Dearest SuperForest,
I was lucky to mean a wonderful, driven, and compassionate person a few weeks ago, who just took the chance to comment on my Mapambano t-shirt. This girl was Nikki, and soon we started talking about the work she was doing in Cape Town, South Africa. I asked her if she would like me to share her story here in the hopes somebody might be interested in helping in any capacity, and at the very least getting the word out. I ask if you are moved in anyway by this story to contact Nikki (email and blog provided below) to see in what way you can help her, and the children in Cape Town.
I present SuperForester Nikki:
This past summer I interned for a nonprofit organization in Cape Town, South Africa, which provides workshops relating to basic business concepts and finance skills to low-income women living in the township communities. Through this internship I came to know a group of women who founded and run an educational daycare called the Red Gold and Green Educare (RGG Educare). The Educare, located just outside of Cape Town, is in the Marcus Garvey Community of the Philippi Township. Through the Educare program the RGG women take the children in the community off the streets and provide them with a safe, caring, and educational environment throughout the week and on the weekends. The RGG Educare, while humble and small in size, impacts the community in a manner more direct than any non-for-profit organization I have ever witnessed.
Research shows that one empowered woman affects exponential change in her community. The women of the RGG embody this reality. Committed to providing an education and positive learning environment to the children in the community, the RGG women work every day of the week despite the fact that they receive no salary or income. By taking education into their own hands, the RGG women actively address and combat the dismal formal education and school system in the townships. Although in some parts of the world teacher absence is a major concern, here the women of the RGG do not require any external incentives; devoted to a better future for their children, they work ceaselessly with spirit and conviction.
The women report a number of vital needs, the most critical of which at this point in time is the physical structure of the Educare. My goal is to purchase a solid, insulated, waterproof and sealed structure to replace the small shack that they built themselves almost two years ago. A Wendy House (see below) is an affordable and reliable structure that is delivered in pieces and assembled at the given location. The most appropriate house costs 35,590 ZAR, which is equivalent to approximately $5,000; the building comes with three rooms as well as a veranda and five large windows. The structure does not come equipped with utilities; however, with enough funds we can ensure that the children gain access to electricity and a flushing toilet.
The impact is direct and the effects are huge, yet funds are scarce. Because the RGG Educare is neither a registered not-for-profit organization nor an official school, it does not easily qualify for grants. The women are motivated and eager to improve their daycare, yet are incapable of reaching their maximum potential due to lack of funds. As both a witness of this inspiring effort and an individual with access to resources, I feel it is my responsibility to share this information and ensure that the children of Educare gain access to the basic needs to which they are entitled.
Over the course of the past month I have fundraised on behalf of the RGG Educare a total of $2,525 from friends, family, student organizations, businesses and restaurants. I am matching 100% of student donations, meaning that contributions from students are effectively doubled. Many organizations keep a portion of donations for a variety of reasons; alternatively, 100% of donations to the RGG Educare will go directly to purchasing a safe, solid and insulated structure so that each child of the Educare has a warm, dry environment in which to learn and develop.
I will be returning to Cape Town in December 2010. I have arranged a meeting with the women of the Educare to determine all logistical details. My goal is to raise enough money to purchase the $5,000 Wendy House and all of its needs including electricity, plumbing, furniture, desks, shelves, chalk boards, book cases, and school/administrative supplies.
I hope the story of the RGG women and the Educare move you to contribute to this effort, thereby enabling the women and children of the RGG to reach their maximum potential. Every dollar is a valuable contribution, and all donations to the RGG Educare will impact communities and individual lives in the most direct way.
Sincerely,
Nikki Holzberg
To get in contact with Nikki, send her an email at nholzberg11{at}cmc{dot}edu, or donate at here blog, Artist of the Spirit!
Recent Comments