Life saver!

Let me tell you one thing about working for charity – it is beyond challenging! You have to make budgets meet with no funding, you have to help people without having the resources and saying NO to anyone in need is not remotely an option. Well, what makes up for all those challenges are the moments when you discover the greatness of a kind and good heart. When amazing people appear from nowhere ready to save your day!

Last week it was the Welgemoed Community who came together to help four abused children. Today it was Pieter (Cape Garden Centre) who came to the rescue. Mr Price Kids Store in Canal Walk donated more than R 70 000 worth of goods to MAB. When we arrived there (with our little vehicles), we realised how much you can buy for R 70 000! We were stuck with no storage space and a without any means to move the goods! But it took one phone call and Pieter, not only offered one of his trucks, but also warehouse space!

A very special thank you to Pieter and his staff for making our day!

Monique Strydom

Giant green ribbons hit Wynberg!

Photo supplied by : Die Burger

MAB WC was privileged to attend the first of many “Go Green for our children” ceremonies in the Western Cape. Primary school, Simon Van Der Stel (Wynberg) was the first school to host a special ceremony in celebration of child protection week. This was followed by the tying of giant green ribbons around trees as a visual reminder of our children at risk and our responsibility to protect all children.

We would like to thank Mr Jacques Pratt, staff and children of Simon Van Der Stel Primary School for taking part, the media who covered the event and the Child Protection Unit Steenberg for your valuable contribution.

Help! We need offices or storage facilities

MAB WC urgently needs storage space (or new offices) for all the fantastic donations we are receiving. If you have an office or space in Belville/Durbanville area, please contact us on matlawc@mweb.co.za.

Wear a green ribbon this week!

In SOUTH AFRICA a green ribbon represents the hidden bruises and scars which are carried by abused children for a lifetime. We would like to encourage all South Africans to wear a green ribbon this week to celebrate Child Protection week.

By wearing a green ribbon we hope:

• to create awareness of the high incidence of child abuse in our communities
• to make the community, all parents, child educators and carers aware of child abuse that may be taking place in their own environments.
• to encourage them to familiarise themselves with the signs of abuse and the steps they should take in those circumstances, where to go to report the crime and where to go for help.

Abused children need our love, care and support.
We, as a nation, need to unite behind them to
SAY NO TO CHILD ABUSE
SAY YES TO CHILD PROTECTION!

Thank you Welgemoed Community!

On Friday, 22 May 2009, MAB WC received a request from Delft Child Protection Unit to assist with securing food and clothing for four children who were removed from a dangerous situation. These children had no clothing and the place of safety not enough food to feed them. An email was sent out to a small group of indivuduals in the Welgemoed Community and within hours, bags of food and clothing were delivered to our office.
We would like to thank all these individuals for caring and making a difference where it is most needed!

Child Protection Week – Art Workshop for Child Protectors

CREATIVE COPS!!!

MAB Gauteng kicked off Child Protection Week by hosting a relaxing art workshop for nine senior members of the Child Protection Units and community sponsors. Although the aim of the workshop was to enhance creative thinking, this breakaway session also motivated and inspired the members.
We would like to thank the sponsors of the day – Alice Art Gallery, The Green Bean Roastery, President Hyper.

Do men care about rape?

It has been a week since we have posted the interview with the mother of the baby who was raped. Many people were told about this video. Our statistics however show that only women subscribers have watched this interview. That brings us to a really serious question. (The same question Charlize Theron asked in a TV campaign many years ago, and got many men highly upset!). Do men care about women and children getting raped? One would think so, especially seeing that in most of the cases the perpetrator is male. Even more the alamring fact that in 80% of cases the rapist is known to the victim. We have decided to run a poll to get your views on this issue.

So share your views by taking part in our poll at the bottom of this blogspot.

To view the interview, click on the link in the right hand column.

Delft Baby Rape

A 16 month baby was raped recently. A mother tells her story....

To watch this video, click on the link list.

Welcome

We would like to welcome Lerato to the Matla a Bana staff!
Lerato will be assisting Ingrid and you will see (and hear!) a lot of her in the future..

GAUTENG INCENTIVE AWARDS

Photo : Commissioner Taioe, Kotie Geldenhuys and Lizel Van Eeden

MAB would like to congratulate the MAB Gauteng Incentive winners April - Nov 2009). These are the SAPS FCS members who has gone beyond duty to help our children.

Top FCS members:

Constable Langa (1st) , Inspector Manthata (2nd), Constable Molapo (3rd)

Outstanding Achievement Award:

Inspector Motloutsi. Sergeant Nkosi

Best Station Commissioner:

Commissioner Maphanga (Moroka)

Best FCS Commander:

Captain Pillay (Vereening)

Best FCS Unit:

Vereeniging FCS
Special Recognition award :

Ms Kotie Geldenhuys (Servamus magazine) and Gert Jonker (Bethany House Trust)

Thank you to all our sponsors for your continued support (read more about this in our newsletter coming out soon!