THE SHARKS rugby team made a R20,000 donation to Bobbi Bear via their MyPlayers Benevolent Fund on Wednesday, 5 August.
Bobbi Bear administrative director, Eureka Olivier welcomed Sharks players Khaya Majola, Tera Mthembu, Jaco van Tonder and Sbura Sithole and showed them around the organisation’s safe house in Doonside.
“Each provincial team selects its own charities. The Sharks chose Bobbi Bear, as they have previously worked with the organisation,” said MyPlayers brand and media manager, Nyaniso Sam.
The fund was started in 2014 and in that year the beneficiary was Cansa.
The players realise that they are in a fortunate position to be able to do what they love and the main purpose of their Benevolent Fund is to give back and help those who need it most throughout the country.
Eureka was grateful for the donation. “The money will go towards the purchase of rape bags, bears and food for the children.”
When Bobbi Bear child safety officers (CSO) are called out to a child who has been assaulted or raped, they take with them a rape bag. In this bag are a number of items for the child’s use.
Each bag contains new panties or underpants, wet wipes, a pad, pencil, crayons, a notebook, cool-drink, biscuits, plasters and a permanent marker. A child in that situation only has the clothes on their back and nothing to eat or drink. They have to go through the gruelling process of being examined by the district surgeon and relaying the events to authorities. The few items in the bag are there to assist them in this process. The permanent marker is vital because this is used by the child to draw and indicate on the bear what they have experienced.
Every child at risk is given one of these bags.
For more information on Bobbi Bear on how to help, call 031-903-2424.
