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Lisette Genseberger (left) and Meryl Winkinson (right) meeting up with visiting Soroptimist Laura Pallotta (centre) from SI Piceno, Italy, at the Cape Grace Hotel in February 2011.
SI COGH started the year off with a luncheon at member Liz's home. Our meeting in January is combined with a social element. Husbands, partners and friends are always welcome too.
SI COGH handed over a cheque for R16 000 to CANSA on 7 March 2011. These funds were raised by a generous donation of Triumph bras which we sold over a period of two years. CANSA will be using this money for its mobile breast screening clinics in local Day Hospitals in an effort to reach those who are disadvantaged by a lack of awareness and funds.
The club received these teddy bears from Linda Butcher, a friend of SI Grinstead, one of SI COGH's friendship links. These teddies will be handed over to St Joseph's Home for chronically ill children.
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Club focus
Soroptimist International Cape of Good Hope club was chartered on 3 April 1963.
News
More than three decades of Community Chest service
SI COGH was once again hard at work at the Community Chest Carnival at Maynardville, Wynberg from the 2nd to the 5th March 2011. We have run a tombola and second hand goods store at this yearly event for 34 years! Over the four days we raised R19 000 for the Community Chest which supports over 400 charities in the Cape Town area. Lieske Bester has been part of this from the very beginning and is passionate about the club's continued support. It is the one function where every member collects goods, helps to sort and works at least two shifts over the four days.
Projects
Human trafficking
SI Cape of Good Hope is very involved in the national drive to raise awareness about human trafficking - especially ahead of the 2010 World Cup event where these severe violations of human rights are expected to increase.
The club has been working in the direction of education since the FOKUS conference in September 2008. This conference was attended by 72 overseas and African delegates and was sponsored by the Norwegian shelter organisation, FOKUS, and hosted by a shelter organisation in East London, Masimanyane.
Rosemary Hickman, spearheading the project, reports: "On the fourth day of that conference we gathered with all those from Africa to discuss how each group could help and SI Cape of Good Hope concluded that the direction it might take would be education. We showed posters, which had been compiled from IOM (International Organization on Migration) data by the grade 10 class of the sister of one of our members, at the national SISA annual general meeting in Grahamstown in September. We met with representatives from the DCES Life Orientation/Religious Studies department of the Western Cape Education Department at the Saartjie Bartman home for abused women and children where the national Helpline for ANEX is. The latter is funded by IOM and originally concentrated on domestic violence. However, it has found a significant amount of trafficking for domestic service and also for prostitution, especially from areas around Laingsberg and Touwsriver (about 300 km from Cape Town.)
"Working through ANEX, IOM supplied us with sufficient posters to put one up at each high school in the province (420)! In the second half of 2009, the Deputy Director of the department plans to arrange for a number of teachers to attend ANEX for training on how to present trafficking to the students. The department will fund travel, subsistence and accommodation. We are very thankful for the support - especially as media interest in the topic of human trafficking seems to be on the increase.
"We have also had contact with people from Childline South Africa, the slogan of which is 'Children should be seen and not HURT'. The Salvation Army is also doing a large amount of work in various areas. There must be many other organisations involved and there is to be a conference in Johannesburg in May 2009, hosted by the South African Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. We trust that more organisations will join the drive against human trafficking."
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One of the images used in the
Denmark anti-trafficking campaign. |
My future - the next step
This one-day annual seminar started in 1994 and has made a difference in the lives of thousands of girls. We invite some 100 girls from 40 schools in Cape Town and put together a programme that covers topics such as life skills, sexuality, self defence, careers, financing studies and a skit on the do's and don'ts of an interview. Of course, the day would not be complete without a hair and cosmetic make-over for two girl learners!
We are fortunate to have a sponsor such as Pick n Pay on board that supplies us with a venue and sponsors the printing of programmes, certificates, refreshments and a 'goodie' bag for each delegate.
A nominal fee of R20 is charged - not only to cover some expenses, but to give our young delegates a sense of 'ownership' by not just receiving, but also paying for a service.
Each girl is also required to complete an evaluation form at the end of the seminar - this further helps her to apply her mind in internalising what she has received and, of course, helps us in the preparation for the next seminar.
Funds raised from the seminar go to a charity. In 2007, for example, we supported Molo Songololo - an non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved in combating human trafficking.
In support of education: Bursary
We are sponsoring a young flautist. This young lady performed very well during her first year, which was financed by one of our club members. She also gets involved in our projects - a positive introduction to volunteerism! A previous bursar completed her legal studies and was called to the Bar recently.
Soup food parcels
Members participate by sponsoring packets of soup mix, lentils and whatever else they can, to donate to the St James Primary School in Kalk Bay. These items are used to make up food parcels for 60 families during the winter holidays when no school feeding is available. This project has been running every winter for XXX years.
Douglas Murray Home for the Elderly
This Home for the Elderly has been supported by our club in various ways. During the past year, 106 bed socks were knitted and delivered to the home. Club members also donated old jerseys and wool for knitting blanket squares. We bought blankets for the residents' beds and at Christmas one of our members assisted with a celebratory meal.
Lotus River Old Age Home
In the past, we assisted this home with toiletry gifts and cake at Christmas time, and host them to an Easter Tea in April. Our friendship link in Caernarfon, XXX, helped us by knitting blankets.
St Joseph's Home for Aids orphans
Our friendship link in Hanover, Germany, assisted us with funds to be used for an Aids-related project. The St Joseph's Home for young Aids patients are a well-run home with a practical challenge in the form of the swing doors at the entrance to its wards. These doors had caused injury to the young patients when they swung shut. We were fortunate to be able to replace the doors with something more suitable.
Home Morea for the Aged
During 2007 we held an Easter Tea Party and concert at Home Morea. Pupils from one of our member's music classes played for the residents. As a result of this event, one of the parents offered a substantial donation to the home. Further plans involve erecting a covered walkway at the entrance, purchasing a washing machine and wheelchair. We will also assist them by clearing the overgrowth in an area in the garden suitable for vegetables.
Saartjie Baartman Home for Abused Women - garden of serenity
This garden was started in 2004 and is well used by residents for socialising and interviews with social workers. We assist with the upkeep and general maintenance of this garden. One of our members, Lieska Bester, has been involved with the Saartjie Baartman home for many years and has been nominated for the Inyathelo Philanthropy award.
The home itself has been supported through donations by members and their friends to help furnish six additional houses. The floor of the dining room and lounge have been retiled, the walls painted and curtains made.
Grow for Life food garden
Soil for Life is an NGO that helps women to create food gardens, firstly to feed their families and secondly to sell food to better their lifestyles, learn new skills and gain self esteem.
We partnered with the NGO to assist the Nomlinjanisela School with establishing and improving its garden. Amongst others, two water tanks were purchased and erected to accommodate drip irrigation. This work has not been without challenges, the latest of which includes the possible re-claiming of the land by the school that has been taken over as an agricultural school at the end of 2006. Despite this, work continues and fresh produce is supplied fortnightly to the SAGE café, close to the school.
Music therapy
This project has seen ongoing 'Play if Forward' fundraising concerts. The Music Therapy Group holds concerts during the year and now has an NPO number and is registered with SARS under Section 18a. (Visit www.music-therapy.co.za)
Our club president, Thelma Richards, serves on the Board of Governors and regularly attends meetings.
The project has grown exponentially and now boasts four sites and five therapists. The most recent addition being for hospitalised children at the government TB clinic. The club also donated funds towards a keyboard for the Nyanga project. The club will continue to administer the Trust set up by one of our friendship links in Lancaster, XXX.
Addressing the issue of human trafficking
The issue of human trafficking is enjoying worldwide Soroptimist attention. With the World Cup coming up in 2010, an increase in this dehumanising practice is expected in South Africa. We partnered with Molo Songololo, established in Cape Town in 1979, whose objectives include creating public awareness, promoting children's rights, advocacy and lobbying on all issues affecting children, including child trafficking.
Community chest carnival
Our club's stall has been run as a joint venture with another club for the past 30 years. We have a prominent position and selling of raffle tickets for the prize car makes up a large part of our income.
Articles on sale are collected by members throughout the year and the stall is manned by Soroptimists and friends and is overseen by our large Mascot Bear Soroptimist.
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