Mandela Day 2017!

"It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now." – Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela dedicated 67 years of his life to help improve our country and make the world a better place. It was suggested we take 67 minutes out of our day and dedicate that time and effort and do our best to help improve conditions in our community and furthermore, our country. Mandela's Birthday is known as Mandela Day, a devotion to service. 

 At Thembalitsha we had quite a buzz of activity on Tuesday, 18 July 2017:

·    Imperial Managed Logistics, as well as family and friends of Mama Themba, gave a fresh look to an old fence at Mama Themba with a lick of paint. Dulux Somerset West also contributed to this by keeping material costs to a minimum.

·    HML Strand worked at Agape Educare, where they assisted with the sanding and varnishing of our little learner’s classrooms and also cleaned the beds in the vegetable gardens.

·    The One Day Only team was at the School of Hope, where they assisted with repainting some of the school walls in addition to their extremely generous donation and installation of interactive whiteboards for the classrooms.

·    Graceland pre school will have the staff from Devon Valley Hotel visiting them on Monday when they reopen for term 3. They will be spoiling the staff and children with some lovely food treats.

·    Graceland – Representatives of Melissa’s food store visited our school and brought some decadent fairy cakes as a treat for the staff and children.

·    At Village of Hope, Sentech donated an array of items; from clothes and shoes to kitchen curtains. They also assisted in fixing the outdoor play track, cutting down trees, painting cupboards and room walls, providing a new TV aerial, cupboards and mirrors for the children's bathroom. They bought cricket stumps, bats and balls and had a fun game with the children.

o   Fruitways donated soap powder, toilet rolls, sweets as well as vegetables. The group also cooked a lovely pot of stew for the children, did some weeding and tidying in the vegetable gardens and also chopped wood for the wood fires in our children’s unit.

o   HML donated much-needed blankets, toilet rolls and soap powder as well as a spoil of sweets and snacks, quiche and cartons of drink.

o   The children were also spoilt with a trip to Disney on Ice.

o   Village of Hope and ThembaCare were blessed with 67 delicious Houw Hoek

     Farmstall pies. 

We would just like to thank all those involved in taking #actionagainstpoverty this Mandela Day and offering your time and generosity to the Thembalitsha Foundation, we have been so blessed.

Unite to end TB

Each year, we recognise World TB Day on March 24, this day is designed to build public awareness that tuberculosis today remains an epidemic.

World TB Day 2017 theme is "Unite to end TB"

This day is very close to Thembalitsha's heart, as one of our healthcare projects ThembaCare Grabouw assists and treats TB infected patients in the community of Grabouw. So when World TB Day comes around, we jump at the opportunity to spread awareness and unite to end TB!

The Western Cape has one of the highest TB infection rates in the world.

WHY?

• Impoverishment
• Poor nutrition
• Overcrowded dwellings
• Existing high TB prevalence
• Lack of education on the matter

What is ThembaCare Grabouw doing about this?

Over 4400 people have been screened for non-communicable diseases since July 2016. ThembaCare continues to perform their home-based care service in Grabouw to the vulnerable and ill. They also have a 7-bed hospice which is designed to provide quality palliative care for those who are terminally ill and whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS, TB, Cancer and other lifestyle diseases. ThembaCare has a testing unit where they offer free testing and counselling for HIV/aids, TB, non-communicable diseases like diabetes and even pregnancy testing at the hospice. They also go out into the community visiting schools and businesses and community areas like shopping centres in their mobile testing unit. 

Did you know?

• TB is curable but kills 5000 people ever day around the world.
• TB is contagious and spreads through the air; if not treated, each person with active TB infects on average 10-15 people each year. 
• 2 million people die annually as a result of TB.
• TB is curable even if you are HIV positive.
• TB can be anywhere, everywhere, and everyone must screen for TB
• Take your TB treatment without fail for 6 months
• Cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough
• Open your windows for fresh air
• Wash your hands regularly

Let us stand united and commit to ending TB! ThembaCare is passionate about working tirelessly for this cause, however, they are faced with many challenges. Would you like to step in and help us stand united and end TB? Let us know how you would like to be involved in the comment section. We love to meet new people (Virtually or physically) and spread the Thembalitsha message of NEW HOPE! 

Hope @Paul Cluver 535975177 Festival

ThembaCare Grabouw

ThembaCare Grabouw

"Taking health care to the vulnerable in our community..."

A 24-hour hospice and home-based care are the two services implemented by ThembaCare Grabouw. The only overnight 24-hour palliative care facility in a town of 65,000 consists of a seven-bed hospice, designed to provide quality care for the terminally ill, whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS and TB. Every week ThembaCare Community Home-based Carers visit the homes of more than 350 people living with HIV, TB and chronic illness in the townships of Grabouw and the surrounding farmlands.

On Friday the 14^th of October ThembaCare held their celebratory anniversary event at Oude Molen in Grabouw. This was a celebration of all the incredible moments and milestones achieved throughout the last 10 years. ThembaCare expresses their deepest gratitude to their unbelievably loyal funders. Without the financial support, physical support and partnership the facility could not take health care to the vulnerable. These worthy partnerships have enabled ThembaCare to aid in turning the tide against HIV & TB.

A heartfelt thank you is extended to all the staff members of ThembaCare Grabouw. Sister Thandi Sililo, the project manager of ThembaCare Grabouw, leads the nursing sisters, carers, administrators, cooks, cleaners, and gardeners to execute their work with total commitment and dedication. Sr. Thandi continues to amaze all with unfailing efforts to uplift the sick. Moving forward ThembaCare will continue to be a bright light in the community of Grabouw.

This past month a group of 23 individuals, 22 of which are from the USA and 1 from Peru, travelled to Cape town, South Africa.

“The heart of the mission is to stand alongside Every Nation churches, and in doing so the team of missionaries counter God and their lives change significantly. The objective of the mission is for the 10-DAY team to go back home and have a strong desire to make changes in their communities and make a difference in the lives of those who need it.” Marlene Chapman, coordinator of the 10-DAY mission experience (Based in Nashville, Tennessee)

This October the 10-DAY team visited ThembaCare Grabouw, thank you to these kind souls who spent time at this Thembalitsha Project. The 10-Day team painted walls, planted vegetables, took a walk with the home-based carers on their daily visits and prayed with The ThembaCare team... Thank you for your time, we greatly appreciate it and are so thankful for your efforts.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ”

Matthew 25:34-40 

Thembalethu Launch - "It takes a village to raise a child..."

Thembalethu Launch - “It takes a village to raise a child…”

On the 7^th of October 2016, Thembalethu opened its doors in the community of Rooidakke in Grabouw. Thembalethu means ‘Our Hope’ in Xhosa. Which is suitable, as this Early Childhood Development Centre is truly, a beacon of hope for the children and parents alike. The opening was filled with much anticipation and excitement. The Honourable Deputy Mayor of Grabouw, Isaac Sileku welcomed all the guests and opened Thembalethu with the official unveiling of the sign and ribbon cutting. Unathi Mabulau, Project Manager for Thembalitsha Foundation’s EduCare Grabouw hosted the proceedings, which included Brent Carelse, a National soccer player and previous Bafana Bafana player handing out soccer balls to each child and officially opening Ladumpi, the mini soccer field. The facilities at Thembalethu include the teaching centre, a kitchen, bathrooms, jungle gym, and a mini soccer field.   

The Rooidakke community sincerely thank Nedbank, StreetSmart South Africa, Appletiser SA, Theewaterskloof Municipality, many individuals and additional corporate funders who have invested in this creative, educational initiative. They could not have done it without this valued support. ’We are constantly in awe of the efforts and dedication to transform lives and restore hope on a daily basis by all the stakeholders.” commented Moroesi Beline Mothibe and Vuyiswa Thembani, Members of the Thembalethu Trust. The success, growth and development of a child are truly a community effort. As the African proverb states “It takes a village to raise a child…”. There is no doubt that this Educare Centre will be a tremendous success where these new learners will one day be educators, builders, engineers and health professionals themselves. It takes a lot of hard work, teamwork and patience to achieve these goals but EduCare Grabouw hope to expand and grow by reaching new milestones within Grabouw.

Like-minded supporters of ensuring that quality education is available for every child can contact Unathi  Mabulu educare@hope.org.za and on 076 993 9295, to find out how you can get involved hwww.hope.org.za