Newsletter ed 21
Another stepping stone to greatness!
Dearest friends and supporters,
Another anniversary in the proud history of our organisation has arrived, bringing with it more opportunity for growth and experience! We’re going to make this 74th year great! Stand tall with us, because you’re the reason we’ve made it this far … thank you!
In this edition, we share with you our Nelson Mandela Day experiences, some exciting upcoming events like our AGM, the Durban Baby Expo and the long-awaited SIMSA Challenge.
I hope you enjoy this issue. To share your comments and suggestions, please e-mail dionnej@cotlands.org
Until next time, take care!
Dionne Jacobs
Editor
We are tremendously proud of our 74 years’ experience in caring for little people and are especially proud that we’ve evolved from the baby sanctuary of years past to a multi-faceted organisation caring for 4 000 beneficiaries across South Africa!
Cotlands has truly grown from strength to strength. We’ve demonstrated this through the years by overcoming a diversity of challenges and addressing critical needs in our less fortunate communities. There are so many successes to celebrate: the wonderful results achieved following the introduction of antiretrovirals; our education models where learning through play made it possible for our little ones to start school at the milestone age for the very first time in 2009; outreach programmes and counselling proving valuable support to our beneficiaries who cannot reach clinics and hospitals; our sustainability projects in the regions which are successfully feeding and providing an income for, beneficiaries who have very little, or no means to provide for themselves — and many, many more.
Today, we no longer mourn the imminent death of the HIV positive children in our care. We now celebrate being able to help them, because we know that our little champions, with the right care, can live long and happy lives … and we do everything in our power to help them do just that.
Here’s to many more years of continuing service to these little ones in need… here’s to the fantastic support we’ve received from you, whom we count among the heroes born out of a commitment to raise the heroes of tomorrow!
Latest news
Nelson Mandela Day
On Nelson Mandela Day 2010 Cotlands’ headquarters in Johannesburg was abuzz with enthusiastic volunteers, making their way through our doors to offer their 67 minutes of community service to our cause…
We welcomed over 200 volunteers throughout the day, including local celebrities. Some of the cast from local soapie, 7de Laan visited our babies in Hospice — Vinette Ebrahim, Melanie du Bois, Vuyelwa Booi, Jo da Silva and Donnalee Roberts spent more than 67 minutes dedicated to our little ones.
Chix with Stix also made their contribution in donating items, money and a special performance to our children – they put together a wonderful, exciting show – beating a rhythm our children just couldn’t resist…
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A number of visitors also arrived at our Somerset West branch in Western Cape, including Dr Alan Boesak. We were blessed with wonderful donations and considered ourselves fortunate to meet people who genuinely care about our children.
From window washing, scrubbing of tiny tables and chairs, sweeping gardens, picking up litter in the parking lots, labelling our collection tins for our tin project and raking up leaves, to putting on a show, providing lunch and spending one-on-one quality time with our children, the day was a wonderful success.
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We thank everyone involved, for making this day such a fitting tribute to Nelson Mandela’s legacy. The donations we received will go a long way providing for the beneficiaries in our care.
67 Arrows for Madiba
On Sunday, 18 July in the spirit of Mandela Day, an event was held at Marks Park Archery Club called “67 Arrows for Mandela Day”. The archers of Marks Park Archery Club and Kyudo Renmei South Africa, along with some visitors shot 67 arrows in a fun shoot.
The organisers collected donations in the form of clothes, magazines and toys for charity from the participants – some monetary donations were also received.
Cotlands was given some of these donations by the Marks Park Archery Club, as well as R1,700 to support our work. Our heartfelt thanks to the Club and all who participated! Your contribution is very welcome and sincerely appreciated.
Ferrari Day
On Saturday, 24 July 2010, Cotlands' little boys had the time of their lives... they were invited to the annual SEFAC Ferrari Day at Kyalami GP circuit.
On arrival they could barely wait to get into the pits. The event was exceptionally well-planned. With at least 120 cars taking part, the crowd flocked in to watch as the shiny red machines made their way around the tracks and in and out of the pits.
Each of our boys had the chance to experience a ride in a Ferrari around the track. The exhilaration and energy they had after the ride was unbelievable.
Later on, all the Ferraris lined up for a parade lap and race — truly a marvellous sight. The day consisted of several track sessions. Our children also enjoyed a scrumptious lunch together with SEFAC’s other guests.
Thank you to the organisers at SEFAC for affording our children this wonderful opportunity! They had an awesome experience.
Bestsellers
Mduduzi says, “Life’s great”
Ten years ago, Mduduzi was adopted from Cotlands at the tender age of two. It all began when Mduduzi’s adoptive father, Russell, decided one festive period to make a difference in someone else’s life. He knew Cotlands only by name, but took the first step by coming to visit our headquarters. The adoption programme had already closed for the year, but Russell left his contact details, indicating that he was interested in becoming a volunteer.
In January the following year he was duly inducted into our volunteer programme and on his first day of duty, he was allocated to work with the toddlers. Once play was over, Russell was trying to gather everyone in the garden to lead them back inside, but Mduduzi quietly carried on riding his scooter. Russell went back to fetch him and when he wanted to put him down, Mduduzi just wouldn’t let go.
Anna, one of the caregivers, told Russell Mduduzi’s name and mentioned that the little boy’s name means ‘to draw empathy’. Some time back in Russell’s life, one of his friends had told him that he needed to learn empathy – and suddenly it seemed to Russell as if fate was intervening in his life.
The bond between Mduduzi and Russell was almost instant, although Russell says at that time he wasn’t quite ready to commit to a long-term placement. Instead, he continued visiting and the relationship developed and became stronger.
Later however, Russell applied to foster the little boy and says the more time they spent together, the harder it was to take Mduduzi back to Cotlands – weekends suddenly weren’t enough anymore and parting became very painful for both of them. It wasn’t long afterwards that Russell decided to adopt Mduduzi, who was heartily welcomed into his family and easily formed a bond with each family member.
When asked how he felt about everything, Mduduzi replied with the broadest smile on his face: “Life’s great!”
Our little champion
Danny was admitted to Cotlands’ Western Cape Hospice at 18 months old on 21 December 2009 suffering from severe Marasmic Kwashihorkor (malnourishment and neglect) and weighing only 5.4 kg – extremely underweight for his age.
HIV positive and on treatment for TB prophylaxis, this little boy was really suffering. On admission, Danny was dull, lacking in emotional response and he cried every time he was touched. We found he had defaulted on his medication due to neglect and that his mother had subsequently passed away. His father was absent from his life.
Under the great nursing care in our Hospice in Somerset West, Danny was placed back on antiretrovirals and also given TB medication. Although his condition has improved tremendously, he still suffers with acute skin conditions such as eczema and has recurrent chest infections. The love, medication and nutrition he has received in the past months shows in his weight, which has escalated to 8.7 kg in just seven months.
From the fragile, hopeless little boy we first met, Danny has become an inquisitive little soul who loves to be cuddled in the arms of our nursing staff. He hit his first milestone in our care at 22 months, when he started walking. His will to live and progress is truly inspirational.
Not his actual name
Upcoming Events
SIMSA Challenge is almost here!
The Sanlam Investment Management SA (SIMSA) Challenge is almost here and Cotlands is privileged and proud to be part of this event.
On Thursday, 16 September, teams entering the most exciting team event in the industry will meet in Magaliesberg to undertake the challenge of a lifetime!
With only five weeks left to train, this unique three-day event will really put training, practice and mental fitness to the test! This year’s experience is geared to test participants’ skills outside the normal work environment. Participants will have to strategise effectively within time constraints and under great pressure.
There is still time to enter! As the official charity of the challenge, we urge you to get your entries in. Our own team has been training hard and is rarin’ to go for this occasion – are you up for the challenge?
Visit http://www.simsachallenge.co.za/ for more information For enquiries, please contact Yvonne Stiglingh at (011) 683-7200/1 (ext 273) or e-mail: yvonne@cotlands.org
Cotlands 66th AGM
It’s that time of the year again and preparations are underway for our 66th Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 21 September 2010.
We will rise and shine for breakfast at the Oppenheimer Conference and Banqueting Centre at Gold Reef City to showcase our performance over the past financial year during which, once again, we managed to pull through the difficulties of the current economic situation.
We take great pleasure in extending this invitation to you to join us for breakfast with our other partners and supporters to reflect on the challenges and successes of the past financial year.
For more information, please contact Susan Stewart at (011) 683-7200 (ext 202) or e-mail: susan@cotlands.org
Baby Expo in KZN
This August, Cotlands has been invited to be a part of the Baby Expo at the ICC Durban this year.
From 29 to 31 August, visit the Baby Expo for a fun day out with the family. There will be a variety of fun activities for the kids with Barney™, the world’s best loved dinosaur, making an appearance at the event with his friends! In addition to daily Barney shows, The Baby Expo Durban is hosting SuperSport’s Let’s Play Zone, where kids can challenge themselves by kicking a ball into the net while it’s being tracked by a radar gun, or they can play at the LiquiFruit Play Zone under close supervision of child minders.
Cotlands will be exhibiting near the Nestlé stand. We will be taking photos of visitors’ children for a donation of R20.00 per photo, which comes neatly presented in a magnetic photo frame. Additional prints will be available at R10.00 each, as part of our fundraising initiative.
You can make a difference in our children’s lives. Visit us at the Baby Expo to find out how.
Special donor highlights and acknowledgements
Thank you very much, Chevron!
A Cotlands Western Cape volunteer day on 28 May 2010 formed part of Chevron’s ongoing Employee Volunteer and Engagement programme. The initiative aims to make a difference in the lives of those living in disadvantaged communities in and around Cape Town.
Our children thoroughly enjoyed the party organised by Chevron employees. Activities included a jumping castle, face painting and a kiddies’ ride. Cotlands Western Cape was also fortunate to receive nappies, formula, clothing and non-perishable food items, which are among the highest expenses for this residential care facility.
Over and above the donations and fun day, Chevron also handed over a cheque to Project Manager Monica Buitendag to cover Cotlands Western Cape’s running costs for the month of June 2010.
Thank you, Chevron – we will never forget this experience. Your contribution has made a huge difference in the lives of our children here at Cotlands.
We would also like to say a special thanks to the following donors who have made significant contributions to Cotlands over the past few months:
In May
·Aids Week Bannerthon
·Rolag Mining Services
·Vanstone Precast
·SAFDICO RSA
·Day Technical Products
·Chonkings Finance
·Bravura Equity Services
In June
·Williams Hunt
·Vox Orion (Pty) Ltd
·SAFDICO RSA
·Johnson Haydenbry Advertising
·PSG Future Wealth
·P.A.E. (Pty) Ltd
·Tshisiku Business Management
·Luxco Importers
To our new donors, PSG Future Wealth, Tshisiku Business Management and Bravura Equity Services – a big thank you for coming on board and partnering with us in continuing to deliver our service to vulnerable children and the communities in which they live.
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