Our Shed

We keep our material for our Training in the shed just outside our office. This is mainly the materials for our Toys from Waste. So it is the egg boxes, toilet rolls, one liter water bottles, margarine tubs, cereal boxes and the like that we keep there. Over the last two weeks a group of vandals have broken into the shed and trampled our precious waste materials so badly, we had to throw most of it away!

We have now cleaned this out, secured the shed and are ready to receive new waste material for the training of 2009.

We are expanding . . . . it is starting to happen

It is happening. . . .we have secured funding and can employ one more Occupational Therapist. We are so exited! Now we are on the path to going bigger and hopefully even Nationally.

AND our new bags sponsored by Gosiame and QZ Creative have arrived. These bags will hold our files when we go out to the Children's Homes when we visit them to do therapy.

Keep on guessing . . . . . .

One of our trustees, Michelle Rosen attended the Leadership Seminar at the Oprah Winfrey Academy yesterday. She will also represent us there today. She reports that although she cannot confirm that Oprah herself was or would be there, she can confirm that there are high profile VIPs at the seminar.

So much going on, can't keep track

Remember I was on my way to attend the function at Headway on Wednesday? (See the Blog below). Well it turned out to be quite an event. The attendees at Headway (both the branches in Hyde park and Alexandra) had gift wrapped the most gorgeous boxes for 30 children. These were handed over during a small ceremony during which Headway received a vehicle from the Nomads. We want to thank Headway for thinking of us.

Did I mention that we had Fair to attend on the 20 th? We attended the Fair and had an exhibit of our work. At the Fair, we were chosen by the Oprah Winfrey Academy to attend their Leadership Seminar running today and tomorrow. I bet you would like to know if Oprah attended as well! I'll let you know on Wednesday. . . . . .

My School Card

If you're not signed up for a school at present, would you please consider to sign up? Although Thusanani is not a school it qualifies to receive the allocated percentage from your purchases at the retail partners. Read more about this on www.myschool.co.za, download the application form and fax it to 0866 822 833.

We will be so grateful.

Headway

Headway is a non-profit organisation in Hyde Park which provides support to people with brain injury. They are holding a workshop today and their brain injured attendees would like to provide “Christmas Packs” to the children in our organisation.

It's great when NGO's can support each other. We will pick up the parcels at a finger lunch today.

Social Entrepreneurship Fair

There is a Social Entrepreneurship Fair organised by GIBS School of Business for 20 November 2008 and we are invited. To be ready for this we finalised our pamphlet and business cards and we printed some photos to illustrate the work we do.
At the Fair we can showcase our Charity and the visiting Business People can become aware of our work and our needs.
Let us keep thumbs that the impression we make will lead to lasting partnerships between us and the Corporate World.

The party at the Zoo is the big Buzz around here.

We are taking 90 kids from Mashengaville Informal Settlement for the experience of their lives. They will visit the zoo an, see the animal being fed and then be treated to a visit from the man in the Big Red Suit . . . . . . This is happening on the 29 November. So right now we are sorting out and getting ready. Without the many people involved on a voluntary basis we would not be able to pull this off. Thanks guys.

Our website

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Our website is www.thusanani.org.za

Baby Oprah

Baby Oprah was abandoned at her creche twelve months ago. In the month before Christmas.

She was one month old and her mother never came to fetch her from the creche. She stayed at the creche with no-one giving her much attention until social services removed her and placed her in a loving and caring Children's Home in Johannesburg. She was underfed and weighed as much (as little really) as a baby of three months although she was nine months at that stage.

Although already suppose to be able to crawl, she had little head control, was unable to focus and did not do anything with her hands except suck her fists. Unable to focus on a toy and unable to hold a toy she was happy just lying in a cot. She only made whimpering sounds. Her legs were as thin as my thumb.

We started with an intensive home programme and follow up for treatment every second week. The care giver at the Children's Home worked relentlessly to help Oprah to practice to roll over, to spend time on her stomach and lifting her head while talking to her and showing her that she is precious and cared for.

Last week Oprah sat for the first time on her own. She has a keen interest in what's going on around her and will try and grab a toy if you bring it closer. She coos and make all the happy sounds a baby should make. She can recognise the people she knows. She has fattened up and looks healthy.

What a lovely miracle. We hope she will continue to make progress and start crawling soon .... and walking ... and running ... and staying happy AND maybe even find a forever family!

The week ahead

Don't you also find that the weeks are flying by and one has the feeling that Christmas will be here much sooner than one thinks? At Thusanani we only have three weeks left of assessments, therapy and training. This is because we dedicate the two weeks of December, before we close for the Christmas Break, to in depth Planning and Reflection. Staff and Trustees and Volunteers will all get together and we will analyse our statistics for 2008, set goals for 2009 and do the planning to make it happen. We will also get ready to welcome two new staff members to our team: a part time senior occupational therapist and a full time junior occupational therapist. All the while we will keep it mind who we are doing this for; children like Nkosi *( not his real name) on the picture above.

Rain

In Johannesburg, South Africa it is raining. After a very long wait the summer rains has finally come. We are as thankful for the rain as we are for the many donations we received during the past year. We have a store room where we store toys until they are distributed to the orphans and other vulnerable children.
Some times the toys need repairing and we use a volunteer James to help us with that. Because we don't want to distrubute incomplete toys, James helps us with checking out the sets of Lego and other construction sets, making sure the kids won't be disappointed. These will go to boys who has never owned a construction set in their lives. One of our other volunteers, Erica, is currently sewing clothes for the Barbie dolls that were donated to us. She has helped with tyding up their hairdo's, sorting out their clothes and accessories. These dolls will go to girls in the township who has never owned a fashion doll.
Thanks to our volunteers who gives so freely of their time.

Goodwill all round

A young boy, Jack Herbert of Craighall Park, donated all his excess toys to Thusanani. What a lovely gesture. When asked why he was doing this, he commented that he knew that there children who will not receive Christmas gifts this year. He wanted to give us something we could in turn give to them. I promise to show you (after Christmas) pictures of the many children playing with the toys that Jack gave us.

Lisa, Jacks mother, is teaching her son the valuable lesson that you receive so much more when you give. Come on all you mothers, join in the fun. Let your children empty their toy boxes of excess toys and lets distribute them for you to where they are needed most! We can even come and pick it up if it is in the Johannesburg area. Phone us on 011 484 3128.

I would also like to put a challenge to the grandmothers out there. Why not buy toys for your grandchildren and add one xtra name on the list. That way somebody without family can get a toy from your family!

Becky

Our part time Senior Therapist, Becky, is unwell and we wish her a speedy recovery at home. You are on our mind and the staff as well as the Children you treat every week are missing you. Be good and listen to the doctor!

Phumelela Gaming and Leisure

A big Thank You to Phumelela Gaming and Leisure for organizing the Charity Mile at Turfontein on Saturday 1 November 2008. Our horse Purple Rain did its best and earned us R20 000. It was a memorable day at the Races.

The money will be well spent...we will be able to do 150 hours of therapy to orphans and 150 hours of training to their care givers!

In the photo you can see our Trustees Lara and Michelle at the luncheon before the races.