A safe place for children in need
Abraham Kriel Bambanani is a place where children can feel safe, loved and cared for, not just by the staff, but by people who donate, volunteer and spend time with them. YOUR contribution to the development of the children in our care is pivotal and has an impact on the kind of adults they become.
Below are the stories of some beneficiaries who have benefited from your generosity and kindness.
Leon*
Leon is a completely different to the child we first met at age 12. He was described as “emotionally unsafe”. Leon comes from a home where he suffered neglect, abuse, rejection and loss. At a tender age he already had to play the role of parent. He gave in to peer pressure easily, was always angry, hated school and would make himself vomit when given food.
“Today, at age 18, Leon is on prescribed medication and regularly sees a therapist. He appears very positive and shows interest in his school work and other recreational activities. Leon now has a fair chance of achieving his potential. It took a great deal of intervention”, says Krystle Swartz, Leon’s social worker.
Tholakele*
When Tholakele received a call from Boston City Campus and Business College, she could not believe it. She had just completed a three month course at the Emdeni Skills Centre and was worried about her future. The call notified her that the college accepted her and would give her a bursary. She knew this opportunity would change her life.
Tholakele is from Zola and has been living with an abusive aunt and cousin since her parents and grandmother passed away. She was nearly raped by her cousin and was blamed for the incident. The abuse usually intensified mid-month when her grant money had run out. By the time the abuse was identified, it was too late for her to be removed from her aunt’s house, as she was about to turn 18.
Regardless of the abuse, Tholakele was grateful that her aunt registered her twin brother and herself at AKB’s Soweto Family Care. There she found social workers she was able to talk to; people who encouraged her to stay strong and keep her head up. Says Tholakele, “I’m grateful to the social workers that have been assigned to my family and to all the donors that have opened the doors of opportunity, not just for me, but for the other kids as well”.
The Malgas kids*
Antonio (8), Sheree (10), Tasneem (11) and Lenae (12) Malgas have been a part of Abraham Kriel Bambanani’s Westbury Family Care for two years now.
Earlier this year they lost both their grandmothers and their father within the space of a month. This was a huge blow for the children. Their mother had passed away long ago already. The children are receiving counseling to help them cope and stay in school. As an organisation and with access to resources made possible by your support, Abraham Kriel could guide and monitor the process of appointing a guardian from the family for the children.
We know that with YOUR help, we will be able to continue providing the Malgas children with the care they need and meet their material needs.
Dear donor, we know that, with YOUR support, Leon, Tholakele and the Malgas children will have a future filled with possibility and purpose beyond their imagination. What you have done and continue to do for these boys and girls is selfless and gives us and the children in our care, hope that they will have a place in the world. Thank you!
*All names of the children and youth were changed to protect their privacy.
‘n Plek waar kinders kan veilig wees
Abraham Kriel Bambanani is so ‘n plek. Hier kan kinders veilig voel. Hier kry hulle versorging en liefde, nie net van personeel nie, maar ook van die mense wat bydra tot hulle versorging en vrywilligers wat tyd met hulle spandeer. U bydraes tot die ontwikkeling van die kinders bepaal in watter soort grootmense hulle gaan ontwikkel.
Sien drie stories van jongmense wat voordeel getrek het uit julle bydraes en meelewendheid.
Leon*
Leon is vandag ‘n geheel ander kind as die outjie wat ons teëgekom het met sy toelating as twaalfjarige. Hy is beskryf as ‘emosioneel onveilig’. Leon kom uit ‘n huis waar hy blootgestel is aan verwaarlosing, misbruik, verwerping en verlies. Op ‘n baie jong ouderdom moes hy reeds die rol van ouer in die gesin vertolk. Hy kon groepsdruk glad nie hanteer nie en was altyd kwaad en het skool gehaat. Hy het himself maak opgooi na hy ge-eet het.
“Leon is vandag, op 18-jarige ouderdom, op voorgeskrewe medikasie en hy sien sy terapeut gereëld. Hy tree positief op en toon belangstelling in sy skoolwerk en ontspanningsaktiwiteite. Leon se vooruitsigte om sy potensiaal te bereik lyk veel beter. Hy het gevorder tot die punt na vele intervensies”, vertel Krystle Swartz, Leon se maatskaplike werker.
Tholakele*
Tholakele kon haar ore nie glo toe sy ‘n oproep kry van die ‘Boston City’ Kampus en Besigheids-kollege nie. Sy het pas ‘n kursus van drie maande by die ‘Emdeni Skills Centre’ voltooi en was bekommerd oor haar toekoms. Die oproep het bevestig dat sy aanvaar is by die kollege en dat sy ‘n beurs sou ontvang. Sy het besef dat dit ‘n geleentheid is wat haar lewe kon verander.
Sedert beide Tholakele se ouers en haar ouma oorlede is woon sy in Zola en is sy oorgelaat aan die genade van ‘n tante en neef wat haar mishandel. Sy is byna verkrag deur die neef, maar is geblameer vir die insident. Gewoonlik het die mishandeling toegeneem in die middel van die maand wanneer haar toelaag van die staat opgebruik is en haar tante meer geld nodig gehad het. Die mishandeling is ongelukkig ge-identifiseer toe sy te oud was om haar te verwyder uit die tante se sorg.
Tholakele is nogtans dankbaar dat haar tante haar en haar boetie geregistreer het by at AKB se ‘Soweto Family Care’ program. Daar het sy maatskaplike werkers gevind wat na haar geluister het en wat haar aangemoedig het on sterk te bly en haar kop hoog te hou. Sy vertel: “Ek is baie dankbaar vir die maatskaplike werkers wat na ons omgesien het, asook al die donateurs wat geleenthede vir ons oopgemaak het. Almal in die program het voordeel getrek.”
The Malgas kinders*
Antonio (8), Sheree (10), Tasneem (11) en Lenae (12) Malgas word vir die afgelope twee jaar versorg deur Abraham Kriel Bambanani se ‘Westbury Family Care’ program.
Vroeër vanjaar het hulle beide oumas en hulle vader, binne ‘n maand, aan die dood moes afstaan. Dit was ‘n geweldige slag vir die kinders. Hulle mamma is jare gelede al oorlede. Die kinders ontvang berading om die verlies te help verwerk en om hulle te motiveer om met hulle skoolopleiding voort te gaan
Met die bronne wat Abraham Kriel Bambanani tot sy beskikking het a.g.v julle steun, was ons daartoe in staat om die proses om ‘n nuwe voog uit die familie vir die kinders aan te stel, te lei en te monitor.
Ons weet dat ons die Malgas kinders steeds sal kan help met versorging en materiele behoeftes want U help daarmee.
Beste donateur, ons weet dat u hulp vir Leon, Tholakele en die Malgas kinders ‘n toekoms daar stel met meer moontlikhede en betekenis as wat hulle ooit kon droom. Wat u gedoen het en steeds doen is onbaatsugtig en gee vir die kinders die versekering van hulle plek in die wêreld.
Dankie!
*Alle name van kinders en jongmense is verander om hulle privaatheid te beskerm.