December 2015

Physical Address 8299 Cnr. Sisulu/Mahalefele Road Department of Social Services(Peoples Centre) Orlando West P.O. Dube / P.O.Box 218 Soweto. Johannesburg, South Africa

Association Incorporated under Section 21. Company No. 2005/014899/08. NPO Reg No. 046-028-NPO

Santa Shoebox Project 2015 – a great day for 1000 children.

The Santa Shoebox Project is an initiative of the Kidz2Kidz Trust, a registered Public Benefit Organiza-tion. Ikageng Itireleng in conjunction with the Santa Shoebox project hosts an annual party for its benefici-aries. Where after a long day they receive their Santa Shoeboxes.

The aim of the event is to enable children who are disadvantaged to feel and enjoy the spirit of Christmas, to dress up and be beautiful in new clothes just like other children.

This initiative is able to break the stigma around or-phaned and vulnerable children; it unites children and motivates them as well. They are able through such initiatives to see that someone out there does think of them, does care and wants to share the love and joy that comes with Christmas.

A maximum of 1000 children attend and activities for the day include:

Breakfast (which on the day was Kellogg’s corn flakes), Jumping castles, Pop corn station, Juice and water station, Lunch, Party packs, Fruits and Cup cakes.

We hereby take this opportunity to invite compa-nies, organisations and individuals to participate in our 2016 Santa Shoebox Christmas party!

Regards,

Lorraine Sibeko

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Dearly beloved donor,

The festive season is the time of the year when we, look back on everything that we have achieved over the past year and we recuperate strength to deal with the challenges of the coming year and it is shockingly incredible to know that in the next few weeks, the New Year will be dawning upon us.

The past year has been a time of great difficulty. However, we were able to successfully provide support to over 891 children on regular basis and these efforts would not have come to pass without the support from you, both financially and through in- kind donations.

It has been a trying time for our organization. Many of you have sacrificed much in the name of progress. You all know that this program could not be what it is without that sacrifice. On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff and beneficiaries we thank you, especially those who have made extreme sacrifices. Your efforts have not been in vain.

Thank you for all your acts of kindness and be-ing part of our village as we transform and change lives, one child at a time.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Pros-perous New Year, and safe travels to those of you who will be travelling to your holiday destina-tions.

Carol Dyantyi, Founder / Director

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 2

News from the library

It has been nearly a year now since we opened our little library at Ikageng. The library team put a lot of energy and ideas into creating a welcoming atmos-phere for children and youth of all age groups.

With the help of our librarians and volunteers, books are read on a regular basis to the kids, both in English and in several vernacular languages. The kids have also been encouraged to start reading on their own, with help being offered whenever needed. Our aim is to create an atmosphere where reading is fun!

The older kids have started to come in and use the library for studying, doing their homework and helping younger kids to read. This has been a great help!

We also learned that a library is not merely an activity centre but should focus on building the children’s love for reading. Our plan for next year is to focus on story-telling, organizing a reading club, and finding ways to improve reading skills and making reading fun. We are also hoping to get a fully functioning computer in the library, to be used by the older students to do research and other activities that require the use of computers.

We plan to improve networking with other libraries and educational NGOs. Their professional input will be most welcome to ensure that we develop in the right direction to best benefit everyone at Ikageng.

What do we need help with?

If you love reading to children and you have some free time – even on Saturdays – we would be very happy to have you join us in building a life-long culture and love of reading at Ikageng! Just send us an email or call us…

The food garden Project …

… Started last year when some of our staff members received training from different institutions and do-nors i.e. Finehealthcare,( this donation came through Mandi Fine’s son, who came of age and had to give back to a community, and what a better way than garden-ing!!) Art of living and REEL Gardens on how to grow a vegetable garden. The Poverty Alleviation coordinator and Social Auxiliary Workers also trained some of IKAGENG’s beneficiaries on how to prepare the soil first and then plant the vegetables and take care of them!

Four caregivers were given training on how to start their own little vegetable gardens and also to impart the knowledge on to other caregivers and their respec-

tive families. Ikageng in conjunction with a local school Mzamo Primary are working together to revamp the school garden starting January 2016.

The great thing about training our caregivers and beneficiaries is that it is not necessary to have a big plot of land to have a garden as the veggies can be grown in tyres and pots.

It is truly a great way to save money.

Our new project in 2016 will be to take on a school garden which will also be used for informing kids and adults on how easy it is to start growing your own healthy vegetables.

For more information please contact Gloria at the pro-vided contact details.

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 3

Ikageng proudly presents:

Ikageng FC

Thanks to McKinsey company Ikageng has a soccer-team! Why this? Because our children often do not have the op-portunity to play and just be kids. They also do not have the exposure and the economic resources that are needed to engage in activities related to sports, arts and culture. And not forgetting the mentoring of the soccer players as they face challenges in their own lives. This also helps them to become better people in their communities. So we are using sports, arts and culture to transform, discipline and educate “our” children. The mentorship programme has been stronger by the year through your support, and for the first time ever, Ikageng boys have tasted the beauty of playing in the higher and competitive league (Castle Promotional League), but most unfortunately they were relegated that same season. A lesson learnt, but all hope is not lost because of the uncondi-tional support we are getting from the staff members at Mckinsey. Once again I would like to thank you for investing in Ikageng FC,, for making a difference in the boy’s lives in and out of the field. Not forgetting that you still have confi-dence in ikageng FC, that they can bounce back even though they failed to maintain the Castle Promotional status in 2014/2015 season. Thank you for the food and drinks we receive on our match days. May the LORD bless each and every one of you.

THANKING YOU

George Msimango

Ikageng FC Head Coach

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 4

A Day with the Orlando Pirates at

Ikageng!

This is the mail, Mahlaku Nkuna wrote us after the wonderful day with the Orlando Pirates. Thank you so much!

„Good Day All, Attached, please find some of the pictures we took. Thanks again for such a beautiful and memorable day that none of us will ever forget. We will cherish each second

spent with the kids. On behalf of management and the players; we would like to say thank you for letting us into your

home to spend a day with the staff and specially the kids of Ikageng and Orlando West.

Good bless and may he continue to bless the works of your hands. Nothing done with a good heart goes unnoticed.

We look forward to working with you again in the near future.

Lots love & best regards,

Mahlaku Nkuna“

The long term issue: HIV/AIDS

As you all are aware that Ikageng is a community based organization taking care of orphaned and vulnerable children without including those infected and affected by Hiv/Aid. At the 2015 World Aids Conference held in Australia, the urgent need for substantially greater attention to HIV treatment was expressed, stakeholders at

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 5

the global consultation warmly endorsed the 90-90-90 approach for children.

The consultants also recommended specific steps to increase HIV testing for young people, expand treatment options for adolescents, adapt health services to adolescents’ needs, mobilize social support and empower young people, including efforts to engage youth actors as HIV Treatment Leaders.

Powerful momentum is now building towards a new narrative on HIV treatment and new achievable targets.

The targets are as following:

By 2020 , 90% of all people living with HIV will know their status

By 2020 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.

By 2020 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. It is also important that we address the long term issue of how the organization plans to continue financing and resourcing its overall operations to meet the objectives into the future. We will be sending you our new management plan which will help us address issues around human resources as we get skilled people in assisting. We are confident of the plan as it showers us into the new Ikageng.

Information about Ikageng

Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry is a non-profit organisation based in Soweto, Orlando West, formed in 2001.

The organisation currently serves 850 beneficiaries.

The organisation cares for its beneficiaries through the provision of the following services:

Psychological Support.

Ensuring the mental well being of their beneficiaries through giving them access to counselling and sup-port groups.

Educational Support.

Focuses on the foundation phase, secondary and tertiary phase with much emphasis placed on excellence in areas of studies and academic excellence.

Health Support.

Programme gives care to children and families with chronic diseases.

Nutritional Support.

Aims to alleviate poverty.

Foster care Support

Place destitute orphans in families in Soweto.

A special thanks to all the donors who heeded the call, when we re-quested assistance with buying uniform for our beneficiaries, for the year of 2016, we expect 350 of our beneficiaries to receive brand new uniforms.

Continue to do good. Words are not sufficient to express our gratitude.

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 6

Very special thanks to: For:

McKinsey and Com-pany

Contributing towards the monthly cost of buying food, and for contributing towards staff salaries, and making a change in our male beneficiaries’ lives through your mentorship groups and sponsorship of our soccer team and other beneficiary related expenses.

Trinity Methodist Church

For your contribution of monthly food boxes, contribution towards em-ployees salaries and other donations.

Santa shoebox project For the contribution of Santa shoeboxes every year

Keep a child alive Contributing towards the monthly cost of buying food, and for contributing towards staff salaries, housemother allowance, support group campaigns other beneficiary related expenses.

Department of social development

Training of staff members, contributing towards the monthly cost of buying food, and for contributing towards majority of our staff’s salaries.

Southern Africa Documentation and Cooperation Centre Vienna

For raising funds to purchase school uniforms for Ikageng kids.

National lotteries commission

For your contribution towards buying the organisation a car and training of staff members.

HIV/SA Training of our staff members and for contributing towards 2 employees salary and support groups financially.

Humankind Paying for the school fees and taking care of one our beneficiaries and assisting us with fundraising.

Given gain Contributing toward beneficiaries uniforms.

South African College of Applied Psychol-ogy

Enabling your students to take part in their practicals in the organisation as psychologists.

University of Johan-nesburg

Enabling your students to take part in their practicals in the organisation as Social workers.

Restaurants Chicken stop and Sakhumzi restaurant, thank you for assisting us whenever you can and for fundraising on our behalf.

The Methodist Church of Southern Africa

Contributing towards training of staff on issues around child care, for al-ways holding us in your prayers,

AngloGold Ashanti For your contribution towards the 41 families in the organisation, uniforms and stationery of 300 of our beneficiaries and funding the education of 10 of our beneficiaries.

Bryanston Methodist Church

For your monthly food hampers and monthly contributions.

United Methodist Church of Germany

EMK WELTMISSION

For your contribution towards the transport cost of our beneficiaries, and salaries of our staff members and contribution towards our library.

Crescent lifestyles For all the support you give to children on medicines.

Ellerines brothers For your financial contribution.

Ngawethu ka Sim-phiwo, Edith Ngcobo and Africa for prayer ladies

Thank you for contributing sanitary pads and for contributing towards the matric dance of some of our girls.

Ikageng News December 2015 – Page 7

Kwalihaba, Kwalihaba, for assisting with the funeral of one of our beneficiaries

Kate Shimwell from shimwell designs

Thank you for your contribution towards 1 of our families and for your generous support towards the Santa shoebox Christmas Party,

Partner organiza-tions.

Door of hope, thank you for always assisting us, whenever we re-quested, especially around children who are abandoned and babies born to teenage girls.

Nkosis Haven (Vukani Africa): This world is a better place with people like yourselves who give selflessly, Thank you for taking care of the deceased when families could not do otherwise.

Camp footprint and Sizanani

For taking our beneficiaries to camp. , and the shift that these ac-tivities do on the lives of children and the difference it makes.

Individuals Erika, For your dedication towards the organisation and the library, Geoff Pallister for your personal contribution towards our families and beneficiar-ies. Thabiso Chauke, for raising 255 pairs of school shoes for our beneficiar-ies and Soweto finest for fund raising on our behalf. Bev Hart, for your contribution of furniture, Sue and Cecil Edwards for your contribution of furniture. Ruth Fleischmann, for giving us your professional input on the design and layout from the newsletter and Anna Kena, for your assistance with our beneficiary matric dance and dedication to making it happen, Mi-chael Silberman, thank you for your contribution towards the Santa shoe-box party. THANK YOU ALL

Martini Family For your contributions and donations from your friends towards all our events

Adcorp Giving our children bursaries, and a better future with the gift of education, and for office furniture.

Fine healthcare Assisting us with all our administration needs and hygiene packs. And the continuous donations of sanitary packs.

Orlando Pirates For choosing us for your CSI initiative and for bringing such immense joy to the children.

SAPI For your financial contribution on monthly basis.

Fluor For your stop hunger drive, and food parcels and hampers that you hand out on quarterly basis.

Blue telecoms For your health packs, administration needs stationery and sanitary packs.

Ubuntu portrait For assisting with photographs. Beautiful pictures indeed.

Volunteers Although not individually mentioned, we would like to thank you for your contribution towards making the organisation a better place.

Ikageng News September 2015 – Page 8

Facts on Ikageng

Health Support Psychological Help Food Parcels Education/School programs

Social work

Health adher-ence support.

Accompany ill people to hospi-tal.

Organizing medicine for ill people.

Giving all our clients on medi-cines DOT ( Di-rect Observed Treatment )

Psychosocial help for children twice per week, 5 sessions a day (thanks to our partnership with the University of Johan-nesburg).

Support groups for parents living with HIV, children living with HIV, leadership development for youth, traumatised and abused children, grannies and soft skills for children and youth.

Monthly food parcels allocated to households.

Education schol-arships.

After school study groups.

School place-ments for chil-dren with special needs.

Holiday school programs.

Support and help at school prob-lems (direct con-tact to schools).

Home visits by Social workers (once a week per child).

Help with ap-plication for government grants.

Counselling for children in-cluding family interventions.

Children and youth in youth headed households, granny headed households, households with single parents or house mothers from Soweto identified by the Johannesburg Child Welfare.

IKAGENG becoming the family that destiny took away.

Ikageng News September 2015 – Page 9

Challenges faced by households, supported by Ikageng:

Loss of parents, and lack of parental guidance Children/ youth headed households where

older sibling assumes the role of parent, have no parental skills training to teach them the ba-sic stuff about being parents.

Need for school uniforms, material and supplies, food and also money for school transportation has increased.

A need of structured therapeutic support groups for children dealing with death and other difficult situations/events.

Structured support groups for HIV/AIDS dis-closure, prevention, and treatment across all ages and also closing the generation gap be-tween granny’s and children who have lost par-ents due to HIV/AIDS.

Services offered by Ikageng:

Daily home visits conducted by caregivers, at least once a week per child.

Caregivers are in direct contact with the school and help whenever it is necessary.

Caregivers are always available if a child/family needs assistance immediately.

Health adherence support, caregivers accom-pany children/family to hospitals to collect their medication and attend doctor’s appoint-ments, ensuring that they eat nutritious meals.

Caregivers facilitate after school programmes helping children with home works and reading classes.

Social workers’ doing practical’s from the Uni-versity of Johannesburg, help the children and grannies apply for governments grants.

Children going through different stages of life, attend counselling, including family interven-tions.

Support groups for parents living with HIV, children living with HIV, leadership develop-ment for youth, traumatised and abused chil-dren, grannies, and soft skills for children and youth

School placements for children with special needs, school transportation cost, and also holiday school programme for children in pri-mary schools.

Contact us at: Contact person: Carol Dyantyi Position: Founder/ Director Organisation: Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry Landline: (011) 536 0681 Cell: 072 521 7230 Email: ovcare@ikageng.org.za/ ovcare@gmail.com