Welcome Ayema

We welcome little Ayema into our home. He is a 4-year old and struggles with brain damage, but he is a good baby boy and never cries, sleeping well. Ayema was placed in our safekeeping since last week; he has a father who loves him very much but needs to work and cannot care for him full time. We have been asked if we can keep him more permanently as the nearest institution will be in Port Elizabeth, but this awaits for the courts to decide the best outcome.

In the meantime we try to make Ayema comfortable and enjoy having him as part of our growing family. Care of him is a full-time job which as always requires extra time and cost out of our already stretched resources. We are happy to take on this challenge, but if anyone would like to sponsor the care of Ayema directly while he stays with us it would be greatly appreciated, every little helps. Please contact us if you are interested in supporting this wish.

Our Supporters

We were very happy to receive a visit from Francke Ferreira, winner of Eastern Cape's Miss Summer Heat pageant. Francke came bearing gifts for the children and donations which she tirelessly collected through fundraising activities. She brought her us her warmth to the house and the children were so pleased to meet here as you can see below. We cannot thank you enough Francke...

We are also grateful to our friends over in the UK. Recent volunteers Mark and Marlin, plus friends and family (Rob, Paul and Brian), undertook a big sponsored challenge to climb the three highest mountains in the UK (Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales), all in the space of 24 hours. Their hard work paid off, completing it in 23 hours and 38 minutes, and as a result raising over £3000 for the Emmanuel home. We thank everyone who showed kindness in sponsoring the boys, there are too many good names to mention but recognise their contribution. Well done and thank you for giving more hope to our children!

Recent News Articles

Some recent articles which have appeared on the www.health-e.org.za website which reference ECH and one of our children Daniel...

Young and addicted

22.09.2010

While most children in Middelburg don’t have the luxury of living in a safe home, hundreds of their lives are defined by the alcohol and drugs that are crippling this 44,000-person community.

It’s not just the parents who are abusing. Intoxication has become a family affair, with children as young as nine years old becoming addicted to alcohol, dagga and glue-sniffing. In fact, an estimated 400 kids here spend most of their young lives on the streets, doing drugs, drinking, committing petty crimes and assaults, according to conversations with locals, teachers and children’s home owners. Many have learned from their parents.

“Sometimes you go to shebeens and taverns and find the whole family there,” said a resident and board member of the Emmanuel Children’s Home where Daniel lives, who asked not to be named for fear of alienating his community members.

“The mother sitting there, the father and children would also be there and I would ask myself what they eat at that time. The kids grow up knowing that what is happening is the right thing whereas it is not a good thing at all.”

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20032939

Substance abuse blamed for children’s woes
20.09.2010

Health-e News Service visited Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, and saw how children suffer and are forced to fend for themselves as their parents live under the spell of alcohol abuse.

It’s in the middle of the day in Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, long before school is out. Children of school-going age are roaming the dusty streets of the small town. If one didn’t know better they could easily pass off as street kids. They approach each car as it stops at the robot, begging for food or a coin. Their chapped lips and dry faces bear evidence of their hunger. They make their way to the Emmanuel Children’s Home where they will be given lunch.

After a short prayer the children dig into their meal - samp and freshly slaughtered meat. This is where many of the neglected children living in Middelburg go to get some food. The Emmaunel Children’s Home has been in existence for just over a year, providing food for many of these children.

According to the founder of the home, Carol Deysel, the children come from broken homes, where alcohol is the order of the day. Parents subsequently neglect their children.

“I would say the main thing in this town is poverty, which leads them to drink alcohol. Most of our kids here in the home are born with foetal alcohol syndrome. They can’t really progress at school as well. The little ones we have at the moment… they can’t talk and that’s all because of alcohol”, says Deysel.

The nearby townships, Lusaka and Midros, are also riddled with poverty. Unemployment is rife and so is the use of alcohol. Many of the children don’t attend school. They spend every day of their lives wandering the streets begging for food.

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.health-e.org.za/news/article.php?uid=20032904

Little Lebu

At ECH there is always hope, but we have sad news that doctors are of the opinion that little Lebu is in the final stages of terminal illness. Lebu is 7 years old and disabled; life has been a real struggle for her and we can only be grateful that she's finally in our home to find some comfort and get some full-time care, for however long that may be. We want to help her so much. Carol and the team are doing a fantastic job so far working round the clock but as always they need to resources to care properly for Lebu, as well as the rest of the children who live at ECH.

Updated: Lebu is now being cared for, along with her sister, by an auntie. We really hope she is comfortable and continues to receive treatment for her conditions.

Click on the photo to enlarge it

Welcome Daniel and Illa

Welcome to latest pair of volunteers, Daniel and Illa from Germany. We are so grateful for their help and we know the children are really benefiting from them being here. There's already some big smiles in the house, especially from some of our smallest children.

Click on the image to see it bigger:

Recent Photos

New arrivals, birthdays, first time trips and smiles...

Valued Support

We are overdue giving thanks to our kind benefactors - we cannot fully express our gratitude for supporting us and most importantly the children.

Belated thanks for Candice and Sylvia Currie and suppliers for the children's xmas presents

Volunteers Chris and Lucy from back in December, and also both their parents

Volunteer Gen from Canada

Continued support from the girls at VNG

Woord & Lewe Church from Sunward Park, Johannesburg

Kobus van Straaten from Middelburg

Shona Thompson in Scotland

Pastor and Ms Oboyo in Ireland

Anonymous donor through the NG Church in Middelburg

Thandi, our board member who commits herself to helping this home

Volunteers Mandy and Anja, their friends and family

Louise and Des Gudzeit

Nehemiah ministries

Eunice Pruis from Australia

Dieter Bucher

Special thanks to Henning Kroemer and the Leo Club Wuppertal in Germany

New Photos

We have some new photos that have been shared by recent volunteers. We would like to thank Chris and Lucy (from UK) and Gen (from Canada) who have volunteered their time and effort to help with the running and improvement of the home - all their help is truly appreciated. Included in the photos is the new chicken coop that was funded and built by Chris and Lucy, so the home now has a great supply of freshly-laid free-range eggs!

In recent months we've had some new children come into our care (Thuso and young brothers Ashley and Hendrico) and we are delighted to have them as part of our family.

Volunteering

We always in need of help from volunteers and are very grateful for their assistance, time and effort. Below is some information which help explains about volunteering at the home...

Background
Emmanuel Children's Home resides in the town of Middelburg, halfway between Johannesburg and Cape Town in the province of Eastern Cape. Currently we have 18 children who are fostered with us due to no other suitable home being found for them. These children have been neglected, abused or orphaned and the house has been the only real home some of them have known for the last 5 years. You'll be coming to us in a critical period since the home has been re-registered with the Department of Social Development (DOSD) and aiming to care for up to 25 children (at any one time) who have been abused, abandoned or orphaned. There is a lot of community support to keep the children's home in Middelberg given the important service it provides for vulnerable children in this region.

Volunteer's Role
The children's home is currently operating under uncertain circumstances - great strides are being made to ensure it's bright future, but given that the home currently gets no government funding, in this interim period there will be a desperate need for private donations to keep it running from day-to-day. On top of the most important task: caring for the children on a day-to-day basis, there is also a lot of work to improve the home's facilities and environment. As a volunteer you should be prepared to pitch in with whatever tasks and activities are asked of you - this will likely include opportunities to work on the care, supervision and stimulation of the children, but also mean helping with practical tasks such as maintenance and renovation of the home, helping with cooking, cleaning and laundry, and office administration and general errands where needed. The bottom line is that we're looking for volunteers who are flexible, hard-working, positive and very friendly!

You will receive a briefing on arrival and an orientation from the Children's Home Manager who will explain what your volunteer role will entail. We can also discuss before your arrival what particular skills and interests you have (e.g. study help, social work, sports, arts etc.).

You will be working in a challenging environment, but the work is rewarding and your efforts will be contributing to a brighter future for this children's home and the vulnerable children of Middelburg.

Facilities
We have volunteer room that currently holds two volunteers at one time, with access to a bathroom with hot water showers. It is not big or great by western standards, but it is clean and neat. It is located in main building of the children's home.

You can eat the same meals that are given to the children, which are wholesome and nutritious. This is not a vegetarian diet so if you are vegetarian you have to buy and prepare you own meals. Volunteers can buy food from the local supermarkets and cook this in the kitchen outside of normal meal preparation times if they prefer.

Laundry can be done for free in our laundry room where we have a washing machine.

Please be aware that Middelberg is a small town, quite far from any major city. It has well stocked supermarkets and shops and there is basic access to internet. In your free time you should be prepared for a 'quiet life', although there things to enjoy if you like exploring the natural surrounding or getting involved in the local community life and cultures.

Requirements
To apply to volunteer with Emmanuel Children's Home we require you to fill out a volunteer application form, as well as forward on a police clearance certificate from your country of residence (to show no criminal convictions) and two letters of recommendation - we require this for every volunteer.

The application form can be viewed and copied by clicking here.

In your application form you should start what dates you would prefer to stay and work at the home. We normally ask that volunteers stay for a minimum of 3 weeks as this gives you time to bond with the children. There is no maximum length of stay within reason.

The reference letters should be a brief recommendation of your character from someone in a professional position if possible (e.g teacher, principal, manager).

Your transport to and from Middelberg is at your own expense.

Fees
Volunteers are asked to pay a fee of 300 euros (or its currency equivalent: UK£250, US$390) prior to arrival or on it. This can be a donation or something you fundraise. The fee is the same no matter how long you intend to stay -  any length of time between 3 weeks and 3 month. We are extremely grateful for the time and effort volunteers give to the home and the children, but we also need financial assistance and volunteers to demonstrate a tangible commitment to helping the organisation. By paying this fee you are helping to secure the home's continuing existence and help cover the essentials of caring for the children. If you are very eager to volunteer but can afford these fees will review applications on a case-by-case basis to give you every opportunity to assist us.

Travel
It is best to fly either to Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein or Johannesburg and get the Translux, SA Roadlink, or Intercape bus (reliable daily coach services) from there to Middelburg (Eastern Cape, not to be confused with the Middelberg in Mpumalanga). The easiest way to check bus times and book tickets is on the Computicket website, link here.We will collect you in Middelburg from the bus drop-off point. Buses coming from Port Elizabeth normally arrive at 11pm and buses coming from Johannesberg (the opposite direction) normally arrive at 1:30am.

Should you require any other information, please do not hesitate to contact us at emm.volunteer@gmail.com with your questions.

UK Charity Partner

There is positive news for Emmanuel Children's Home now that it is affiliated with the UK charity Hope for Children (Helping Orphaned, Poor and Exploited children all over the world). We thank them for assisting the home by extending their support to us and hope this will be a long and fruitful partnership.

They have very similar values to ECH: "We are a low-cost and no frills charity and are proud to say that 100% of public donations go directly to cause for which it was donated. We manage to keep our costs low thanks to our volunteers. We work with grass roots projects around the world and we aim to catch those who cannot get aid, support or assistance elsewhere. We really do offer hope to those who need it the most."

Their project page for ECH is here, where the link to donate can be found. UK residents can make one-off donations through this channel, as well are regular direct debits. All funds are audited and they are able to claim Gift Aid on any UK taxpayer's donations which increases the value of the gift.