The designated child protection organisation Tutela (the former CMR) had its AGM at the NG Kerk Gemeente Goedehoop-Secunda-Oos on October 23.
Reverend Hannes Reinecke, Tutela’s chairperson, opened the formalities, and Marc Fick of the Yahweh Rapha Recovery Centre was the guest speaker.
Fick opened a recovery centre for men in June 2021. Eighty-two men currently stay in the centre.
He opened a centre for women earlier this year, which currently houses about 20 women recovering from addictions.
Fick shared how he overcame alcohol and drug addiction and found Jesus, and said he values Tutela’s services to the men and women at the recovery centre because they help them reintegrate into society.
Tutela’s deputy director of Mpumalanga, Mari Victor, thanked the Secunda team for their hard work and the difference they make in the community.
She shared statistics of how many families Tutela had helped, the number of children placed in foster care or temporary safe care and how many families Tutela reunited.
Ronel McIntyre, the Tutela office manager, introduced the Tutela team and mentioned each member’s responsibilities.
McIntyre spoke about Tutela’s projects in the past financial year, which included the annual Children’s Festival in June.
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She said Tutela also had a family day this year called Tutu-2-Care Day, which promoted family preservation.
Tutela’s scope of practice includes child protection, reunification of families and prevention and early intervention services.
“We also render services to the elderly, do fatherhood programmes and empower women,” said McIntyre.
She introduced a new addition to their team, Shamillah Wilkenson, the early intervention and prevention worker.
Tutela delivers services in Secunda, Kinross, Charl Cilliers and surrounding farms stretching from the N17 water reservoirs to Bethal.
McIntyre said Tutela needs a new vehicle because the social workers travel extensively in and around Mpumalanga to attend meetings at child and youth care centres and training in Gauteng. She said any sponsors or donations from the community or businesses would be welcome.
Jan Badenhorst, Tutela Secunda’s treasurer, also shared his testimony and presented the financial statements.
He said they needed financial support because their Department of Social Development subsidy covers only the social workers’ salaries.
All other expenses at the office must come from fundraisers and donations.
Tutela’s management team thanked all the stakeholders who contributed to the success of Tutela Secunda over the past year, and reverend Reinecke, who also gave a report, closed the meeting.
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