As we said a sad farewell to Christopher and Lyndell Luyt and their three girls in December, we also said an unexpected goodbye to Stephanie our secretary in January, who moved to Pretoria. But the rest of the team are back at the helm after a good break over Christmas. Carol Luyt, although carrying much more responsibility this year, is there boots and all, bringing her special brand of love, kindness and gentleness as she works with the staff and the disabled children.
ETC – Therapy Centre for the Disabled
The therapy centre welcomed back 15 of our disabled children and also 1 new young girl,. The first days are always a bit slow but by now the therapy is well on the way. Our new admission is a 20 year old who has been at mainline school since she was 7 but has not succeeded very far and finally was told to go to a “special” school in Pietermaritzburg. She was deeply distressed at being separated from her lovely granny and so the latter brought her to us. We were deeply touched by the love and concern of this granny and the young girl was tense and quiet, obviously very anxious about being sent away. At the interview I asked her to write her name and she was unable to do so, and we could do nothing to bring a smile to her face. We agreed to allow her to come, although she is not as disabled as our other children. This way she is still able to go home every day to her gran and we will have her assessed by an occupational therapist and try and work out a programme that will help her. She has been with us for 2 weeks and for now we are allowing her to just find her feet with us and get familiar with the staff. Yesterday I told her that we were very happy to have her with us and she gave me her first smile. She is beautiful.
ECD- Crèche for Early Childhood Development Training
The crèche opened with 16 children and we are pleased that Lynda McLachlan has agreed to come periodically to do workshops and assessments.
YDP – Community Outreach (Youth Development Progamme)
The team of young people who go out to work in the community, the YDP, have returned well motivated to get stuck in again and already on average about 8 to 10 families per day have been visited, counselled, advised and basic health care given. Many of these are old friends and have found the holidays too long and were very happy to see the team back on the road. We have started to go out to schools to give talks to learners and the responses have been amazing. The teachers and headmasters have been so welcoming and this is going to be big thrust for the YDP this year.
Computer Training
We have not started computer courses yet but they are being planned for early March. Already at least 6 people have come to apply.
Shoebox will begin slowly and the first meeting is set for early next month.
Vulnerable Family programme has started up again and this week 6 families who are destitute have been visited with food parcels. We have also heard of two more that we will be investigating soon. Our special greetings to those of you who specifically support this initiative……friends who have a heart for people who go to bed hungry. Once again Ixopo Spar is our mainstay in helping to organize the parcels and giving us good prices and discounts.
Crafts
We are missing Lyndell very much but Mary is getting her teeth into organizing, collecting, buying materials and selling the crafts that our ladies in the community are making. This aspect of HNO involvement is very creative and rewarding, and although it brings no funds into the organization itself, women are being taught skills and are earning money while still at home to take care of their families, and this is the object of the exercise. But it is hard work to keep the momentum going and we are desperate for new outlets for these items and anybody with ideas can contact Mary. We do have a lovely friend in England, Clare Barton who has sold quite a bit and she has been a great help
Prison Ministry
Our branch in Pietermaritzburg, headed by Andy Munro and his team continue with their work visiting, addressing, encouraging and counselling in prisons and schools in and around PMB
This is my first newsletter for the year and should anybody receive it twice (or more) please let me know and if you do no longer want to receive them please send me an email.
Conny Speirs, Chairperson, Hlanganani Ngothando Organisation, P.O. Box 101163, Scottsville, 3209, T/F: (039) 831-8272, C: 084 401 8989, E-mail: hno@metroweb.co.za
