Child sponsor letter from Tsumeb
18/12/2007
Dear Friends
Once again we have the opportunity to share with you the events and accomplishments of our SOS Children’s Village.
No structural changes have been made to the SOS Children’s village; it consists of 10 family homes, two youth homes, a Village Director’s house, a workshop, an administrative block, an open shelter for activities and a SOS Nursery School.
A conversion in the electrical system is underway, to enable each family home in the village to have better control, by installing pre-paid meters. It is expected to be completed in October.
We now have a total of 107 children including youth, with a total staff of 35 members. During September we admitted four new children. Three of these children opened House Eland with the arrival of another child expected this week. During December the next four children will arrive for this house.
This past month a Grade 12 learner, attended the annual matric farewell party arranged by the school. One of our learner’s at Baumgartsbrunn will also be graduating at the end of this year. Staff is arranging the annual Village Prize Giving ceremony to acknowledge achievements of SOS children, as well as an SOS Nursery School Graduation ceremony, for November. Mothers and social workers are making preparations for the coming December holiday programs and visits for the SOS children. The children are studying hard and preparing for their final examinations of the year, during November. Seven children are also preparing for confirmation in church which will also take place in November.
Both youth leaders have attended the annual Youth Leaders Conference at HGATC in Johannesburg and also Swaziland. Two student social workers are doing voluntary work until December, helping mainly with reconstruction services.
The Family Strengthening Program is currently identifying a community partner and is drafting a memorandum of agreement. After the completion of the summation of the Household Survey data, the initial assessment process for the identified family will commence. At the same time the orientation and training of the community partner will take place. During this month a Program Assistant will be recruited.
We like to take the opportunity and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you very much for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely
Mary Diergaardt
Village Manager
Sponsor update from Windhoek
Update from November 2006
Dear Sponsors and Friends,
On behalf of all the children entrusted in our care, we would like to thank you for your kind help, as we are able to provide permanent home to 111 children, 92 village children and 19 youth. We had 19 new admissions.
Christmas is on our doorstep, and the children are entering into their final exams for the year. But it is also time to share with you what we have done and experienced this year that is nearing its end.
During the year, three boys from our Boys Youth facility secured jobs at an upcoming alluminium company “Capral Alluminium” where they are also trained in the art of installing and manufacturing of alluminium sliding doors and window frames. One of the girls at the Girls Youth Facility, studying at the Baumgartsbrunn Institute secured a job at a renowned Guest House where she did her practical in August this year. She is writing her final exams end of this year. She works on week-ends at the Guest House. The year also took us on various occasions out of our comfort zone and into the wild, as some of our youth experienced a weekend away from the all the noise of the city in turn for a wake up call of some farm animals, this was all a joint venture project with the Windhoek SOS Children’s Village and the Tsumeb SOS Children’s Village, the youth had a workshop focusing on leadership, communication and conflict solving, some of the topics were covered by the National Director of SOS Children’s Village Namibia. The younger children also had their fare share in the sun as they went on various outings, some as usual went to the annual Philipi Namibia, psychosocial support camps, and then others that are part of the KIDS CLUB in the SOS Children’s Village were either busy with a training project launched by the University of Namibia “Teenagers Against Drug Abuse” or visiting the University or having a fun day at the SOS Children’s Village and trips outside the village to the ZOO PARK for some fun. Warm summer weather stepped in after a very cold winter, so as can be imagined, trips to the swimming pool is now part of the children’s weekend program.
The excitement of the festive season can already be seen in our family homes as mothers and children are starting with their decorations. The children always look forward to this time of the year, a long holiday.
Yours sincerely
Grant Januarie
SOS Village Manager
Relevant Countries: Namibia.