As winter approaches, vulnerable families in Diepsloot are receiving much-needed warmth and support, thanks to a donation drive led by Con Brio Cares, a local non-profit organisation in partnership with Witkoppen Clinic.

Elindi van den Heever, the founder of the organisation, said they donated essential baby items, including bottles, knitted blankets, teddy bears, and clothing, which were distributed to antenatal patients.

In addition, knitted comfort dolls were handed out at the clinic’s Diepsloot Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) site, offering emotional support to children facing difficult circumstances.

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Cleopatra Fothane, business development assistant at the clinic, said, “A lot of our patients come from underprivileged backgrounds and can seldom afford the necessary items needed for childcare. The donated items were received with so much gratitude.”

She added that one mother described the donation as ‘a beautiful and thoughtful gift’, saying she now has blankets and clothing for her baby during the colder months.

Beyond meeting physical needs, the comfort dolls make a meaningful emotional impact. “The impact of the comfort dolls on the children was deeply moving. For many of them, the dolls became sources of security in moments when the world often felt unsafe.”

The Diepsloot OVC site, one of three run by the clinic and the first to be established, supports children aged one to 18 from Extension 12, one of the most impoverished areas in the community. The programme provides critical services including a weekly mobile clinic, home visits by caregivers, homework support, parenting groups, and health education.

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Fothane emphasised that partnerships such as the one with Con Brio Cares are essential in extending the clinic’s reach and impact.

“Witkoppen Clinic isn’t just a healthcare facility; it is a sense of hope for the community. Partnerships like these help us create long-lasting impacts for our patients and children, and remind them that they are being thought of during important stages of their lives.”

She added that as a donor-funded programme, the clinic continues to rely heavily on community and corporate support to sustain its work. Its most urgent need remains financial contributions, with even small monthly donations making a difference.

She added that the clinic also welcomes donations in kind, including dignity packs with basic toiletries, non-perishable food items such as tinned fish and oats, and winter essentials such as blankets, scarves, hats, and jerseys as part of its Winter Warmer Campaign.

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