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The local charity we support.
Ant’s Nest and Ant’s Hill have chosen ACO as our local
charity. We have over the last couple of years donated cash
and meat directly for the soup kitchen as well as over 100
blankets for impoverished families. Various guests and
staff have also donated old clothing etc. Please read below
a bit more on who they are what they do.
WHO THEY ARE:
We are a husband and wife team from the farming community
surrounding Vaalwater who became aware of the plight of
thousands affected by poverty, high unemployment, malnutrition
and disease. We started a Non Profit Organisation with a view
to making a difference through our ministry based on solid
Christian principles. Our focus is helping the many vulnerable
people especially children and the elderly.
WHERE WE ARE:
Vaalwater is situated on the central plateau of the Waterberg
Mountains within the Limpopo Province of South Africa. We are
3 hours drive north of Johannesburg. The adjacent residential
suburb of Leseding is a large and extremely impoverished community.
WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO:
We support hundreds of families, visiting with them in their
homes providing food, medical care and helping to get children
into schools.
One of our main focuses is looking after the many widows and
orphans that have been left by the terrible Aids Crisis in Vaalwater.
There are a large number of women, many of whom are elderly, who
have been left to look after small children and teenagers. A large
percentage of mothers in the 20 to 45 year old age group have
died. We also find many children raising siblings or cousins. Due
to the high rate of unemployment and poverty, these people have
little to no income. In many of these cases we find the young
"parents" begging for food from neighbours. In some cases we are
able to help the youngsters get registered to qualify them for the
government grant, but even then the income is seldom sufficient to
feed a family of between 6 to 12 people. We provide these
families with food parcels. Education is key for us, we currently
fund 13 college students and have provided education for many
children each year. It costs us R400 to educate a child per
year, The cost of putting a student through college is R15 000 per
year.
At the soup kitchen together with a team of volunteers from the
St Johns Church we feed about 1200 children per week. The soup
kitchen operates from a large marquee type tent.
In the mornings we provide meals to little children, expectant
mothers, the elderly, disabled. In the afternoon we feed up
to 850 school children.
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- We support a number of farm schools in the area. The children are fed every day. Many children
that are not able to go to school are fed at our feeding schemes. They receive a nutritious
cooked meal and where possible fresh fruit also.
- We pay for school uniforms, school books and other educational aids for very poor families. In
January we purchased school uniforms for 750 children (uniforms are obligatory for attendance).
- We supply school stationery such as pencils, pens, crayons, books, school back packs, calculators
etc as the children only receive 2 pencils per year from the education department.
- We provide medical care for very poor families whose illnesses are beyond the scope of the local
clinic. Patients are taken to the local doctor, they receive medications and specialist care if needed.
- We have provided homes for 30 families so far. Many desperate families live in ram shackle tin shacks,
tents and even cardboard boxes. The costs vary according to size but a two roomed house with an outside
toilet costs R15 500, a one roomed house with toilet costs R9000.
- In order to help feed the many hungry families in Lesideng we have planted a very large vegetable
garden on the farm. This produces veggies on a large scale to the feeding schemes and needy families.
We are in need of a better irrigation system to reach the entire garden. The cost of this is R8000.
- We have built our first crèche in Lesideng. This project is aimed at providing a safe and loving
environment to pre school children and toddlers that are often uncared for. The children will receive
good nutrition, mental stimulation and a good head start on their education.
- The crèche also provides employment for several people. We have been granted two other sites for
crèches and hope to build these soon, as and when funds permit. Approximate cost to build a crèche
R185 000. Setting up costs are considerable but well worth it.
- Those children who’s families can afford to pay for them do so, many needy children however need
to be sponsored. This costs R95. 00 per child per month.
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FUNDING:
We rely on donations from the general public, businesses and the commercial sector. It costs us R10.50
per day to feed a child. We have received food donations from Nestle SA like milk powder and porridge.
We receive generous support from Ants Nest/Hill and their guests. These kind of donations are such a
blessing to us.
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If you would like any more information about us or
would like to make a donation please contact us:
Hamish or Terri Rodgers
email: htrodgers@mweb.co.za
cell: +27 (0) 82 857 0985
tel: +27 (0) 14 755 3695
PO Box 875, Vaalwater, 0530,
Limpopo Province, South Africa
Our Non Profit Organisation number is 051/322NPO.
For banking details or donations please contact us
SCIF Humanitarian Services April 2009 quarterly newsletter(pdf format)
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