Current Be A HERO Project: building a pre-school and child care centre in Mossel Bay, South Africa, in partnership with the Children’s Welfare Mission.
Overview – Stitching Kinderhulp (Children’s Welfare Mission)
In 1986 Mathijs Piet founded the Kinderhulp Afrika foundation out of deep compassion for a group of Ugandan orphans forced to stay for three months in the Netherlands because of the civil war in Uganda. As his eyes were opened to the continuing needs of Uganda’s orphans, Mathijs founded the Children’s Welfare Mission with an objective to build children’s homes. A complete children’s village has been developed at Namugongo, caring for 300 orphans. In addition to having their daily needs met, children can also receive schooling from junior, up to and including, secondary education. A vocational school is also located on the premises. Through educational initiatives such as these, children are given the opportunity to develop skills necessary to function independently within the community. The Children’s Village also has a medical and an obstetric clinic as well as a First Aid post, all of which are available, not only for the children and staff living and working on the premises, but also for those who live in the surrounding areas.
In 2004 the foundation decided to expand their activities into more African countries. As a result, the Children’s Welfare Mission South Africa was founded as an independent organization to help the orphans and children living on the streets in Mossel Bay, and other communities in South Africa. This foundation is working closely with local churches and a local development organization ‘Hope Development Corporation Z.A.’
The focus of Hope Development Corporation is on children in need, especially orphans and other children who are victims of civil war, the aids epidemic and other social injustices. They believe ‘children have the right to a number of basic provisions so they can grow up in secure and loving surroundings.’
Founder Stitching Kinderhulp
Mathijs Piet founded the organization “Kinderhulp Afrika” in 1986. He is still the impassioned leader of the organization. Under his leadership a complete children’s village has been realized in Uganda, where there are currently 300 orphans living. The children are cared for, with schooling, medical care and a lot of love. Mathijs married Wil in 1968 and they live in Aalsmeer a city in the Netherlands. They have four children, two of which are in fulltime ministry. For 25 years Mathijs worked as a self-employed businessman and after that went into fulltime ministry as pastor of the Levend Evangelie Gemeente in Schiphol-Rijk. He was one of the founders of the church planted in 1980, which has grown from a small home group to one of the biggest churches in The Netherlands. Mathijs has also been involved in birthing many new movements in The Netherlands, such as: being one of the founders of the magazine Charisma Netherlands, planting a church in Namugongo, Uganda, and serving as president of Kana, an organization responsible for many big conferences. Besides his other responsibilities, Mathijs is involved in setting up projects geared to help children in need, including new projects to help orphans and street children in South Africa.
General Information South Africa
Country: Republic of South Africa
Capital city: Pretoria
Population: 44.8 million
There are 4 ethnical groups: Black: 77%; White: 10.4%; Coloured: 8.7% Asians: 2.5%
Unemployment: Average in 2003: 28.2%
Life expectancy: 48 years
Baby/child mortality rate: (0-4 years) 49 per 100
Problematic Areas:
- Apartheid: Although racial segregation has been politically put to an end, it is still very much alive both economically and socially. Due to years of oppression, resulting in arrears for a quarter of the population, it will be many years before equality for all will be a reality. It is apparent especially in the areas of health, education, employment, hygiene, food, and housing.
- Aids: Aids is a ‘hidden’ condition in South Africa. The victims keep silent through fear of rejection. 4.5 million of the 22 million people who have already died through Aids in South Africa were children. Aids has become the greatest threat for South Africa - the epidemic there is worse than in any other country on the African continent. According to statistics – 25% of the population between the ages of 15 and 45 years old are HIV positive. Presently, 250.000 people are dying each year as a result of Aids and the expectation is that this number will increase to 500.000 in 2008. The majority of victims are among the black population. Due to the fact that 75% of that group is poor and the infection percentage is twice as high as in other groups. Due to poverty, bad living conditions and because many of them suffer from TBC, the life expectancy for this group, after becoming infected by the aids virus, is only a few months. Every day 1000 people die after contracting the aids virus.
- Life expectancy: The prognosis is that life expectancy will fall to 40 years old within the next 5 years. Each month 250,000 children are infected by the aids virus.
Aids has long term consequences for the economy of the country, which will become more obvious in the ensuring years.
- Economy: The result of Aids is a higher mortality rate of prospective employees. The breadwinners, managers, production workers and other workers – the pillars of the community – are among the Aids victims. This has enormous consequences for the economy of the country. The cost of medical care increases while the economical productivity decreases. Aids is crushing the backbone of South Africa leaving it economically paralyzed.
The highest percentage of HIV positive victims is found the population group aged between 20 and 40 years old. This group should be the most economically active and parenting the coming generation. The macro-economical impact, which this has on the country, will only become apparent over a number of years. One thing is sure – the result will be increasing poverty.
The Situation for Children
During the UN convention over Children’s Rights, a number of basic points were highlighted as being essential for children universally: Each child should have the right to love and security, to food and medical care, to education, and to rest and relaxation.
If you take these basic rights as ‘standard,’ then most of the children living in the Townships (the communities where the blacks and the coloureds live) would fail the test.
Street children
One of the greatest problems arising from the street children living in the Townships is criminal activity. Which group of children does this affect?
- Orphans – many as the result of Aids
- Young children (3 – 4 years old) who are on the streets in the daytime because their mother works.
- Children living with other family members – who, due to poverty or other situations, are not adequately able to care for them.
Results:
- Forced into criminal activity in order to survive.
- High probability, especially for the girls, of exploitation in the sex industry.
- No chance for education / training.
- High risk of illness: TBS and Aids.
Current Be A HERO PROJECT: Construction of ‘Kids Hope’ Child Care Centre / Pre-School
Town:
Mossel Bay, South Africa
Project:
Multifunctional Care Centre / Pre-School
Goal
To create a safe environment for children aged 0-6 years old in which they can be cared for and educated with love and acceptance, thus preventing them from being left to fend for themselves on the streets, with all the related consequences.
Rationale
Due to desperate poverty, both mothers and fathers are forced to work in order to survive. As a result, children are taken care of by grandparents, who are often too old or too weak to be able to support them. Other children are sent out onto the street, which too often results in criminal behaviour (young children falling into the hands of drugs dealers, getting addicted to alcohol or glue sniffing or, especially the girls, being forced into prostitution). The biggest problems face the blacks and the coloureds – both groups, living in their own slum areas. There is discrimination between the two groups and between the different black groups. The present possibilities for Pre-schooling are insufficient and the few that do exist are in very poor condition. Our aim is to set up Pre-Schools/ Child Care Centres in five different slum areas of South Africa, each with accommodation for 200 children, starting in Mossel Bay. These child care centres will provide safety for the children; quality care; regular, nourishing meals; a head-start on education; and create opportunity for parents to focus on gainful employment thus enabling the family to escape the cycle of poverty.
Present Situation
An example of the desperation of the child-care situation can be seen at Newton Park, a poor coloured slum area which, like many other slum areas, lies far outside the city. In the town itself there are many other Pre-Schools – most of which are too expensive. The price charged for one child is around 400 Rand ($55 USD) while an average month’s salary is 1000 rand ($138 USD).
Mathijs Piet visited the Pre-School in Newton Park. It is a small brick building with iron window frames and a wooden door – measuring about 30 m2 (6 x 5 meters). There are 29 children there, while the official maximum number allowed in a room that size is only 8. When it is time to sleep, mats are put down on the floor and the children are cramped like matches in a matchbox. There is a toilet / shower and a small kitchen. There is no heating, so in the winter they stay huddled indoors. In the summer it is too hot for comfort both indoors and out. In addition, there is a long waiting list.
The woman leading this Pre-School sees it as her mission. She asks only a small payment of 100 Rand ($13 USD) for the food (3 meals) and diapers. This amount is insufficient for food alone for her and the 29 children – and there is nothing left over to buy pencils or toys. The building is her home. Every evening at 6:00pm she clears up and at 6:30pm she leaves for her own job as cleaner at a hotel until 10.00pm. The next morning she gets up early to get everything ready for the next day. On weekends she works another job. Because of this Pre-School, 29 mothers are able to work and so help their family to survive. Knowing this is what keeps her going. The church pays for her water, electricity and buys toys and other necessities. There is also an assistant helping her who also works every evening and weekend in order to pay for her own expenses.
The children that attend this Pre-school are the lucky ones – at least they are not left to spend their days wandering the streets with no care, safety or guidance.
Be A HERO Proposed Project
Land - Two plots of land measuring 4500 M2 have already been purchased from the government of South Africa for this project located in the slum area of Mossel Bay. The whole plot will be surrounded by iron fencing with an entrance gate.
Campus - Built in an L shape, the gated campus will have 12 classrooms, a large dining hall and kitchen area, two playgrounds, boy's and girl's washrooms, a central courtyard, and an administration office.
Multi- Purpose - The main school building will be designed and built to have a multifunctional character so, if necessary, it can also be used for other purposes. Solid and functional are the key words.
Key Objective - The Child Care/Pre-school will provide daily care for 200 street children who will receive at least two meals each day in a safe, loving environment. In addition to caring for their basic needs, and teaching an approved pre-school curriculum, there will be priority given to other aspects of their upbringing, teaching them, from a young age, moral standards and values which will have influence on every aspect of their future life. This early intervention program will improve the abysmal child mortality rate, presently at 49 out of every 100 children ages 0 – 4 years old.
Target Group - The target group is children aged 0 - 6 years old.
Operating Costs Cost per center
| Manager 1 person |
@ 2,500.00 per year |
$ 2,500.00 |
| Staff 12 people |
@ 1,500.00 per year |
$18,000.00 |
| Office 2 people |
@ 1,500.00 per year |
$ 3,000.00 |
| School and play- supplies 200 kids |
@ 50.00 per year |
$ 10,000.00 |
| Food for 200 kids |
@ 200.00 per year |
$ 20,000.00 |
| Total sum |
|
$ 53,500.00 |
Funding Strategy for Operating Costs (Sponsorship):
| Sponsored manager (1 sponsor) |
2,500.00 per year |
$ 2,500.00 |
| Sponsored member of staff (14 sp) |
1,500.00 per year |
$ 21,000.00 |
| Sponsored school/play costs (20 sp) |
500.00 per year |
$10,000.00 |
| Sponsored food (20 sponsors) |
1,000.00 per year |
$ 20,000.00 |
| Total through sponsoring |
|
$ 53,500.00 |
Alternate strategy: sponsorship for 200 children @$23.00 per month = $55,200.00
*Detailed blueprints and the site plan, as well as legal documents stating the ownership and terms of the land, although not included with this proposal, are available to view upon request.
Budget - Pre-School/ Child Care Centre Project
Investment Already Committed
- Research and Planning
- Purchasing of land (4500 M2)
- Architect fees
- Permits
- Fencing
Total cost on items already complete: $91,246.30 USD
Funding already invested by: Kinderhulp Afrika/Children’s Welfare Mission, and donation by the Mossel Bay Municipality.
Funding commitments still required in USD
| Buildings - 12 classrooms, washrooms, office: |
$308,057.00 |
| Kitchen and dining hall |
$ 31,464.00 |
| Pavement and playground equipment |
$ 15,732.00 |
| Furnishing classrooms |
$ 37,757.00 |
| Educational equipment and playing materials: |
$ 15,732.00 |
| Subtotal costs of the project: |
$408,742.00 |
| Unforeseen, inflation, differences in rate of exchange (10 % of the subtotal costs) |
$ 40,874.00 |
| Total Investment Required |
$ 449,616.00 |
Capital Costs Funding Strategy:
| Total Investment |
|
$ 450,000.00 USD |
| Funding from a “Be a HERO” donor |
$ 170,000.00 |
|
| NCDO (Dutch government) (doubles the raised amount) |
$ 170,000.00 |
|
| Donation from Wild Goose (a private foundation) |
$ 110,000.00 |
|
| Total sum |
$ 450,000.00 |
$ 450,000.00 USD |
Summary: A donation from a Be A HERO donor of $170,000.00 USD will enable this $450,000.00 project to be built, and 200 children per year to be cared for. The operating costs will be covered by a child sponsorship program.
100% of all funds donated for this project will be applied directly to the project. Be A HERO does not keep anything for administration. Be A HERO is able to do this because the Hero Partnership and Pillar Program participants designate their donations specifically for administration. If you would like to invest in this project, we accept donations by cheque or by credit card. Click here to donate.
You will be sent a receipt for income tax purposes early in the following year.
