In November of this year, fifteen volunteers from around the UK will travel to the Tsusalushaka region of South Africa to help build a creche and drop-in centre for vulnerable children.
Each building will cost £3000 to construct.
In that part of South Africa, 57% of children under the age of 18 have experienced some form of violence - mostly sexual - in the last 12 months. Parents work all day, but the children only attend nursery and pre-school until lunchtime, leaving them wandering the streets and vulnerable to horrific abuse in the afternoons. Incredibly, this abuse usually comes from someone they know. The creche and drop-in centre we are helping to build will provide somewhere safe for the children to go until their parents can collect them. The children will also receive a free hot meal every day which is usually the only one they will have.
The project is co-ordinated by international charity World Vision, who have already built 42 schools, 24 creches, and 24 drop-in centres in the Tsusalushaka province. They work closely with the local people as well as overseas volunteers to ensure the projects they fund are of lasting value to the African communities.
There is a team of 15 of us going from the UK, and it will be a real test for us. First, we have to raise the funds, and then we will actually work on the creche and drop-in centres in what will be very difficult conditions because of the heat and limited resources available. We're looking forward to the challenge, though!
Please help support us and this cause by visiting our Just Giving crowdfunding page:
The planning permission is now all passed and the project will soon be underway with foundations hopefully being laid for these buildings imminently
Luckily the recent earthquakes we are told have not affected this region
Our leader is in regular contact