Charity Camp for Robertson's Youth Hostel at Nona Rosa Bushcamp

This year is the forth year in a row this camp is held annually at Nona Rosa bushcamp in Heidelberg from the 4th to the 12th of December. Every year the children from this youth hostel visits an appropriate family for the vacation, however, some kids are not that lucky. These kids must stay at the hostel for the vacation,  while their friends are having fun vacation with a family.

The goal of this camp is to treat the children to a week of fun and activities so they won't feel left out. Usually there is about 26 children who attend this camp, from age 7 to 14, which is completely funded with donations as the organisers have no budget to work with. The team usually consists of the organiser, Mr de Beer himself, 5 youth helpers and 2 helpers from the hostel.

Previous years, Heidelberg and their surrounding communities showed their generosity by donating everything from money, food, presents, to activities for the children and more. Every child is provided with three hearty meals a day as well as cookies, sweets, treats and cooldrink donated by the community. The activities the kids participate in depends on what donations there is.

At the previous camps the children got the chance to go on boat rides on the Breede River, go hiking in the mountains and visit the game farm just outside of Heidelberg, to name a few. On site activities involved swimming in the river, quad bike rides and "boere-sport".

At the end of the week at this camp, the children are visited by Santa Claus, who gives them presents bought with money from donations.

Even though is just a small description about this camp, there is much more to tell. If you want to know more about this camp or make a donation, do not hesitate to contact the camp organiser, Mr Marius de Beer, at mcdebeer@mighty.co.za.

To view images from previous camps, do not hesitate to visit our gallery.

Is the government doing enough to improve the poverty statistics in South Africa?

There are a lot of reasons why you should donate to charity. The most important reason is obviously to make a difference, but there are many other reasons as well. Statistics from StatsSA.gov.za shows that the poverty headcount is 56.8% in South Africa at this moment. This is astonishing. What is the government doing about this? Are they doing enough? Are they willing to fly First class in stead of hiring a jet?

According to FlyJetstream.co.za, it costs about 'R850,000 Plus VAT' for a basic private jet. For argument's sake, let's say you can provide one person with a sufficient meal in South Africa for R40. This means you can feed 21250 people by just flying with a public aeroplane. This is a small but valid example. 

How much are they wasting that could have gone to goodwill? How much are they wasting that could have fed the country or could have provided the homeless with shelter? When will we as a country say "Enough is enough?". I am not accusing at a specific political party, but how can a party still receive votes if they are this disfunctional? I am merely making suggestions and raising awareness towards the wasting or mismanagement of our country's finances.

How much of the hardworking tax-payers money is actually going towards the wellfare and education of our people? Think about it.

Source: http://beta2.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=739&id=1 | http://www.flyjetstream.co.za/Aircraft_sales

Great volunteering ideas

The questions you must ask yourself when deciding what charity work you want to do include:

• How big of a difference do you want to make?
• What is my target audience, who do I want to help?
• What do I have to contribute?
• What am I prepared to do?

You need to find an volunteering/charity opportunity that fits your personality. If you are a more 'outdoorsy' type, you probably want to consider volunteering to help with a camp for homeless kids or children's homes. If you are a good organiser, you would probably want to launch a project to collect teddybears, clothes or tinned foods for homeless shelters.

Here follows a few ideas you would want to consider when deciding where to make a difference:

1. Volunteer at your local food bank helping collect, organize, and pass out food. 
2. Plant a community garden. 
3. Start a drive to collect supplies for needy school children. 
4. Go to the less fortunate communities and teach children to read. 
5. Visit your local old age home and help out the elders by reading to them, singing to them, taking them for walks, and visit them for tea.... 
6. Volunteer at the SPCA to help animals in need, volunteer to bath animals, feed them, and take them for walks... 
7. Volunteer at your local community center to teach the youth something you know well, like karate, guitar playing, drawing, and painting... 
8. Organise a car wash and donate the funds raised to a charity in your community. 
9. Volunteer at your local food bank helping collect, organize, and pass out food. 
10. Start a drive to collect small change to buy Bibles for the children in less fortunate communities.

Source: http://www.bygpub.com/books/tg2rw/volunteer.htm | http://www.squidoo.com/50-summer-volunteer-ideas-for-kids-and-teens

The Importance of doing Charity work in your Community

When you are involved in certain charities like rebuilding a home, donating your clothes, fundraising for people with disabilities etc, you make a more personal connection with the person or people you are helping. You can also be a source of inspirations for the community. You could start a fundraising program to fight certain diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases etc or a particular cause which could inspire others and spur the community into action.

Through charity work you help people with the skills that they normally take for granted like teaching them to cook healthy and nutritious meals, or minimize their food expenses, teach nutrition basics to families. You can also teach teenagers and adult the new career skills that are in demand. Charities work teaches you humility when you volunteer for a particular cause, or helping the disabled you appreciate the challenges they undergo daily and the motivation and drive that need everyday to their work. When you work with charity it gives you a new perspective, there could be school which lack enough funds and teachers are laid off, or working with under privileged kids who are susceptible to harm because of economic hardships. Only to name a few.

There are numerous jobs for charity that an individual can do to improve the community. The rewards of helping your community through charity last longer than money. The more you are able and ready to give your skills , talents and time to a cause in which you believe the more you will make a connection with your community and other people. Charity work also teaches us the significance of a simple gesture, you will be in a habit of giving others and appreciations. You should know that with charity you make as much as you would in businesses but they other rewards. So when you decide to work for a charity keep your eyes open wide to the vast genuine needs of the world.

Charity work is not only about making a difference in your community, it makes you a better person too. It helps you realise what you have, and how fortunate you are. Charity work is not charity work if you don't do it out of love and care for your neighbour in need. You do not have to raise millions of rands for charity to make a difference, you can make a difference by taking something small, like a loaf of bread, and make sandwiches to feed at least 5 people. It may not be the greatest sacrifice, but it is still a difference. It is all about giving within your means. It is like Mother Theresa said:
“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”

Is your problem child entirely your fault?

Many parents worry their child’s bad behavior is a result of their parenting mistakes, but new research suggests this may not be the case.

A study found that some children are genetically predisposed to behavioral problems.

The research shows that some children display poor self-control and anger problems in a preschool setting because they have inherited the traits from their parents.

Researchers at Oregon State University – Cascades believe genetics explain why some children thrive at preschool while others develop behavioral problems.

Lead author, Dr Shannon Lipscomb, said: ‘Assuming that findings like this are replicated, we can stop worrying so much that all children will develop behavior problems at center-based care facilities, because it has been a concern.

‘But some children (with this genetic predisposition) may be better able to manage their behavior in a different setting, in a home or smaller group size.’

The researchers collected data from 233 families and found that parents who had high levels of negative emotion and poor self-control were more likely to have children who struggled with behavioral issues.

The researchers also studied adopted children and found a link between their birth parents’ characteristics and their behavior even though they had not been brought up by them.

‘We aren't recommending that children are genetically tested, but parents and caregivers can assess a child's needs and help them get to a setting that might be more appropriate,’ Dr Lipscomb said.

‘This study helps us to explain why some children struggle so much with large peer groups and heightened social interactions. It may not be a problem with a teacher or parent, but that they are struggling on a biological level.’

The news comes shortly after a study from the University of Oxford revealed that children who spend time in day care centers, or with child minders, are more likely to have behavioral problems, such as hyperactivity.

The researchers also found that children who spend more time in preschool playgroups have fewer problems with relationships with other children but that those who spend a lot of time in the care of their grandparents tend to have more peer problems.

The results of the latest study are published in the International Journal of Behavioral Development.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2476935/Dont-blame-poor-parenting-tearaway-kids--bad-behaviour-childs-GENES.html

I was set free because my greatest fear had been realized, and I still had a daughter who I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life. 

- J. K. Rowling

Helping Hands

This event will be hosted at a public space next to Academy’s hostel in Maree Street Bellville on the 2^nd of November 2013. It is organised by the SRC’s Outreach Portfolio. Any/all students, close friends and lecturers are invited to attend and participate in this event. We are expecting approximately 60 children and 20 adults from various safe houses and community outreach projects in the Northern suburbs of Cape Town. 

For further details, please contact Danielle Neveling at 079 527 4266 or email her at daninev06@gmail.com