On the 1st of March 2010, Sešego Cares chairperson, Joanne von Zeuner, presented a bakkie to a pre-school in the Red Location, Port Elizabeth. Sešego Cares and its partners donated R110 000 towards the purchase and maintenance of a vehicle at the request of Brighter Futures, an NGO which raises funds and invests in educating and nourishing deprived South African children.
Brighter Futures South Africa has been supporting the Pre-School for 6 years and they cover the majority of their running costs. The school supports about 90 underprivileged children with daily meals and education. In addition the school is developing into a broader community centre with a soup kitchen where skills such as sewing and weaving are taught.
Through the assistance of the Sešego Cares and its partners; Absa Vehicle & Asset Finance, CMH Toyota Melrose, PE AUTOLOT, Motorvia Johannesburg, Motorite Warranty administrators and Absa Financial Services, this donation was made possible.
The new vehicle will assist the school to collect donations from the local shops and companies for the soup kitchen. This donation will at least see that the kitchen remains open to feed the numerous children and community members that already depend on it.
Joanne von Zeuner said that, "Greatness is measured in terms of service. The work that is done here by Brighter Futures is truly amazing and humbling, I am just so glad that Sešego Cares could assist. I would like to congratulate them on their new vehicle, and wish that through this vehicle of brightness, their future will be blessed." View gallery
Absa home Loans Central Region held an inauguration ceremony on 22 January at Sunrise Pre School in Freedom Square. The school forms part of one of the volunteerism project that Absa employees have undertaken as part of their Corporate Social Investment initiatives. Encouraging Absa employees to participate in volunteerism is high on the Absa agenda and various projects are undertaken nationally to support various communities through various initiatives.
Sunrise Pre School was identified in February 2008 by Child Welfare Bloemfontein and introduced to Absa. The infrastructure needed immediate attention and Absa Home loans Central region grabbed this opportunity to better the lives of these children. The school provides day care to more than a 100 children with ages ranging from 6 months up to 5 years.
In 2008 the team upgraded the 3 classrooms and also raised funds to buy essential items needed for the school including tables and chairs, build new bathrooms & toilets, build a new roof and layed a tiled floor.
In 2009 the Absa staff build another 3 classroom with additional funding provided by Sešego Cares. Sešego Cares is a South African registered Section 21 Company that was established in 2005 by the spouses of Absa and has taken up the challenge to collectively involve themselves in social upliftment projects to make a difference to those less fortunate across all Southern African communities.
Absa Home loans volunteered their time over the weekends to finish this project. They also did fundraising projects by means of a golf days and sold food to Absa staff to fund the project. Partnerships and relationships with Absa clients also helped to fund and support the project.
The community has gained a properly built crèche with adequate space that offers a safe and nurturing environment for the children to learn and develop. The team's spirit has strengthened and each member has gained a sense of pride and self worth by making a difference to somebody else's life.
"The community now has gained a school with adequate space that offers a safe and nurturing environment for the children to learn and develop and will now be able to serve the community for many years to come." Says Joanne von Zeuner Chairperson of Sešego Cares.
The new and improved school will serve the community for many years to come. The community can now be sure that their children are given the chance to enjoy their childhood that they are entitled to. View gallery
Sešego Cares hosted a graduation ceremony for Early Child Development practitioners in Absa Campus on 06 February 2010. The graduation ceremony was attended by more than 400 hundreds practitioners, COJ, Absa and Sešego Cares representatives. The excitement and the atmosphere was incredible.
In October last year, Sešego Cares in partnership with Absa and Joburg City conducted training in the Joburg City region. The purpose of this joint initiative is to uplift crèches to meet the basic health requirements, get registered and become independent. Once crèches are registered they can get monthly grants from City of Joburg for a year, when that period elapse they have to find means to generate funds.
Joanne Von Zeuner, Sešego Cares had the following to say: Early Childhood Development is a critical first step in building the foundation for a child's ongoing learning and development. The focus is on the holistic development of the child and how the processes of learning are facilitated by children, parents, caregivers and teachers. Knowledge of early childhood development is foundational to anyone who chooses to broaden their knowledge of educational practices with young children. It is key for those wanting to work with children in an early education setting.
It is for this reason that we as Sešego Cares heeded the call by the City of Johannesburg to partner with them in ensuring that our 500 graduates are properly trained in carrying out one of the most important role in every child's phase. View gallery
Sešego Cares, Absa and City of Joburg have formed partnership to empower crèches, they are conducting workshops in the Joburg city Region. The purpose is to uplift crèches to meet the basic health requirements, get registered and become independent. Once crèches are registered they can get monthly grants from City of Joburg for a year, when that period elapse they have to find means to generate funds. This project headed by Wendy Klein, Raakhee Sighn, Tertia de Klerk, Nico Goosen and Annemarie Mostert. The ECD workshop offers modules that covers all relevant aspect. Workshops have been conducted in the following areas:
Klipfontein: 40 practitioners attended. Westbury/TDC :44 practitioners attended. Bram Fischerville: 49 practitioners attended. Lenasia: 62 practitioners attended. ABSA Towers: 149 practitioners attended. SOWETO: 254 practitioners benefitted from the workshop.
(Photo: practitioners at Absa Auditorium)
Njabulo Children's home has been in operation since July 2008. Currently there are 12 school going children ranging from grade 3-10. The home has live in house parents, an overseer and a helper to monitor the proper functioning of the home. The children are guided by a timetable which includes chores, prayer time, supervised homework times, outdoor play, meal times and recreation. They enjoy three balanced meals and they are exposed to other stimulation programmes to enhance proper development. The home is funded by sponsors and donors, either through cash or by goods donations.
Sešego Cares has been supporting Njabulo's Children Home since January. We donated groceries, toiletry bags, furniture and help them to start a vegetable garden. Claire Russon and Tertia de Clerk, Sešego Cares directors have volunteered their time to offer support to the kids at Njabulo by assisting with their homework, setting up formal counselling sessions, as well as arranging activities such as ice skating and a trip to the Johannesburg Zoo. Sešego Cares has recently donated R30 000 to provide a fence around the Njabulo Children's home in order to secure the home. After a recent visit by the Management of Absa's Rewards Programme, it was also agreed by both parties to work closely together during 2010 in making a difference to the needs of the kids.
On the 5th December, Sešego Cares surprised the kids with a Christmas party.
Batong Village - Sešego Cares donated 50 desks and 100 chairs to Johane Mokolobetsi Middle School in the Batong Village. The chairs and desks will house students in 3 classrooms to the value of R50 000.00. Sešego Cares also donated musical instruments to the school, to further cultural development. On the day of the handover Sešego Cares together with a local Absa branch feed over +/- 900 students and 25 teachers. View gallery
Sešego Cares donated school fees for about 18 learners, 2000 blankets, computers and printers to Obanjaneni school in the Drankensburg area all to the value of R55 000. View gallery
Crèches on wheels is a program focused on broadening access to pre - primary education. This is done by packaging equipment required for accredited pre-school education into portable and affordable means. In addition the facilitators of this program are previously unemployed and/or untrained persons, skilled by professional teachers, and given the opportunity to work towards recognized accreditation. The crèche is literally on wheels in the bins used for garbage disposal bins. Sešego Cares donated R28 000.00 to this worthy cause. View gallery
Mozambique. Sešego Cares donated 200 stationery packs, library books and women's clothes to the learners and community members on Benguerra Island. This island was the worst affected during the Mozambique Cyclone on the 23 February 2007.
Conversion of old containers into science centres, classrooms & libraries for learning support in schools in Tembisa, Eldorado Park, and Alexandra.