Teddies bring hope to north crisis centre
An east resident has made more than 300 teddy bears in the past three years and donated them to the Sinoville police.
A Sinoville pensioner has made more than 300 teddy bears for the local police station’s crisis centre over the past three years.
The bears are given to child victims of violence, trauma and sexual offences at the police station.
Jumanthia, as she wants to be called, said it takes her about two-and-a-half days to make a single teddy bear.
She wakes up before dawn and starts knitting while having her first cup of tea around 04:00 in the morning.
“The only time I put down my knitting needles is when I walk around, make something to eat or go and smoke,” Jumanthia says.
Originally from Amazimtoti, she retired in Montana in the north of Pretoria. She later moved to Lynnwood.
She joined the “Vlugtige Vingers” sewing group in 2017 “out of boredom”.
There she learnt how to knit the teddy bears.
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It wasn’t long before she left the group to start her teddy project.
“None of the teddy bears she donates to us are the same,” said Sinoville police station spokesperson Warrant Officer Johan van Dyk.
Other characters include Captain Hook and even Joseph of the Bible with his amazing “technicolour dreamcoat”.
“Look, the policeman teddy bear’s pants even have pockets,” said Van Dyk.
Jumanthia keeps a record of all the teddy bears she has made by taking a photo of each bear before handing it to the police.
“I spend between R400 and R450 a month on stock to make the teddy bears,” she said.
“But that doesn’t matter. For me, it’s all about the kids.”
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