By Louise and the KTD196 Dream Team | Jack of all trades, master of none!
Thank you to all our amazing supporters old and new! 2020 was a challenging year but I am proud to say, because of your support, we have literally stopped people from starving, we have sustained many families through sickness and job loss. I am very grateful to you all for your ongoing support.
To our new supporters I hope you will read the reports I send out with interest and if you have any questions please feel free to chat with me on keepthedream196@gmail.com
Welcome to 2021!
We have spent the last two months carefully watching what is happening with Covid and watching for the restrictions that the government is imposing. Now in January, we are ramping up with plans for the next 3yrs to tackle all that is before us in terms of the pandemic.
We weren't sure what was on the horizon for the future, like so many, we were hoping 2021 would be a new year and new season but unfortunately, it seems that it will be the same as 2020, only worse. So we need to be creative with our approach to reach the kids and continue to sustain them physically (food) and emotionally throughout this traumatic period and intellectually stimulated.
We are producing training packages, life skills packages that the children can work on as they progress through our program. We are also actively recruiting children within the same households to participate to increase our impact but decrease exposure to Covid.
We have identified children in each village we work in who have Whatsapp as a communication tool and for live time assistance with the packages.
We also have purchased two tonnes of Epap which will be distributed to the children and while going door to door, we will be talking with the parents about Covid; supervision of the children; the packages we are distributing; the need for our program. We have found a disturbing trend that parents are refusing to allow their children to attend our program because of fear of Covid but allowing the kids to run in the streets with their friends without supervision, masks, social distancing, or sanitizing. Sadly, two children have been run over and killed so far this year because they were playing in the streets unsupervised.
KTD196 is needing to respond quickly and effectively. We will continue our food garden project and provide food parcels when as needed plus also supplement with Epap for the children to ensure they are receiving all the essential vitamins and minerals required for healthy development.
The schools have yet to return, so the children are bored.. Bored children are always a recipe for trouble.
Once the schools have returned our program should be able to formally continue.
We are finding with so many South Africans being chronically ill with various lifestyle diseases ie diabetes, hypertension, and obesity this is playing havoc on the mortality rate and the recovery rate that we are experiencing. People seem to be responding with either abject fear or blaze in their response. Neither are helpful. Mopani and in particular Tzaneen has become a hot spot for Covid over the Christmas period.
There is so much work to be done! I am so grateful to you for your support, for seeing the issues, and for wanting to help. Please if you would like to chat with me personally I am available to take your call (+27732742080) or whatapp or telegram. The whole world is in this together. We need to be there for one another.
On that note, I want to speak about a private matter.
Most of you were aware, two years ago I had to make an emergency flight back to my home country Australia due to my mother's grave health. She was expected to die within 3days so I made the decision to return home to my family. Amazingly, she recovered despite all obstacles. Well, I am sad to say, my mum passed away on the 22nd December 2020 after a very short illness. It was not Covid. Thank you to those who have enquired about mum, who have sent wonderful messages of support! I really appreciate this community.
For those of you who are new to us, this is not my usual report regarding personal information however, as I have said some people know about my personal circumstances.
God bless you all, please stay safe and well
Louise
Links:
By Louise and the KTD196 Dream Team | Jack of all trades, master of none!
By Louise | Jack of all trades, master of none!
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