Children’s home in dire need of funds

The President Kruger children’s home in Villieria in the Moot is under tremendous financial pressure, it says.

Marketing officer of the home, Marlene Spies, said that they last received a state subsidy grant two months ago, but that covers a bit more than 30% of the house’s expenses.

“There is great concern about short-term financial responsibility that we have to meet, which puts great pressure on us to properly take care of our children.

“We have a responsibility to the children who have been placed in our care.”

Spies mentioned that the house took to social media to ask for the community’s help.

“The response we received was overwhelming.

“We have received so many calls from the community to inquire about what our greatest needs are at this stage of the fight.”

This orphanage opened its doors 82 years ago and said it will do everything in its power to look after the children in their care.

Over 60 children are currently living in the home, of which the youngest one is six years old and the oldest one, 18 years old.

“It is not always about just food and water.

“We have 63 children that we are looking after.

“It involves medical expenses, and other things like a boy who has been selected for a rugby team who needs a pair of rugby boots, or a girl who was invited to a special event at the school where we would like to buy a beautiful dress for her.

“On a daily basis we use 63 slices of bread and 63 eggs.

“If all the expenses are taken into account, it works out to R8 500 per child.”

Some of the home’s biggest needs at this stage are meat, pasta, soft drinks, long-life milk, cleaning products, toiletries and winter pyjamas.

“The children are also crazy about fruit and vegetables and not even to speak about a treat with their cup of coffee in the evenings before they go to bed.”

The orphanage has hosted some events in the past such as the “Hart van die Besigheid” en “Koeke en Terte-piekniekstyl” with artists to help generate funds.

“However, last year’s events did not take place as a result of the restrictive measures.

“At this stage, we are still unsure whether we can arrange an event at all because we do not know what the year ahead has in store.”

Several brainstorming sessions led to the idea to produce a recipe book with all the children’s favourite recipes from the kitchen.

“It was absolutely a team effort.

“The administrative, care and kitchen staff as well as the children all gave suggestions, selected their favourites again and again and eliminated recipes until we got the perfect amount of mouth-watering snacks for our own recipe book.

“The book consists of 32 recipes, kitchen and cooking tips that work and also a few food tricks from the omniscience of our youngest.

“There are a few examples of children’s sayings in the book, answers to ‘what is your favourite food in the orphanage? what would be your advice to the bakers in the kitchen? if you invited the staff members of the orphanage to dinner, what would you give them to eat?’.

“We had a good laugh because most mentioned that some of their favourite dishes in the house are ‘melkkos’, as well as jelly and ‘that yellow stuff the staff throws on it’.”

If anyone would like to lend a hand in any way, the house can be contacted on 012-332-1366 or email them at: bemarker2@telkomsa.net.

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