Toys donated to Project Hope UK in Munsieville

Boxes and boxes full of toys were donated by one charity to another, when Help a Child in Need decided to support Project Hope UK on 19 January.
Help a Child in Need is a charity organisation that helps children with medical conditions who have a grim prognosis. The organisation mainly assists financially, but does not give the money directly to the child or his or her parents, but rather pays the medical expenses of the child directly to the hospital or caregiver.
Wynand Pretorius of Help a Child in Need said, "We received boxes and boxes full of toys from ToysRus in Fourways last year and we decided to donate them to Project Hope UK as they need them more than we do."
Project Hope UK volunteer, Alyson Krucher said, "We are very grateful for this very generous donation. The toys will be used in the creches in Munsieville and the Children's Embassy to help entertain and educate the children, giving them a better start in life."

Health and safety training for creche teachers in Munsieville

On Thursday 19th January the teachers of the crèches who are in the training programme of Project Hope UK in partnership with Safe and Sound Learning Association, gathered at the Embassy for a meeting with Safe and Sound Learning Association, Betty Nkoana and Carola Michielsen of Project Hope UK and the Teddy Bear Clinic. The purpose of the meeting was to share the report with recommendations of the GlaxoSmithKline Health & Safety volunteers that assessed crèche facilities at the end of last year and to discuss what the teachers could change to make their facilities a healthier and safer place for children. For Safe and Sound Learning Association this was a great opportunity to see whether the teachers had already implemented what they have learned during the training and to reinforce the recommendations. The Teddy Bear Clinic was invited by Project Hope UK to tell the teachers something about their organisation and to give a first short training session about how to recognise whether a child has been sexually abused by observing odd behaviour. This was highly appreciated by the teachers since this subject has been touched upon in their training but they indicated they would like to have more in-depth training. Teddy Bear Clinic indicated that they are willing to organise a full day training of the teachers around this subject.
We discussed all findings and agreed on things to improve the coming weeks. All teachers will place the emergency contact numbers on the walls of their crèches, all teachers received posters on hand washing and other hygiene advice to display in the crèches as well as the poster of the Paraffin Safety Organisation. They will set up a communication network to share best practices and learn from each other. In March of this year Project Hope UK, Safe and Sound Learning Association and partners will organise a training day to practice Fire Evacuation Strategy and First Aid procedures with all the teachers. The teachers of the crèches that were assessed by the GSK team all received their individual report in order to see what they can improve in the coming weeks in their crèches, to help provide the best possible start in life for the young children of Munsieville.

2012 will be a great year for Munsieville

Pual Brooks, Project HOPE UK's Executive Director, looks back over the achievements of The Thoughtful Path: Munsieville in 2011, and the outlook for 2012:
"As I look back over 2011, there is so much that I want to thank you for, because you have been so important in helping to make this a breakthrough year for the people of Munsieville! I have the privilege of daily exposure to the momentum that is being built in the township as together we move closer to the dream of seeing thousands of children given the opportunity to turn their back on poor health, low life expectancy, poverty, abuse and lack of opportunity, so I want to send you a strong message from those children to assure you of their gratitude and recognition of the vital part you have played in planting hope in their hearts – a hope that inspires action.
Over the past year, children have been rescued from serious abuse and others mobilised in the battle to eradicate abuse that hides under a cloak of cultural acceptance; hundreds of children have learned how to adopt simple habits to make them healthier; shack homes where children live are being made safer; health services are being made more accessible, especially to children marginalised by stigma and prejudice; pre-school workers have received professional training in Early Childhood Development and are transforming the lives of hundreds of children; caregivers are turning waste ground into vegetable gardens; women have started a cooperative to make the bricks to rebuild their community; scores of community members have come forward to deliver better services to children; young people have found a voice through our Journalism Academy; emerging leaders have enrolled in the Thoughtful Path: Munsieville Leadership Academy; and, last month, the Children’s Embassy – a place of safety to champion the cause of children in Munsieville – was officially opened by our new House of Young Ambassadors.
2012 will be even more significant! Launch of a 24-hour service for children in crisis; creation of a full-time health promotion unit; creative new after-school care clubs; expansion of enterprise initiatives to inspire others to create the incomes needed to care for vulnerable children; child health services offered by the Children’s Embassy …. A year of ‘M&Ms’ – Mass Mobilisation, Measurement, Monitoring and Momentum!
Thank you for your steadfast support, encouragement and commitment – you are part of a Miracle in Munsieville."
Happy New Year!
Paul