Training - medical doctors

On 3 & 4 February Matla a Bana in Gauteng was buzzing! It was finally time to train the doctors in the province on how to do a medical examination on child-abuse and rape victims. Cariena Coetzee of the NPA and Dr Tromp Els Forensic Specialist were the presenters of a two day training on FORENSIC MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND EXPERT WITNESSING! 27 Delegates attended this unique training! 8 FCS commanders, 1 Journalist, 1 Social Worker, 4 Forensic Nurses and 13 Doctors! The feedback was EXCELLENT and enquiries have been made for the next training of this standard!! Matla a Bana would like to thank Old Mutual Foundation, Roodepoort Townlodge and Mosaiek Church for your loyal support. Together we can make a huge difference in the prevention of secondary abuse and ensuring much better conviction rates by educating our Doctors and other professionals!

National Adoption

Intercape Bus Service has will be adopting various FCS on a national level. The staff of this company will personally become involved with this adoption. This adoption will result on a national reach and we looking forward to this working relationship.

Khayelitsha FCS Unit to receive support

A home cell group from Vredelust Congregation will be supporting this unit by supplying comfort packs to the child abuse victims. Welcome to all our new volunteers!

Kraaifontein FCS Adopted

We are very happy to announce that the Durbanville Congregation has adopted the Kraaifontein FCS. The group paid a visit to the unit and the members received a very special message from well-known pastor, Gary Kieswietter. The group was joined by Old Mutual sponsor, Renee Palmer. The church is planning not only to provide spiritual support to the members, but also to assist with comfort packs!

MAB launched 16 Days of Activism with an Police day at Kenmare Laerskool after a request to educate the learners on the importance of the various policing departments and also as a Career! A thousand learners witnessed the police in action! We Salute the police members Fighting crime on a daily basis Serving and Protecting the community and our children.

Thanx to Col Botha of the East Rand Airwing, Lt;Col Caroto Dog Unit West Rand and Capt Hattingh of the East Rand Mounted Unit!

Thank you once again!

Thank you to Frank Olsen and his team for making a further donation of R 33 000 to MAB!

A Special party for special children!

A well-known Cape Town company, 3D X-act chose to host a year end function with a difference. They hosted a special Christmas event for 28 rape and abuse victims. The children, all between the ages 6 – 12 and all from Mitchells Plain were treated to a wonderful Christmas party, complete with sweets, gifts and Father Christmas.

MAB would like to thank 3D X-act, Bugz Playpark, Die Bamboo Restaurant, 027 Shuttle and Everson Konstruksie for creating such special memories for our children.

Roman's Pizzas Comfort Packs

During late afternoon on 4 December, Matla a Bana, with the assistance of Blue Planet and Roman's Pizza group packed 50 Small comfort packs for girls ages 3-8. Staff volunteers worked with great passion and the packs were done in minutes! These packs were collected by Pta Central, Bronkhorstspruit and Garankuwa FCS units. Bonnie and her team was overwhelmed by the thought of packing these packs for young ages and assured MAB they will sponsor more packs in future! The packing team enjoyed Pizza for supper.. Thanx Roman's Pizza!!

Shout comfort packs

On Friday, 26 November, Matla a Bana together with the 94.7 Breakfast Express Team, as a Lead SA innitiativ rised very early to pack 100 Medium Comfort Packs for girls ages 9-12. Very gratefull officers from FCS Units in Gauteng (Vereeniging, Silverton, Sunnyside, Katlehong, Moroka, Benoni, Honeydew. Owitz marketing team also assited MAB with the packing as proud supporters of our project!

Thank you to Shout for making this possible!

Kraaifontein Child Facility opens

In celebration of 16 Days of No violence against women and children, MAB today opened the Child-Friendly Reporting Facility at the Kraaifontein FCS unit stationed at Kraaifontein Police Station. This facility now has a beautiful outside play area, waiting area and an assessement room linked to a monitoring room. The state-of-the-art audio visual equipement sponsored by Shellard Media now makes recording the interviews possible. During the opening Brigadier Sharon Jeptha said that SAPS need more partners like Matla A Bana.

We would like to thank all the sponsors who made this facility possible:

Old Mutual Foundation, Rotary Claremont, Shellard Media, F & L Konstruksie, Geustyn & Horak Aluminium, Gerhardt Jooste & Francious Coetzer

Photo: Piet Smit (SAPS Media Office)

MAB AGM

On Tues, 7 Dec, Matla A Bana hosted it's Annual AGM at Afrique Boutique Hotel in Roodepoort. The event was attended by sponsors, media and officials. Guest speaker, Provincial Commissioner General Petros, said that it "It takes special people to do the type of work Matla a Bana is doing - people with a heart who are willing to get involved in civil society.”

Teunis Binnemeer (Absa Trust) presented the financial statements and founder, Monique Strydom, said that none of the work could have been done without the support of funders and volunteers alike. More than R 2 million in products and services have been donated to the NGO during the last two years.

Despite facing serious financial trouble and having to resort to retrenchments, MAB reached more than 5000 children last year who reported crimes against them. In addition to this the NGO trained more than 200 police officials and more than 40 doctors in specialised courses. Certificates were handed over representatives of companies who donated more than R 50 000 to Matla A Bana.

Photo: Kotie Geldenhuys Servamus

Thank you Fluval Ukuvala and Fluval Ukuvala Western Cape for your donation of R 30 000 towards Matla A Bana!

WC Training & Debriefing

On 9 November MAB WC hosted a training/debriefing session for 40 FCS members. The program included a motivational speach by Radio Tygerberg presenter, Johnny Louw (also known as Die Wilde Stem), training session by Jelly Beanz on the new Children's act and an afternoon of debriefing.

We would like to thank Johnny Louw, MSP Group, Jelly Beanz and Romans Pizza for your sponsorship.

Tour of Hope

At the end of October a group of cyclists went a very long cycle trip to raise funds for Rays of Hope (Rosebank Union Church) and Matla A Bana. We would like to thank them for the hard word (and cycling) and we would also like to thank Jennifer and her team at Rosebank Union Church for offering MAB the opportunity to be part of this.

Thank you Paul Van Eeden for organising the police escort (and being part of it!).

A big thank you to all the MAB sponsors (Carlsworld Spar & Romans Pizza) who so kindly donated products and funding, and to all the MAB supportors who made a contribution towards this project.

Keep watching this space for some more news about this project!

Abandoned baby Training - Gauteng

On 9 & 10 November MAB hosted the last Abandoned babby training for 2010. The Vaalrand police stations were nominated and the training was hosted at Bosasa Training facilities. To Suzanne of Big Shoes and her team of experts facilitating we would also like to express our sincere gratitude!

Thank you to our sponsors: