One of our trustees, Catherine Michell,Ā visited Ermelo just before lockdown:
“I accompanied Ian and Emma Campbell, our partners in Ermelo,Ā onĀ aĀ visit to Vulinqondo Day Care CentreĀ where we currently fund e’Pap. The informal settlement of Bambanini Village in which the centreĀ is situatedĀ has no electricity orĀ running water. Ā TheĀ day care centreĀ itself does have a small generator which enables water to be pumped into a storage container for use there. This is the only place in the village with such a facility.Ā
Although we did not arrive in time to see the children eating their e’Pap that day (heavy rain and traffic on our drive from Johannesburg prevented this!), we were able to deliver the next instalment of e’Pap to the teachers. We also watched the children playing on their playground equipment, fuelled with energy from their e’Pap breakfast!”
During lockdown,Ā children who would normally attendĀ Vulinqondo Day Care Centre areĀ being fed at the centre. Feeding will also soon commenceĀ in two other locations through the initiatives of local pastors. This is subject to the continuedĀ consent of the authorities there,Ā which has notĀ always been straightforward to secure.Ā
There is great need in this area andĀ the GRCT hasĀ agreed toĀ expand the funding ofĀ e’Pap feeding in Ermelo when this is possible. Catherine sawĀ the three new proposed locations during her visit, including a spot by the roadside under a large treeĀ (pictured below)Ā where children and teenagersĀ congregateĀ to catch the school busĀ from the informal settlement to school.
