Last year was an exciting year with lots of accomplishments! To learn more about some of the excitement in 2010 and see how you can help us to continue to grow in 2011, please read more…

January 2011

Let us join hands to change the future of our children – We need your help!

The Villa of Hope as a social upliftment and development initiative has as its focal area the provision of superior care to those children who have been orphaned or require alternative care due to abuse, neglect, abandonment and children that are affected or infected by HIV and AIDS or other ill circumstances.

We are presently providing shelter for children between the ages of 1 and 18 years of age. These children were placed by organizations such as Child line, CPU, SAP and Child welfare Dept.

Vision

We aim to reduce child abuse and neglect within our surrounding communities by promoting family values.

Mission

To provide superior care to children who have been orphaned or require alternative care due to abuse, neglect, abandonment and children that have been affected or infected by HIV & AIDS or other ill circumstances, thus creating a loving and attentive environment that will allow children to develop as well balanced and wholesome individuals, who are capable of a worthy contribution to society. Our primary objective is to take care of children, from birth to18 years of age: Spiritually: -Physically: -Emotionally: -Psychologically: -Financially:

A peek at 2010

We now have 24/7 Security

Our logo had a facelift.

A website has been donated to us.

Our care-givers completed training

Four homes have been repaired, painted and furnished

Edu-care facility upgraded

Children’s library is complete. (Additional books will be appreciated)

Learning centre is complete. (We require learning – software and People to assist with hardware support)

Social Service Offices are furnished.(We require lockable filing draw cabinets)

The sports facilities; as well as a playground area for the little ones; has been completed.(We require assistance to maintain this space viz marking machine & chalk for the field – Cut the grass on a monthly basis)

A home for ex-matric pupils on an independent living ‘exit programme’ has been implemented. (Sponsors are required)

Short to medium term plan

Since there is a dire need for children to be taken care of in Gauteng, the Dept of Social Services has recommended that we get all our houses repaired and habitable to accommodate a minimum of 72 children for 2011. The property requires maintenance and is currently semi-functional; five homes are presently providing shelter for 30 children between the ages of 1 and 18 years of age. An additional 5 homes are being used as offices, edu-care, learning centre, library and social services office. Vacant sections of the property have been earmarked for the development and construction of recreational facilities, a hall needs to be built on the premises, where we can assemble up to 500 people at any given time for folks from the community to gather for seminars to create awareness and address the different ills in our society. It is our aim to establish community gardens and crop production - Expertise are required to assist with hydroponics farming and veggie gardens; sponsors for these are required.

Our focus this year is to implement additional programmes to empower our children viz. education & skills development, therapeutic, health and sport & recreation.

Our property also boasts an Olympic size swimming pool that is in need of repair.

The intention is to have individuals and companies repair the houses and brand them. It is also our intention is to have the homes furnished by individuals and companies as well as perhaps maintain them.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Volunteer Work –

• Tutoring our school children  with Maths, Maths Literacy & Accountancy etc
• Assisting with projects & assignments
• Life skill programmes viz. etiquette, career guidance, peer group programmes etc
• Recreational activities Coordinator – soccer, basketball, fishing trips, etc
• Our children need assistance to develop their interests ie dance, chess, etc
• Cleaning the grounds, painting the houses & fences, odd jobs

Donations & Sponsorships – (Any and Everything…..Every little bit helps)

• Referrals – (Tell your friends, colleagues & family about us)
• Fund Raising Project/s – (Please contact Mrs. Wentworth on 084 319 4489)
• Holiday Parents – (You’re invited to a screening processes to enjoy a child over the school holiday  period or just for a week end in your own home)

Support a Child –

• School and other clothing
• School stationery
• Excursions
• Purchase goods to develop the child’s interests
• Food, fruit & dairy products
• Toiletries
• Children’s hair cuts

Our urgent & immediate needs – Wish List

• Due to the loads of rain & floods, we have discovered that many houses roofs are in need of waterproofing
• 20 – 25 Seater mini-bus, transportation for our children. (You may brand)
• Assistance with pest control on a monthly / bi-monthly basis
• Volunteers to assist our children with school work, assignments & encourage them.
• Volunteers needed for our One on One mentorship programme.
• Volunteers needed for little odd jobs & maintenance at the different homes.
• Volunteers to cut grass on the premises.
• Volunteers to implement different specialised programmes
• Summer & winter school clothing, school bags & stationery
• Full time qualified social worker must be employed – a consistent monthly contribution is required
• Furniture & appliances for additional homes.
• Grand stands for the soccer/rugby/netball field. We would like to host games between schools in the community for play on neutral ground.
• Repairs to fence within the complex.
• New concrete wall for 1 side boundary for security reasons.
• Repairs to our swimming pools.
• Tools to maintain our complex.
• Linen, curtains, crockery, cutlery. etc
• 4 double bunk & 6 single beds for children to sleep on
• Wood boards to make wall to wall cupboards for storage & mend children’s wardrobes
• Any  furniture and lots of steel bar to prevent vandalism & secure the houses
• A large lawn mower tractor to keep the property neat & alleviate snakes & rats
• Library books for our children read & to do research for school assignments
• Expertise are required to assist with hydroponics farming and veggie gardens
• A hall needs to be built on the premises, where we can assemble up to 500 people at any given time for folks from the community to gather; seminars to create awareness to the different ills in our society.

We are 100% BBBEE organisation – Please visit our website: www.villaofhope.co.za

We have set ourselves monthly milestones to accomplish, kindly contact us and visit periodically to bear witness to our progress, as we cannot do anything without your assistance.

Thanks in advance for your generous assistance; together we could make a difference in our society!

Mrs. Zorina Wentworth

084 319 4489