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Gauteng gets another room

With the financial help from Old Mutual Foundation, MAB could implement a child-friendly room at the Benoni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences SAPS unit. This was long due and we would like to thank Old Mutual for the continued assistance.

Bellville Court therapy room done!

MAB this week completed the work at Bellville court and the therapy room. The initial work was started by Absa volunteers and yesterday MAB staff added the final touches. This is part of the MAB trauma project, sponsored by Grand West Casino, Dischem Foundation and Interkaap.

From afar we get help

It is so great to get a phone call and be informed that someone from very far has heard about a project and would like to help. Karen, who is here all the way from Australia to work as a volunteer at an orphanage, met with Monique and donated two bags stuffed with goodies for the comfort packs. We would like to thank both Karen and Megan who set up the meeting!!! Hope Karen will spread the message when she is back in Australia!

XTREME TEAM

CALLIE, IVAN ZIMMERMAN AND BERT

MAB was there in full support when Bert and Beyers completed the Cape Epic. Despite his serious fall and bad injury on the first day, Bert continued and managed to raise an additional R 55 000 for the MAB. There is much talk about doing the Xtreme Tour and the Cape Argus for MAB again next year. We have managed to find the first three entries already!

KEEP ON SHOPPING!

Your shopping will not only benefit you, but will also help us! We would like to thank all the staff at Groupon for donating funds towards our project. A cheque of R 3000 was handed over to Monique. And that is not all - boxes full of goodie donations we will share with our partner charities!

So if you want to help - keep on shopping!

(And thanx to MAB supporter, Kirsten, for telling everyone about us!)

Budding artists help us!

A group of senior managers from Absa had no idea that they were so talented when it comes to art, until they undertook to paint two rooms for MAB. What makes it even more special is that most of these volunteers are men! Last Friday, two groups of AIFA division at ABSA took some time off to paint murals on the walls of the trauma room at Bellville court and the assessment room and reception area at the Paarl SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences unit.  Some of them painted each other and some even painted some other areas (like the entrance to the court - a tin of paint fell!!!). But even with all the challenges the artwork came out beautifully and they have made a huge contribution in helping us minimizing the secondary abuse the child suffers when reporting the crime.

Thank you to Anton and your team!

LIONS HERO OF THE YEAR AWARD

We are happy to announce that the work done by Matla A Bana is not going unnoticed! On Saturday, COO Monique Strydom, won the Lions International District 410A (Western & Northern Cape and Namibia) the Hero of the Year Award. She was chosen from 10 nominees and was recognized  for founding Matla A Bana and her continued dedication to this charity.

In her speech Monique stated that not only the nominees, but also each and every Lions volunteer are heroes because they have chosen to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Monique also thanked all the MAB volunteers, the officers of the law, the doctors, Lizel Van Eeden (project manager Gauteng), her family and God (for giving her a second chance)

Xtremeforkids and the Argus

The Xtremeforkids cyclists arrived in Durbanville after an easy ride from Wolseley. This group faced many challenges, met many great people, reached more than 8000 children and cycled more than 1800 kms for Matla A Bana. They were supported by SAPS all the way down - either with escorts, joining them at schools and evening cycling with them. They were welcomed in Cape Town by General Jephta who received a letter of commitment on behalf of the WC Provincial Commissioner.
A day later they joined the MAB Argus team and 16 cyclists cycled on behalf of MAB. We would like to congratulated Andre and Casper for making the top 10 in the tandem division and Andries who coming second in the hand cycle division. We would also like to thank all our cyclists and sponsor for your dedication. A special word of thank you to Karli who was the project manager on the ground with the team.

See all the photos and read more on the tour on http://www.facebook.com/XtremeforkidsCycleTour

XTREME KIDS INTERVIEWS

We would like to thank Radio Tygerberg for covering the Xtremeforkids Cycle tour so extensively. They did  live cross overs during the last three days and also interviewed Monique at the welcoming point!

MONIQUE INTERVIEWED

Monique Strydom was interviewed by CII Radio station (with an international broadcast) on her ordeal as a hostage and how she used that experience to set up Matla A Bana. She also shared tips with parents on child abuse and the signs and symptoms of abuse.

Wes Beeld Story

Skole

Tuisblad / Nuus / Wes-Randse polisie oes pryse in

WES-RANDSE POLISIE OES PRYSE IN

Amanda Roestoff

Foto: BONGIWE GUMEDE

2013-03-07 00:00

Lizel van Eeden, bemarkingsbeampte van Matla A Bana saam met ao. Peet du Toit van die eenheid vir gesinsgeweld, kinderbeskerming en seksuele misdrywe in Krugersdorp wat onlangs weer vir sy ondersoekwerk in die Sondagverkragtersaak vereer is.

Die kinderregte organisasie Matla A Bana het vandeesmaand 16 polisielede van eenhede vir gesinsgeweld, kinderbeskerming en seksuele misdrywe (GKS) in Gauteng erkenning gegee vir uitsonderlike dienslewering in die gemeenskap.
Die Wes-Randse speurder ao. Peet du Toit van Krugersdorp se GKS-eenheid en ’n soortgelyke eenheid van die Carletonville-polisiekantoor is saam met ’n senior polisieoffisier as uitblinkers aangewys.
Die vakbond Solidariteit het Du Toit ’n jaar gelede vereer met ’n Sterre in die Gemeenskap-eerbewys vir uitmuntendheid in polisiewerk.
Toe het sy dryfkrag om met die veeleisende werk vol te hou ’n deurslaggewende rol gespeel in die aankeer van Jaco Steyn, beter bekend as die Sondagverkragter.
Vandeesmaand het Matla A Bana sy hoogste toekenning aan Du Toit toegeken vir dieselfde saak. Hiervoor moes hy 87 getuies in sake sedert 2008 moes opspoor om die suksesvolle vervolging van Steyn te verseker.
Hy is saam met die staatsaanklaer Carina Coetzee vereer, ná albei se toewyding bygedra het daartoe dat Steyn tot lewenslange tronkstraf gevonnis is.
“Dit is altyd ’n eer om só toekenning te ontvang. Die ware helde in die saak is egter al die kindertjies. Om al daai emosies weer in ’n hofsaak te herleef. ” sê Du Toit. “Daar het baie tyd en werk in die saak ingegaan. Ek is net verlig dit is nou verby,” voeg hy by.
Die GKS-eenheid in Carletonville aan die verre Wes-Rand is as die beste eenheid in Gauteng provinsie aangewys.
Nog ’n hoogtepunt was ’n toekenning aan kol. Paul van Eeden, ’n polisieoffisier verbonde aan die polisie se hoofkantoor in Parktown, Johannesburg, wat meer as 2000 kilometer binne 24 uur gereis het om R100 000 vir mishandelde kinders in te samel.

702 and Jenny

Thank you Jenny for interviewing Monique on your afternoon show. We appreciate your interest and willingness to talk about such a difficult subject.

On Radio Pulpit

Thank you Bonolo Nkosi for having Monique Strydom on your program on Monday. She had a great time and looking forward to working together in the future!

Xtremeforkids Cycle Tour

Our cyclist are on Day 6 of their cycle tour. They have experienced some great challenges - like taking the wrong road (a full hour of cycling), doing a 12 hour shift between Bloemfontein and Colesberg and many burst tires through the Karoo at sweltering temperatures of more than 45 DC. But still they keep on smiling and they keep on going!

Together with SAPS they did talks at schools in Johannesburg, Parys, Colesberg and Graaff Reinet. They have also done numerous interviews, spreading the message of men should not rape and abuse children and women. Newspaper interviews were done in Johannesburg, Parys, Welkom and Bloemfontein.

Their project was mentioned on 702 yesterday and Radio Kansel will have a live cross over to them twice a day from today.

We are extremely proud of this group of dedicated men!

For daily updates visit : http://www.facebook.com/XtremeforkidsCycleTour