Thank you for the opportunity to reach my dreams
Westbury is a complicated suburb in the west of Johannesburg, that can be described as the epicenter of gangsterism and a “no-go” area when a drug war breaks out. Abraham Kriel Bambanani (AKB) has served in the community of Westbury for 17 years. Although we have had a few challenges in the area, we are proud to say that we have made an impact on the lives of many children and their families. With the help of donors and dedicated staff, we were able to open doors of opportunity for many children.
Nineteen-year-old Bernice (not her real name) a Westbury native, like many other beneficiaries, found refuge at the Abraham Kriel Bambanani Westbury offices. She has been with AKB since she was in Grade 2. She lost her mother at the age of 10 and has lived with her aunt and uncle since. With the support of her family and the AKB staff, she has been able to heal, make it through some of life’s challenges and joys and reach her full potential academically.
Bernice has always been one of the beneficiaries that actively participated in programme initiatives and made sure that she used the opportunities made available to her. Through hard work and sheer determination, this young lady matriculated in 2021 and is currently a second-year student at the University of Witwatersrand. She is studying towards a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree.
“Studying is such a pleasant experience for me. I’m coping with all the study material and I’m doing quite well. I’m grateful to Abraham Kriel and all the people who make it possible for me to be here. I know my family wouldn’t have been able to afford to further my studies. This opportunity means that I will be able to fulfill my dream of buying a house, a car and look after my family after graduating”, says Bernice.
Bernice and many others like her, have made us very proud of the work we do. It was our Westbury Programme that was impacted the most when the Department of Social Development announced funding cuts to non-governmental welfare organisations (NGOs) in 2023. “We were forced to provide our services differently. Our Westbury office moved to the Langlaagte head office and we can only provide basic services. We are saddened by the fact that we had to reduce the number of beneficiaries in our programme.” – Virginia Mutana – Social Worker: Westbury Care Services. Read statement here
Virginia Mutana went on to say that there are many children like Bernice, who will not be reached and who will not have a success story to tell. We hope and pray that we will be able to do more in the Westbury community in future and that we will have more success stories to tell.
AKB is grateful to the donors who have stuck with us through the good and bad times. If it were not for you, many more children would find themselves in undesirable situations. THANK YOU!
Dankie vir die geleentheid om my drome te bewaarheid
Westbury is ‘n ingewikkelde woonbuurt in die weste van Johannesburg, wat beskryf kan word as die episentrum van bendegeweld en ‘n area om liefs te vermy wanneer ‘n dwelmoorlog uitbreek. Abraham Kriel Bambanani (AKB) dien al 17 jaar in die gemeenskap van Westbury. Alhoewel ons ‘n paar uitdagings in die omgewing gehad het, is ons trots om te sê dat ons ‘n impak op die lewens van baie kinders en hul gesinne gemaak het.
Die negentienjarige Bernice (skuilnaam) is ‘n boorling van Westbury en het soos baie ander begunstigdes versorging en ondersteuning by die Abraham Kriel Bambanani Westbury-kantore gevind. Sy is al deel van AKB vandat sy in graad 2 was en woon sedertien die afsterwe van haar mamma bykans 10 jaar gelede by haar oom en tante.
Bernice was een van die begunstigdes wat aktief aan program-inisiatiewe deelgeneem het. Sy het elke geleentheid wat aan haar gebied is, gebruik. Deur harde werk en vasberadenheid matrikuleer sy in 2021 en is tans ‘n tweedejaarstudent aan die Universiteit van Witwatersrand. Sy studeer vir ‘n Baccalaureusgraad in Opvoedkunde (B.Ed.).
Bernice sê: “Om te studeer is vir my so ‘n aangename ervaring. Ek bemeester al die studiemateriaal en dit gaan goed met my. Ek is dankbaar vir Abraham Kriel Bambanani en al die mense wat dit vir my moontlik maak om hier te wees. Ek weet my gesin sou dit nie kon bekostig om my verder te laat studeer nie. Hierdie geleentheid beteken dat ek my droom sal kan bewaarheid om ‘n huis en’n motor te koop en na my gesin om te sien”.
Bernice en baie ander soos sy, maak ons baie trots op die werk wat ons in die Westbury gemeenskap doen. Dit was juis die Westbury programme wat die ergste geraak is deur die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling se aankondiging in 2023 dat befondsing aan nie regeringswelsynsorganisasies (NROs) gesny word. “Ons moes kantore skuif,dienste afskaal en personeel afdank. Wat ons egter die hartseerste maak is dat ons die aantal kinders wat in die program versorg kan word moes verminder” – Virginia Mutana – Maatskaplike werker: Westbury. Lees verklaring hier
Virginia Mutana her verder gese dat daar baie kinders soos Bernice is, wat weens besnoeiing, nie bereik kan word nie en ook nooit deel van ‘n suksesverhaal sal wees nie. Ons kan maar net hoop en bly glo dat ons weer eendag ‘n groter impak op die gemeenskap van Westbury sal kan maak.
Ons is dankbaar vir die donateurs wat ons deur die goeie en slegte tye bygestaan het. As dit nie vir hulle was nie, het baie meer kinders hulself in ongewenste situasies bevind. DANKIE!