VIDEO: St Mary’s Children’s Home AGM
Phil Geyer (treasurer) gave his report, saying, “As the country’s economy has been struggling to keep its head above water, so too has our children’s home. To all those who have assisted us, a big thank you.
ST MARY’S Children’s Home held its 115th annual general meeting on September 20, with hope for the future.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Canon Erick, acting for the Bishop of the Diocese of Christ The King, Bishop William Mostert and then the chairperson of the Executive Committee, Advocate Mancha Manaka, gave his report. “This is one of the most difficult periods of my tenure at St Mary’s. It’s been an uphill battle but nothing defeats a combination of hope and faith, which has kept us moving forward.
“A clear signal of encouragement has come from donations and sponsorships in kind and we have managed to keep our doors open. Last year it was confirmed our huge municipality bills would be written off but bureaucratic processes are taking forever resulting in our detriment,” said Manaka.
“The National Lottery Board’s cash injection to the home becomes less each year and the Department of Social Development’s funding is in fact not sufficient to meet the demands of the home,” Manaka added.
Successful fund-raising initiatives and sponsorships have managed to keep St Mary’s afloat and an internal process has been initiated in the form of a sustainability committee who will be looking at ways to make more money to assist in the running of the home.
Phil Geyer (treasurer) gave his report, saying, “As the country’s economy has been struggling to keep its head above water, so too has our children’s home. To all those who have assisted us, a big thank you.
“The department’s contributions have remained consistent with the past and therefore it still covers approximately one-third of the running costs of the home, excluding the upkeep of the facilities. This clearly shows how important our other contributors are. Our children’s mother, Sonja, like most mothers, continues to stretch the rand as far as possible. Increase in costs of staff, maintenance of our properties and the municipal charges are the three expenses higher than normal, but unfortunately necessary. The deficit for the year has unfortunately weakened our reserves and therefore our future is going to be trying, to say the least.
Director of the children’s home Sonja Harmse added, “This year has been extremely challenging due to our unresolved dispute with the City of Johannesburg and the consequences an international donor withdrew, as well as most of our regular corporate donors due to the outstanding debt, even though this was wrongfully documented, resulting in causing panic about our viability. Despite several attempts and promises from the city, we remain hopeful the seriousness of this miscalculated debt will be written off.
“Minutes prior to the beginning of this AGM an acknowledgement to the urgency of our long-standing requests and a commitment from the mayor’s office to attend to this matter in such a way that the home will be able to continue with its valuable services to orphan’s and vulnerable children came through.
“Many other children’s homes have had to close their doors and we’ve received urgent requests daily to admit more children. Children are our future in South Africa and our loyal supporters reminded us to keep the faith.
“The effects of St Mary’s not being able to continue will be devastating to many, after rendering this service for 116 years this home is undoubtedly a monument of humanity and care.
“In conclusion, in God we trust, in people like you we out our belief to respond to this calling and to become involved through sponsoring, sharing contacts with social responsibility budgets, offering a job or study opportunity to our school-leavers, becoming actively involved in creating a sustainability plan for St Mary’s, by becoming host and befrienders to our children and/or leaving a legacy through a bequest to St Mary’s.
“Never have we become so desperate to keep our children housed and safe here in their home.”
WATCH: One of the St Mary’s teen’s singing her heart out.
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