Cash windfall to fund children’s rape bags

OPERATION Bobbi Bear won R35,000 in the Vital Foundation Vital Awards campaign, which will go towards the purchase of items for rape bags for children at risk.

The organisation was nominated by Antoinette Swanepoel and was selected as the September winner of the first Vital Awards, due to its outstanding work in fighting abuse against children in KZN.

The award recognises organisations that the public and Vital consumers believe are making a difference in building a society free from abuse of women and children. On Monday, 29 September, Bobbi Bear also got the opportunity to speak live on Expresso, a breakfast TV show, via a telecon call.

“We thank Antoinette for believing in Bobbi Bear and nominating us and for Vital in acknowledging us,” said Bobbi Bear’s administrative director, Eureka Olivier.

The prize money will be used to purchase rape bags and teddy bears. “With the festive season coming up, we have to prepare for the influx of cases.”

Every child at risk is given a bag, the contents of which are normally donated by the community, but not guaranteed and packed by volunteers. It is an A4 sized fabric drawstring bag which contains: Surgical gloves (protection from infection, panties/underpants (to replace soiled panties), tissues/ wet wipes (to clean up after medico-legal examination), sanitary pad (for vaginal and anal bleeding), brown paper bag (for soiled panties and other items with DNA evidence), notebook J115 (art therapy, to assist in forensic evidence gathering), blue ballpoint pen; colouring pencils/crayons, permanent laundry marker to mark abuse on bear, plasters (for explaining and identifying abuse on bear), cool-drink, chips/ sweets/ dried fruit and a small teddy.

For more information or if you would like to assist Bobbi Bear, call 031-904-2424.