Ncedo Thuso is one of the Safe Parks under our Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme. Every day over 240 children, aged 6-21 years come after school to Ketlehong St Peter’s Church which is led by Father Elijah. The Safe Park is coordinated by Lebohang Pule who works with a dedicated team of 10 Childcare Advocates, 6 volunteer cooks and a number of Peer Educators. Having started from humble beginnings in 2006, this Safe Park is now incredibly well run meeting an enormous need within the community and partnering with other organisations and government support.

The after school programme which runs every week day, even during holidays, schedules time for eating, socialising and learning. The children are divided into groups and the Peer Educators (aged 13 yrs plus) organise stories, games and activities. Here are some of the comments from the Peer Educators and Childcare advocates explaining why their work is so important.

‘Our home visits are really important for the children who are in child headed households. We help them with their homework and teach them how to be responsible e.g. do the housework, wash their uniforms, look after themselves. Visiting them in their homes, we can see their needs in reality and the children find it much easier to speak to us about their problems. Many times we identify their needs and tell them about their rights. We often take them to social services to make sure they get their child grants and the things they are entitled to. We have a hope that as we do this, these children will implement it for future generations. ‘ Lebohang Safe Park Co-ordinator

‘Yesterday I advocated for a disabled child to enable her to access a special school rather than the local school which was unable to address her educational and physical needs. The child’s parents have died of AIDS and she is looked after by her aunt who is herself sick. I took a letter from the teachers to the special school and they are looking into transferring her as soon as they can. This makes me so happy, knowing that this little girl will get the help she needs. If I didn’t do it – no one else would.’ Millicent - Childcare Advocate

‘We are really reaching out to the community and helping children who would otherwise be loitering around getting into trouble. This safe park keeps them out of trouble, provides for their needs and improves their chances for the future.’ Peer Educator

‘We are partial parents to these children and we love them like their parents would if they were still alive. We would like to help more children like them and go into the schools to liaise with them too’Volunteer Cook

‘When there is no one else around to care, we are organising the funerals of these children.’ Child Care Advocate

Despite the transforming work this Safe Park achieves, there are many obstacles that hinder the work from reaching its potential. They are looking for ways to increase the indoor space as currently there is only 1 room within the church itself which is unable to cope with the number of children during wet weather. The outside equipment is sparse and they would benefit from additional sport and play equipment. Uniforms and school equipment are donated and there is always a huge need for educational bursaries to pay for further education. This is alongside the on-going costs of running the park (fuel for cooking, wages, training etc) which are ever increasing. If you would like to support the work of this Safe Park, along with the other Safe Parks as part of our Orphans and Vulnerable Children programme, you can either donate online or contact our office.

NcedoThusoea Bana

GoodNews!The Kwasa Centre are expanding at a tremendous speed thanks to your help.

An application has been made for the registration of Kwasa College as an Independent School! Next year (2014) they will have their first class of Grade 1's - 22 boys and girls who have attended the Pre-Primary School which BST help to fund.

The vision and plan is bold and ambitious - and already happening! The school will grow each year, adding one more Grade at a time. This means that a child will be able to be educated in the safe, secure, nurturing environment provided at Kwasa College for 15 years of his/her life. Being an Independent Diocesan School - young people will grow in an environment which will help them to achieve their potential and equip them with values and principles on which to base their future lives. Kwasa will apply for Government funding but this requires them to run on their own for two years to show sustainability. When the Department of Education do start to fund the school - it will be according to the number of pupils two years previously. Another important factor in the funding is that many of the parents/carers of the children cannot come close to being able to afford much in terms of school fees. So Kwasa need our help now.

Enabling a child to go to Kwasa will truly transform their lives, it will give them opportunities that they would never have and will transport them from a life in poverty to a chance to escape it.

You have the opportunity to contribute to the success of Kwasa college and the education of children there. It costs R6000 (around £400 at current exchange rates) each year for school fees, uniform, stationery and transport. If you would like to be a part of this transforming work and make a monthly donation to this work, please contact:

info@bstrust.org or 0845 430 1214

Please know that your support is

invaluable to us - thank you again for

sharing our journey!!

The Venerable Sharron Anne Dinnie -

Founder of Kwasa Centre

Home based carers jobOne of the hardest and saddest parts of the Home Based Carers’ jobs is seeing one of the families they care for lose a family member to AIDS. Some comfort, however, is brought to the bereaved through the Care Givers’ services, where the carers and families are given the opportunity to remember those who have died and those who have cared for the sick

Do you know where your next meal is coming from? Each Safe Park feeds up to 300 children a day and as the exchange rate is so favourable at the moment, these meals currently cost just 4p per meal. For many of the children, this is their only guaranteed meal of the day – and a highlight for many.

IT training and supportIn a world where technology is an essential tool, we realise its importance in resourcing the projects we help. More of the Safe Parks are now getting IT, internet access and essential computer training.

Skills Development Congratulations to all the Childcare Advocates (CCA’s) who have received the Bishop’s certificate in recognition of their outstanding work and dedication to their job. CCA’s are vital to the work of the Safe Parks in advocating for the needs of children who are often neglected, abused and unable to complete their schooling.

Feeding for LifeMore Safe Parks are developing their own food gardens and ensuring food security for the projects. One of our partners is collaborating with an organisation in Mpumalanga which specialises in food gardens and will develop a programme to establish big food tunnels around all of the projects. Resources needed for this are security fencing, tools and training. Congratulations to Pinky (at Siyaphila) who has been promoted to Food Garden Co-ordinator for this new programme.

You can make a donation

online at www.bstrust.org or

call 0845 430 1214

CHRISTMAS 2013 ISSUE 4 Transforming Communities Changing Lives

News and Events

The day began with torrential rain, continued with torrential rain and ended with it too! But that didn’t stop our 4 dedicated runners (nearly 5 but one had to pull out due to injury) who completed the Oxford Half Marathon in early October. Thank you for all of your hard work and raising over £1000!

Roxi Rose“I ran the OHM as a personal challenge after gaining too much weight and having a horrible pregnancy. I needed an outlet and a new start. Bishop Simeon Trust is South African which is close to my heart as is the good it does for the beautiful kids in need”

Kirsty WalshI admit it: I am quite proud of myself. I ran my FIRST half marathon on the 13th of October for this excellent charity. I started training in July with tons of enthusiasm; at this point I was only running the odd 3 miles here and there and had major surgery at the start of the year. A few weeks before the event I had started to waiver and was terrified I wouldn’t make it over the finishing line. Maz was a great help at getting me back on track, she allowed me to attend a stall she was managing to help raise funds and awareness for the charity.

This gave me the extra boost to start with my own fund raising for the run. I reached my target of £350 pounds and even exceeded it. So then came the day...still unsure I was going to make it to the end I set off in the pouring rain. Maz and her husband were there to cheer me on at mile 7. Mile 11 I was tired, I was soaked through, and my legs felt done. I may well have raised a few hundred quid for Bishop Simeon Trust but oh boy was I happy to see Kassam Stadium. There is a huge satisfaction in meeting such a goal, figuring out how to accomplish it, challenging myself to dig deep within, then going about making it happen. To quote [the website] “Think differently, be the change - Whether you are an individual, group or business who wants to make a difference and raise money for charity, there are lots of ways to get involved” you just have to be willing

June 29th- July 3rd This is continuing with great enthusiasm and we are very nearly fully booked on our 2014 tour. If you are interested in cycling from Lands End to John o’Groats in June 2014, would like to be part of the support team or would like to know where you can come along and support the riders along the route, please get in touch.

Join us in the London toEdinburgh cycle challenge.

2014 is our 25th Anniversary year and what a change we have made in that time.! It is a year of celebration and thankfulness for the work that was inspired by a great man, Bishop Simeon, and put into action by our founder and president, Judith Scott. We very much hope that you will join in the celebrations and help to increase awareness of BST’s work and the changes it continues to bring to those it supports and empowers in South Africa.

On 27th April 2014 the world celebrates 20 years of democracy for South Africa. What an amazing change has occurred in South Africa in that time! Freedom and opportunities once only dreamed of are now a reality for many. However, there is still much to be done in a country where poverty and HIV/AIDs continue to dictate lives. We are asking you to partner with us in our 25th year in a 25 hour sponsored silence on 27th April 2014. This is to remember in particular the orphaned and vulnerable children who remain unheard in the world around them because they have no one to speak up for them. If parents have died and there is no one to hear them and care for their needs, we at BST are speaking up for them through the work of our Childcare Advocates who are listening to them, caring for them, providing for them and advocating for them.

Sponsor forms will be sent out with the next newsletter or you can download one from the website. 27th April 2014 is a Sunday so shouldn’t interfere with work or school (unless you work for the church!). Please do contact any schools or groups that you know would be keen to be involved too and we can send out an information pack to them.

Mandela Day is a global movement which remembers Mandela’s achievements in working towards conflict resolution, democracy, human rights, peace, and reconciliation. On 18th July every year, people remember the 67 years that Mandela gave to fight for the rights of humanity through giving up 67 minutes of their time. We at BST are asking you to donate 67 minutes of your time on Friday 18th July 2014 to highlight the work of BST in continuing the vision that Nelson Mandela began. We are looking for every supporter to organise an awareness and fundraising event for that day in support of our work; more ideas on www.mandeladay.com Here are some suggestions:

- Host a 67 minute coffee morning

- Host a 67 minute party/dance/quiz night.

- Volunteer to help someone for 67 minutes and ask for a contribution for your time.

- Have a 67 minutes sponsored event e.g. run, walk, singalong

- Invite 67 people to donate £1 each to BST.

NEWSLETTER B I S H O PS I M E O N

T R U S T

Bishop Simeon Trust. PO Box 4514, Dunstable, LU6 9QE Tel: 0845 430 1214 | Registered charity: 1016122 | info@bstrust.org | @ bstrust_org | www.bstrust.org

No More Soggy DinnersSiyanakekele now has more classroom provision which is being used as a dining room, teaching space and homework room for the 250 children who visit every day. They are currently sourcing tables, chairs and furniture to equip it.

Bigger is BetterThe long awaited relocation of Tshepo Hope Safe Park has begun, as it has moved to an exciting new and much bigger site, providing the children with more room to run and play in safety. Buildings are being refurbished, toilets constructed, classrooms are being organised and food gardens established.

Give Back SkillsAs the older orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) grow up and learn to thrive through the Safe Park programme, they are encouraged to take part in the ‘Give Back Skills’ programme. Revisiting the Safe Parks that enabled them to get to further education and employment, they help to, inspire and mentor the younger generation of OVC.

Gogos Get Going 20% of South Africa’s children are orphans due to the AIDS epidemic – and many of these children are looked after by their grandmothers, ‘Gogos’. 15 Gogo’s at Siyaphila (the eldest of whom is 76yrs old) are determined to keep well and financially independent through the help of the ‘Grannies programme’. Their daily routine includes exercises, motivational talks and training. They also have a social enterprise business, where they buy and sell chickens and eggs within the community to raise funds. With your support they are hoping to expand this business in the coming months.

Thank You!

Change

This Christmas we want to thank you for your very generous support over the past year. The money that you, and hundreds like you, have faithfully donated has supported the Trust’s work, from meeting the most basic human needs in individual community projects to campaigning to bring about change through South African’s policy makers. We thought you might like to see how your generosity has transformed people and projects this year.

TRAT 2014

OXFORD HALF MARATHON

To find out more about entering the Rat Race challenge for BSTrust in 2014, please contact: maz@bstrust.org2nd - 5th May 2014 Ratrace Road Trip:London - Edinburgh

RAT RACE

20 YEARS OFFREEDOM

MANDELA DAY

Often at BST we talk about ‘changing things for the better’. How can we help to change circumstances for the people we work with?

What does change really mean? And what does change look like?

When change is a verb, it is a doing word. It requires action. In our work, that means action by ourselves, by our partners and ultimately by our beneficiaries. Action in this case means to become different or make a difference. We are determined that through our collaborative actions, people in need will be RENEWED, ENHANCED, LIFTED, ENCOURAGED and EMPOWERED - and that this transformation will be sustainable.

Change is also a noun; a change is something that has been transformed; it is not a one-off phenomenon. It is a steady commitment to seeing the change through to the end and establishing a new beginning. This is why we are so dedicated to partnering with organisations who are committed to lasting, ongoing and sustainable change within the communities we serve.

Change has another meaning too. If we checked our pockets, opened our wallets or looked under the sofa, how much change we would find?

We are asking whether you could donate your change (although bank notes, cheques and bank transfers are all valued too!) to this year’s Christmas appeal.

Thousands of children come to the Safe Parks daily to receive food, help and support and we would like to give a gift to those children who really have nothing at home, neither at Christmas nor at any other time of year. Over 800 children have been identified within the projects who will not receive any presents this Christmas. Please support this appeal and send us your “change” to help a child feel really special this Christmas and to give each one new hope for the future.

Or if you would simply like to give a gift at Christmas to the ongoing work of BST, you can send cheques or postal orders to our usual address below

Bishop Simeon Trust. PO Box 4514, Dunstable, LU6 9QE

25 YEARSCELEBRATION

Thank You

Thank you to all of our new supporters who have started regular monthly Standing Orders.Your commitment is helping us to create a better future and lasting change for those we work with.Look on our website for more

ideas. www.bstrust.org. Please

send us your ideas and photos.

Donation online now.

Click Christmas Appeal at

www.bstrust.org or call

0845 430 1214