Projects

Sisonke Educare Centre

Like all children, the children of Bloekombos have the basic needs of love and security, food and clothing, warmth and stimulation within a caring atmosphere. They also have the inherent capacity to meet challenges and achieve their potential. But they need a community around them that will provide the nurturing environment and caring guidance to enable them to do so.

An Educare centre was opened on 25 August 2002 – the new building replaced an informal building which was used for more than 4 years. Sisonke Educare Centre offers day care for 70 pre-school children between 2 and 6 years. A lease was signed for the centre and the existing staff will manage the centre on their own as from 27 February 2012.

Child Sponsorship Programme

This programme support vulnerable children in Bloekombos whose lives have been impacted by HIV/Aids. This project is managed in partnership with Horizon International (USA) who supports the children on a monthly basis. Support is in the form of a financial contribution which is used for example voucher for food and clothes. The money is strictly administered by Sarfat to ensure that it is used for the child’s benefit and not misused other family members. Through this project we give hope to children who mainly are orphans, stigmatized and without support. Sarfat also sourced South Africans who can sponsor children and currently we have 3 children that are being sponsored by South Africans.

The Child Sponsorship assistant conducts home visits and offer support and advice to the caregivers and families where needed.

HIV Support group

The Masikuhle HIV/AIDS Support Group was started in 2002 in conjunction with the local AIDS counselor, Ms Mieta Mcanda. It currently provides emotional, physical and spiritual support to 12-15 Bloekombos women that are HIV positive. In addition to the support members offer one another, their weekly programme also incorporates craft skills training like beading, fabric painting etc. A nutritious meal, prepared by volunteers from our Partnership churches, is served at each meeting and members receive a weekly food parcel to help build their immunity system.

Kids club

This programme is for all the children on the child sponsorship programme to develop them holistically by teaching them life skills and Bible based principles. We have a youth leader and a youth group from one of our partnering churches who present a weekly fun, Bible based programme on Fridays. Kids club offer a place for these children where they can focus on being a child and escape from their worries and fears.

Second hand clothing project

All second hand clothing will be sold in Kraaifontein business centre and the monies earned will be used to fund projects identified by Sarfat. Help is needed to assist with the wash, ironing, repairs and selling of the clothes.

Building project

A Multi-purpose training centre is in the proces of being built. The vision for the centre is:

To provide training that could lead to employment.
To provide an after-school care for primary school children.
An advice centre for the community that will assist in drafting CV’s as well as give advice regarding relevant resources.
To expand our existing projects.
To move Sarfat’s offices to Bloekombos.
Church services.

The expected impact of this project is the upliftment of a community through providing employment and training for adults, empowering them to become either self-employed or better their chance to find a job.

Sarfat can only continue building as funds become available and approximately R2 million is needed.

Once the centre is build, it will offer a valuable source of income to Sarfat as the facility can be rented out to businesses in the surrounding industrial area for skills training, to the municipality as a library and to the local churches.

Bible Classes

Pastor Monwabisi Gideon Nqiwa will start in April with Bible classes on Saturdays, 09h00 to 11h0O at the Sisonke Educare Centre for approximately 25 children. We would appreciate a donation of sandwiches for these classes or any assistance in the preparation thereof. He also planned to use the premises for church services on Sundays.

Needle work / Sewing classes

Clotex assisted Sarfat with the purchasing of sewing machines and overlockers and will also assist with the initial training as from April 2012. Sarfat also received a grant in aid of R30 000 from the City of Cape Town for the funding of our own sewing project.

Swop Shop

Sarfat is in the process of starting a swop shop whereby all recycable items can be handed in and according to weight a certain point is given. These points earned can then be exchanged for items such as groceries, pencils etc.

End of the year projects

Beach outing for children from Sisonke educare centre.
Beach outing for kids club children.
Christmas party for Sisonke.
Christmas party for Kids club.
Christmas party for caregivers of children on sponsorship programme.
Outing for Masikhule group members.
Christmas party for Masikhule group members.