When I started the Itsoseng Kidz Club for orphans and vulnerable children about six years ago a grandmother of two boys aged 2 and 5, both double orphans, came to talk to me on opening day. She was concerned about the health of Themba the small two year old who had previously been tested and found to be HIV positive. He had an upper respiratory infection and was feverish. I had not knowingly seen a positive child before and was very distressed when a medical doctor also present on the day commented that he would not ‘ be with us for long’. To have a CD4 count done was not an easy mission in 2006 as Hospitals would be strict and not allowing people to visit who lived outside their ‘catchment’ area. It was just before Christmas and it seemed that everyone I knew had gone on holiday. Except for Sr. Nomawonga Mtshizana. I knew her as a member of the Rotary Club of Soweto and she also served on my committee of RFFA (Rotarians for Fighting Aids). Nomawonga worked as a nurse in the Paediatric HIV Ward of Baragwaneth Hospital in Soweto. They were willing to see Themba early January 2007.
MALIBONGWE RIDGE NEWS Hans Ludolph spent the day there and reports that it is a real blessing to have the time to be there. Itsoseng is now known as Malibongwe Ridge as Itsoseng is a very common location name. • Firstly the Itsoseng Clinic has now benefited the most
2010 June - Report from Hans Ludolph I have spent the day at Itsoseng. It is a real blessing to have the time to do so. Firstly the Itsoseng Clinic has now benefitted the most
A Celebration! We handed over the Medical Clinic to Itsoseng. With inputs and contributions from all quarters the "snazzy" clinic in a container is a dream come true for Itsoseng. From the original dusty waterless hilltop informal settlement, we now see a green organized precinct consisting of a large prefab building and five containers. Now not only will the kids receive a meal on Saturdays, the older kids study in the library/computer container, the community collect water from the borehole and tank, but they will also benefit from this medical facility that has been equiped with adequate equipment bought through a matching grant. Present at the hand-over were the Director of the Itsoseng Trust, William Tshabalala and his committee, and members from the following organizations - Right to Care, Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Zandspruit Clinic, Hope WW, Refilwe Community Centre, Digby Wells and Associates, Geodis Wilson, AG Lynne Ward, Rotaractors and guests including Hakim Zahar from RC Quebec City and WASRAG (Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group) . All in all 75 persons attended the ceremony not to mention the 200 kids at Itsotseng. Pictured here are Chantal Swiegers (who will run the clinic), Project Champion Hans Ludolph, and RC Sandton Community Director Di Kershaw, and above, the interior of the clinic.
Itsotseng Kids Club
Project Manager - Rotarian HANS LUDOLPH
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RFFA Almost two year ago the Rotary Club of Sandton adopted this project site in partnership with RFFA (Rotarians for Fighting Aids Action Group) and ANCHOR (Africa Network for Children Orphaned and at Risk). Itsotseng is located in an informal settlement (a shanty town) on the outskirts of Johannesburg. It has extremely few facilities and the inhabitants live in fairly squalid conditions. HIV/AIDS is rife especially in communities as these, and the incidence of children with AIDS is high. Sanitation facilities are lacking and water is transporting in tankers. Boreholes that have been donated have dried up and new deeper boreholes are required.
In these settlements children are on the streets and without stimulation. The establishment of a KIDS CLUB would provide some form of organized stimulation, welfare, education and health activities and definitely keep many of the kids off the streets.
HOME IN A CONTAINER A converted shipping container donated by Rotarians in Texas, converted at the expense of Rotarians from England and furnished by Sandton Rotary formed the base for a Kids Club serving about 90 children between the ages of 3 years and 17 years. Games, singing, dancing, volley ball, net ball and sandwiches are on the menu. The children are being monitored during this period and obvious signs of distress are dealt with immediately.
AIDS ORPHANS and AIDS INFECTED CHILDREN
It was on the opening day that a little three year old toddler by the name of Themba was found to be to be weak and feverish. The emergency assessment revealed that Themba had a CD4 count of only 14 percent. He has since been on ARV's and sporadically anti bacterial treatments to deal with infections.
Themba, who will turn 5 in November and brother Zanele (7) lost both parents to AIDS and are living with their grand parents. Themba is sponsored by Sandton Rotary to attend nursery school in Itsotseng and has developed into a happy little boy.
ANGELINA and GEORGE Another story is that of Angelina (15) and brother George (13).
They had lost their father and were living with their mother Violet Mbangeni who was bedridden with chronic tuberculosis.
They lived together in a one roomed dilapidated shack and shared one bed surviving on a single child grant of US$25 per month. Angelina did not qualify for a grant as she had no birth certificate.
Sadly they were orphaned when Violet died in December 2007. The children have been kitted out with new school uniforms and their home up-graded with money provided by the Education Fund of Sandton Rotary. With their dignity restored the kids have developed into good scholars.
SUPPORT We had a tremendous amount of Rotary interest and enjoyed the visits of GSE team members from UK, Friendship Exchange Team from Texas, the Rotaract Club of Johannesburg, Sandton Rotarian Spouses, Ambassadorial Scholars, Rotary Exchange Students, Professional Aids Theatre - actors sponsored by Sandton Rotary.
XMAS PARTY One of the highlights was a Christmas Party organised by Sandton Rotary Spouses (Anns) assisted by Sandton Rotarians.
Each child was presented with a present according to age.
Cake, cold drinks, sausage rolls, games and Father Christmas in person (2007/8 Sandton Rotary Club President Rob Peacock).
XMAS FOOD HAMPERS In addition 100 food hampers collected by Sandton Rotarians were distributed.
WINTER WARMTH BLANKETS Sandton Rotarian were also responsible for the distribution of 200 blankets in winter.
PALISADE FENCING We have recently received a corporate sponsorship for of R25000 ( US$3300) to a assist in fencing the area. An equal amount was made available from Project Funds of Sandton Rotary and the Kids Club is now fully fenced with metal palisade fencing, as can be seen in some of the pictures.
WATER A Matching Grant has provided us with funds of R88000 (US$ 11500) for a borehole. This will provide the Kids Club with desperately needed water supply. Currently we are relying on water supplied by road tankers and more than often water is not available. This project should be completed by the end of August 2008.
WISH LIST 1 On our immediate wish list is a car port to be placed in front of the container. This will provide a shaded area needed for the smaller children to play and be able to sit to do their coloring of books. The cost is projected to be R20000 (US$ 2650). 2 Our monthly cost to run the Kids Club is budgeted as R2500 (USD350) for food, toys and sporting equipment (balls). Assistance will be most welcome. 3 Funds for Schooling and Uniforms 4 Rotary Club of Sandton have begun a project of Library Containers that are placed in areas without any amenities and facilities. 5 Possibility of establishing food gardens.
All in all, whatever assistance can be given will be received with much appreciation. The administration of donations will be by the Rotary Club of Sandton.
It is our objective to improve the quality of life of these kids in shanty towns as far as possible, and our wish that they grow into adults with skills, literacy, and the awareness of the dangers of irresponsible social behaviour
Itsotseng
2010 Jan
Pictured here are Chantal Swiegers (who will run the clinic), Project Champion Hans Ludolph, and RC Sandton Community Director Di Kershaw, and above, the interior of the clinic.
