play
dough

 10
small
pritt
glue
 20
small
kids
scissors
 500
assorted
beads
 material
 offcuts
 with
 different
 patterns,
 colours
 and
African
design
 wool
 5
balls
of
string
 20
large
paint
brushes
&
20
medium
paint
brushes
 20
different
stencils
of
animals

 creative
colourful
wire
 A
CD
player
 20
Prestick
 tiles
 tile
cutter
 50
sponges
 sandpaper

Food
Garden

• • • • • • • •

•

Tunnels
to
protect
the
vegetables
 Compost
and
mulch
 Seedlings
and
an
enclosed
area
for
a
small
nursery
 3
spades,
3
rakes,

 Worm
bins,
Compost
bins
 Recycling
containers
 Secure
 fencing
 to
 enclose
 and
 protect
 the
 the
 organic
food
garden
 We
 have
 a
 borehole
 and
 would
 just
 need
 a
 watering
 system
 that
 only
 serves
 the
 fenced
 in
 area
 Netting
 or
 material
 around
 the
 fence
 to
 act
 as
 a
 windbreaker

Thought
for
the
Month
 By
Carol
Jacobs

“LAVENDER
HILL”
 For
me
the
word
“Lavender”
means…
sweet‐smelling
 flower
‐
“Lavender”
reminds
me
of:
 a) Sweet
smell
 b) Calmness
 c) Beauty
 d) Something
I
would
like
to
have.
 
 So
I
would
think
that
when
someone
tells
me
I
have
a
place
 for
you
to
stay,
in
“Lavender
Hill”
the
name
alone
would
 attract
me.
My
feelings
would
be
as
mentioned
above,
but
 in
reality
I
see
just
the
opposite.
Speaking
as
a
child
living
in
 “Lavender
Hill”
I
have
come
to
realize
that
what
the
name
 meant
to
me
and
what
it
really
is
are
totally
different.
 This
is
what
“Lavender
Hill”
really
means…
 a) Nasty
smell
of
dirt
all
around
me.
 b) The
cry
of
innocent
blood
being
shed
right
 before
me.
 c) A
disrupted,
unsafe
and
peace‐less
place,
 instead
of
the
calmness
I
imagined.
 d) No
beauty
of
nature
to
admire,
but
rather
a
 destroyed
place
where
no‐one
cares
about
the
 environment.
 e) The
horrible
smell
of
burning
tyres
and
copper.
 
 I
MUST
SAY
THAT
AS
A
CHILD,
THIS
IS
NOT
WHAT
MY
 HEART
DESIRES.
I
WANT
TO
LIVE
WHERE
THE
NAME
IS
A
 TRUE
REFLECTION
OF
THE
PLACE.
 
 That
would
really
be
awesome!
 So
what
do
I
have
to
say
about
this
place
called
“Lavender
 Hill”
 IT IS A PLACE W HERE ALL H OPE WAS LOST, BUT I INTEND TO BE THE DIFFERENCE…

Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.