Help Pay Volmoed Staff Wages in lean winter months

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GENEROUS DONORS!

The good news is that our Covid-19 restrictions in South Africa were lifted on June 23. This means that we are hopeful that slowly the groups that bring in more income will return, and that events and trainings will take place. We are slowly starting to see this happen but the pace is slow.

The not so good news is that the global economy and Covid-19 have taken their toll on the South African economy, along with our national and political challenges. Electricity, fuel and food prices have rocketed and it is hard for our staff to make it through the month, and Volmoed income is not yet enough to cover all our needs.  Through a generous donation, we were able to give each staff member a small monthly increase.  We hope to be able make a larger increase at the end of 2022. So we are more than grateful for all the support our donors have given and continue to give.

One of our staff, Nomveliso, had a premature baby in August, so she is currently in hospital with her baby. We are grateful for new life and that her daughter is slowly gaining weight. Our staff are very supportive of each other, and at Volmoed we are like family. Everyone else is healthy and convey their gratitude to our donors.

Our big highlight was the healing of memories workshop for our staff and residents that took place in August, facilitated by the Institute for Healing of Memories. This was a staff development experience and was profoundly meaningful for many, and creative - we drew pictures of our lives, made clay peace symbols, did small group dramas and shared our life stories. Discussions focused on the feelings and themes of the stories, both positive and negative, and healing, reconciliation. There was trilingual translation from English into Afrikaans and Xhosa. Many staff shared their life stories for the first time, finding it helpful, and asked us if we can continue the process of sharing stories.  At Volmoed we are a microcosm of South Africa, with differences of race, gender, religion, languages, class, and education, and this was part of our vision and mission of healing and reconciliation. We know this has made a difference to our communal life and that it will continue to shape and inform our life together.

We are hopeful about our future, for more groups to return and income to increase, and to deepen the community that exists between us and within us at Volmoed. 

As always, thank you for your ongoing support throughout the year.  We are enormously grateful.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND ALL YOUR DONATIONS!

WE APPRECIATE YOU!

• Global_Giving_Volmoed_Staff_Report_September_2022.pdf (PDF)