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WellingtonWellington is a small town in the Western Cape with different informal townships. Within these townships the prevalence of unemployment, poverty, HIV/AIDS and TB is very high. This reality leads to lots of families and especially children in dire need for care and support. To change the destiny of these vulnerable families and children NORSA developed our care projects within these townships. The Drakenstein municipality provided the organization with a piece of land in Carterville / New Rest townships for the development of a community centre in Wellington. The donation of the Wellington Community Chest enabled the acquisition of this piece of land. The following projects are facilitated: Cluster CareNORSA's head office, SA Cares For Life, has developed this unique concept of Cluster Care. Clusters families are families in need or who are HIV infected/affected. They are identified and registered in groups of 15. A Child Care Worker is appointed from the community, who becomes the “mum” of this cluster. We train these child care workers on a regular basis. They visit the families once a week to support them and also to provide the necessary guidance.
Currently we have registered 5 clusters in Wellington. A total number of 75 families and approximately 200 children are currently part of this programme. It is important that families, who are registered in these clusters, must have pre-school children as our focus is to change the destiny of these children and we want to get involved with them from pre-school age. Sponsorship programme
We need R 600 per month per family to provide the following services:
The sponsorship programme entitles the allocation of specific cluster families to sponsoring families/individuals. Contributions made by these sponsoring families are used to provide the above mentioned services to the cluster families, allocated to them. If you are interested to become part of our cluster care programme, read how you can get involved! Day Care Centre
Currently we are caring for 82 children (0–5 years). These pre-school children are deprived from their most basic needs. At the day care centre they receive nutritious food, love, adequate care as well as the necessary stimulation. The latter is very important as their development is not on par.
All these children have the potential to make a success of their lives, but they need us to invest in their lives and to provide them with the necessary opportunities. Foster Homes
To address this need NORSA developed a “place of safety”, Abba Khaya, where these children are provided with residential care, nutritious meals, medical care as well as love and attention. Abba Khaya is currently accommodating 14 children, ages vary from 5 months to 8 years. We make sure they go to school, get their medication and visit the hospitals on a regular basis. Every child deserves a normal life and this is what we try to give them. Soon after the establishment of Abba Khaya, we were confronted with a need for residential care of older school going children. With the help of the Baiedankie organisation from the Netherlands, the Baiedankie foster home was established. This home currently cares for four teenage girls. These foster homes ensure that children who didn't have any options can have a bright future. We envision to expand this foster home project to provide opportunities to as much as possible children in need. Soup kitchen
A kitchen is manned with two cooks who prepare the food for the Day Care Centres as well as pots of soup for the soup kitchen. Especially vegetables are always a need. For some this cup of soup is their only food for the day! Counseling Centre
We also distribute TB medication to ensure that TB patients take their medicine as prescribed to ensure effective TB treatment. ScholarshipWith the help of Child Care Africa, an organisation in the Netherlands, we established this bursary project. School going children with academic potential are supported to complete their studies. We are privileged to have enrolled eight children in this project. Two of them are children who have completed school already and who are given the opportunity now to make their dreams of university studies possible. Mothers homeWomen who are facing unplanned/unwanted pregnancies who need accommodation became a challenge within the organisation.
Within the Kings Ransom Home, traumatised women can live in a safe home receiving counselling, nutritious food as well as medical care. We are in the process of developing skills training for these women. By engaging in their lives we can ensure that their unborn babies have a future. We can also ensure that these women’s lives can be healed. Through investing in their lives we can ensure that they can start a new live, believe in themselves again and regain their self-esteem. Computer Centre
Unfortunately children and teenagers from the township community don't have any computer knowledge until they reach university or go to work. By then they have a giant set back on fellow students or applicants. It's a crucial aspect in finding a job today. NORSA focuses on introducing these young people in a computer environment. Voluntary teachers of NORSA educate them in the basics of Microsoft Windows, Word and Excel. Thanks to a donation from the DFPT we now have a classroom with 6 computers. It enables us to educate groups up to 12 students from 12 to 22 years. We believe that these computer skills will benefit the opportunities of those from the community in finding a job or further education. Soccer Team
Through the NORSA Super Strikers, we offer boys and girls from the community, who attend school, an opportunity to be part of our soccer team. A weekly training and random scheduled games give our players structure and healthy exercise. Even more they are part of a team and feel proud of what they achieve. Social Activities
Animations like dancing and painting make this day a day of fun at the NORSA project. Once a year we have a Christmas party for all our cluster children. This is a wonderful event where each child receives a gift and has fun.
Wellington is one of the community based projects, that NORSA developed. NORSA is also dedicated to its projects in De Doorns and Sandhills. |
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Once a month we provide a balanced food parcel to each of these families, to make sure they have at least one healthy meal per day.
To sustain the cluster care programme, we established a sponsorship programme.
The development of a day care centre was of utmost importance. The pre-school children from our cluster care programme are underfed, emotionless, developmental not on par and they are in need of adequate care.
We have started the day care centre during April 2007. To see the change that took place in the children’s functioning since they were admitted is such a motivation as it proofs that the project has a positive impact on their lives. Emotionless children have smiles on their faces; children who were underfed, have gained weight; TB/HIV infected children are attended to and receive their medication on a regular basis at the centre. The children in this area are in dire need for our services to ensure maximum development as well as provision in their most basic needs.
We became aware of a need for residential care for children infected with HIV/AIDS, TB, abandoned children, orphans and abused children.
One of the biggest needs in Wellington is food. We started a soup kitchen during 2007. Currently we feed 200 children/adults per day.
The focus of this centre is to provide counselling, care and support to especially families and individuals infected/affected with HIV/AIDS and TB. The centre is manned with trained counsellors and a professional nursing staff who provide counselling, support and voluntary HIV tests. We facilitate HIV/AIDS support groups where mostly women infected/affected with HIV/AIDS come together on a regular basis for support and information.
NORSA opened a mothers home during 2008 to provide residential care for these women.
Computer skills are vital in business today. The efficient handling of computers and their programs are a crucial asset to anyone's CV.
Schools are a vital backbone for children. They give structure, discipline and prepare youngsters for their future life. But it doesn't end there. After school care is as important for the development of these kids and teenagers as education itself.
Once a month NORSA Community Care organises a game day at the Wellington Community Centre. All children of the Carterville/Newrest township are welcome to play games and eat healthy snacks.
