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From the desks of Ingrid and GranJan to Cycle Out Of Poverty (COOP)

June 10th, 2011

From the desks of Ingrid and GranJan to Cycle Out Of Poverty (COOP)

We are thrilled to share our exciting news with you all that the National Lottery Fund has finally approved funding of R2.5m to build a POP Youth Centre on Goedgedacht Farm during 2011. This after trying for three years and as they say third time lucky! This means that POP can finally go ahead with its plans to set up a Rural POP Youth Academy that will build the capacity of more young people from more rural communities so that they have the means to set up POP centres themselves with our support, training, mentoring and guidance and with COOP’s back-up of course!

How will this impact the current programme? With two existing POP Youth Centres in Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West respectively the third will be started in a month or so on Goedgedacht farm. This means that we will be much closer to our dream to set up 10 POP Youth Centres in 10 rural communities over the next 10 years, which COOP now shares with us and has been instrumental in helping POP to get this far so quickly. So girls 7 more POP Youth Centres to build! We hope you are energized for it as much as we are.

Please know that your support has helped us so far to stay true to our vision which is really changing the face of generational poverty in rural communities and giving children the opportunity to be the best they can be, making their own community contribution to be healthy, happy, confident, bright-eyed and able. Wherever we introduce this programme (we have just completed a school holiday programme in 6 different rural communities) it brings back an incredible sense of hope and energy that motivates children, young people and adults to want to do better and become what they are meant to be rather than what circumstances allow them to be. Thank you for supporting POP through a time when money is not always available and so many new ideas come to mind. Knowing that we have your back up allows us not to wait forever for these dreams to be made a reality. Thank you!

Ingrid is going overseas on 1st June to address schools in Wales, Scotland and England to prepare the young people who are planning to come out to the farm in August for part of their Summer
holiday. They work hard and play hard. She will be back just in time for the opening of the Riebeek West Centre on 16th June. We do hope some of the COOP cyclists can make the opening?

Thinking of you as you prepare for your Tours and wishing you carefree and happy days together.

With love Gran Jan & Ingrid

June 10th, 2011 in General | No Comments »

The Edinburgh Academy Raising funds for POP

June 6th, 2011

The Edinburgh Academy Rugby Tour Squad has been picked, the tour schedule of training and matches confirmed and the process of fund raising for direct tour expenses, the EA Foundation (for Academy sporting purposes), and the Goedgedacht Trust has begun very much in earnest.

Their fund raising process has been approached from all angles and a big thank you goes out to all parents, sponsors, friends and corporate associates who have supported their fund raising efforts.

They are now at the crunch time of their fund raising efforts where the boys themselves have embarked upon their personal missions to raise £200.00 each. They are also hosting a grand Rugby Tour Dinner on Saturday June 11th with Rob Wainwright and their very own Fraser Gillies as the guest speakers. Ingrid Lestrade, development Coordinator for POP is visiting the school for two days to share her experiences at POP with the Academy pupils and parents (senior and junior schools). It is hoped that this will be the beginning of a long and fruitful link between the Academy and the Goedgedacht Trust, who run the Path Out of Poverty Programme in South Africa for Grow Peace.

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June 6th, 2011 in General | No Comments »

e-Pap Feeding African Children this Winter

May 25th, 2011

The word ‘e-Pap’ sounds so strange to someone who has never heard it before. The word Pap in Africa is used widely to mean ‘porridge’ and the ‘e’ is used as shorthand for ‘energy’. So put the ‘e’ and the ‘Pap’ together and you get ‘Energy Porridge’, but that is too long so it is known as ‘e-Pap’ and everyone in this part of Africa will know what you are talking about. It really is a great ‘energy booster’ and much loved by the children. Thank you for helping us get the ‘e-Pap’ moving to those who desperately need it. The appeal has been a big success and many children will be getting at least one meal a day this Winter.

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May 25th, 2011 in Report back on | No Comments »

POP 2011 Sports Day and Holiday Programme

May 8th, 2011

POP children hardly ever get a chance to take part in athletics at their various schools because they cannot commit to any practices after school due to having to catch the school bus back home where they arrive as late as 16:00 in the afternoons. On top of that the POP parents can never see how talented their own children are and cheer for them. That’s one of the main reasons why we have decided to have a full day of athletics which range from high jump, long jump, javelin and also included running like the 100 meters and of course not forgetting to have the parents compete with each other and be reminded of what it feels like to have a bit of positive fun.

Some of our POP children and parents got up at 03:00 in the morning and travelled for 3 – 4 hours to get to Goedgedacht farm and take part in the sport day which was held as part of our April school holiday programme on Saturday, 9 April 2011. POP 1 (Goedgedacht farms) were all dressed in GREEN, POP 2 (Riebeek Kasteel) were dressed in RED, POP 3 (Riebeek West) were dressed in BLUE, POP 4 (Elandskloof farm in the Cedarberg) were dressed in BLACK, POP 5 (Algeria in the Cedarberg) were dressed in WHITE and POP 6 (Just Trees Farm near Paarl) were dressed in YELLOW. It was a colorful day filled with lots of excitement, some tough competition and a chance for more than 1 000 rural POP children and parents from the 6 different rural communities to meet each other.

Sounds of cheers, screams and shouts of joy were heard throughout the day as the children competed with each other and the parents cheering them on. I think this was the birth of the POP GAMES for which we now need to find a trophy because the old golden Coke 2L will not work for next year!

Thanks to all friends and funders who made it possible for us to give our children and parents an opportunity to spend a wonderful, peaceful and happy day together.

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May 8th, 2011 in Holiday Programmes | No Comments »

Teach a Child to Bake Bread

April 26th, 2011

So this was our plan. We got all the young leaders in from a wide variety of rural communities (there must have been about 80 of them), we gave each one of them a baking tin and the ingredients. They weren’t allowed to leave until they had baked a loaf of bread. What excitement! There was flour and water and all the other ingredients all over the place and all over them!! It was a wonderful experience, and everybody enjoyed themselves and learnt a lot!

Baking bread just goes to show how different everyone is. Some youngsters produced the most beautiful bread imaginable and others (not very many) baked bread that just completely flopped – it never rose an inch. After they had all learnt the basics, they went back to their communities loaded down with ingredients and equipment to show the other children how its done. It was significant occasion, and the confidence that these children gained by baking bread…

See the Bake Bread Photo Gallery

Thank you for making this such a wonderful, practical skill that they all now have to feed themselves, and their families. It was only possible because of your generous and kind support.

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April 26th, 2011 in Report back on | No Comments »

Third POP Youth Centre Nearly Complete

March 29th, 2011

The great day has finally been decided upon. POP3 youth centre in Riebeek West will be opened by the Minister of Minerals on the 16th of July 2011.

I am so excited that I feel like dancing on the nearest table top and shouting at the top of my voice. “Children of Riebeek West help is on it’s way. You will have your very own youth centre as of the 16th of July and you are going to start a whole new way of life from that day.” It’s a big moment and in the years ahead we will look back and see what an important role this youth centre played in the life of this little town. Children will find and polish their many and varied talents. They will grow more confident and ambitious in what they want from life. They will become more caring towards others and will look for constructive solutions to the challenges that life presents them with.

It is our hope that they will be able to trace their good fortune back to their very own youth centre.

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March 29th, 2011 in POP Centres | No Comments »

Earth Hour 2011

March 25th, 2011

As you may already know, global warming is an issue close to our hearts because the health of our planet will affect our children’s health and future. Goedgedacht Farm already has 11 climate change projects. We switched off for Earth Hour 2010 along with 1 billion other individuals who want to make a difference.

It’s time to switch off again! Together Our Actions DO Add Up.

At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, join the largest voluntary global action ever witnessed (reaching 1.3 billion people this year!!) and switch your lights off for Earth Hour.

If you haven’t already signed up, sign up now to show your support for Earth Hour and to receive regular updates and information.

With Earth Hour almost upon us, our thoughts are with the people of Japan during this incredibly challenging and sad time for their country.

Visit the Earth hour home page for more information, ways to show your support, and be inspired by how others will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.

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March 25th, 2011 in General | No Comments »

Back To School 2011

February 28th, 2011

I have photographs of our POP children going off to school for the very first time.
The look of anxiety/happiness and fearfulness brought tears to my eyes.
What a big moment in their lives and how important to look as smart as you possibly can. You so badly want to fit in with all the other children and make new friends quickly. Looking good is sooo important. And they do look good and this is due to your kindness and generosity in providing them with beautiful new school outfits to wear. On their behalf a big THANK YOU.

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February 28th, 2011 in Report back on | No Comments »

Valentines Day 2011

February 14th, 2011

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all from us at POP!

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February 14th, 2011 in General | No Comments »

Boxes of Blessings

January 26th, 2011

It feels as if the countryside around us is covered in Boxes of Blessings!

I wish you could have seen the astonished looks of the faces of all those families who were lucky enough to get a Box this year. The fun, the laughter, the sheer happiness was wonderful. I watched the food being packed out onto the kitchen tables and the children excitedly climbing into the Boxes. We got the young people who painted the Boxes to hand them over to the receiving families. They also found that very moving. See the image gallery. Thank you all so much for these generous gifts.”

Ingrid Lestrade.

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January 26th, 2011 in General, Report back on | No Comments »

Old Age Home Appeal

January 12th, 2011

You are amazing! This appeal has really struck a cord in all of you. The response has been so good that in a very short space of time we will have sufficient funds to equip our old age home in the valley with furniture and essential household goods.

We already have a queue of people waiting to go into this old age home. In fact, we have 2 couples currently living in an old shipping container. This is terrible! These shipping containers are made of steel and the tempreture last week for 4 days was over 40 degree C! Boiling hot!

The situation is critical, but thanks to you, we have a plan and i’m going to put my very best time and energy into getting this old age home built ASAP.

Thank you, i’m greatly encouraged by your generosity and will work tirelessly to see this old age home a reality in the very near future.

Bless You ALL

Ingrid

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January 12th, 2011 in Report back on | No Comments »

Little Stars Beach Outing 2010

December 30th, 2010

Keep in mind that for the vast majority of these children they have never seen the sea. And they live only 15 miles from this beautiful coastline. This day will remain with them always.

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December 30th, 2010 in General, Holiday Programmes | No Comments »

2010 Summer Holiday Programme

December 21st, 2010

300 children came together at Goedgedacht for a Summer holiday programme. Some fun, some games, some community work such as clearing the lands or planting olive trees under the watchful eye of the farm manager. One or two of the pictures show the children making the book marks that were sent our friends overseas to say thank you for all the help that they have given us. The children love these holiday camps they get good nutritious meals and plenty of unusual games that teach them things like the value of working together as a team.

Children doing the book marks plus the school holiday programme at both Goedgedacht and Esterhof

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December 21st, 2010 in General, Goedgedacht, Holiday Programmes, POP Centres | No Comments »

The Incredible Potato Run

December 11th, 2010

I think we have started a movement. This appeal for help has not gone unnoticed. We are getting enquiries on how this project can be repeated in other communities. We have even turned it into a picture comic book that will be sent out to 20 000 farm workers to encourage them to talk to their employers and see if they can’t do something similar in their area.

So ‘thank you’ for your support. It has been a great boost to other rural communities to get out there a try and solve their own problem of lack of food through innovative ideas.

Ingrid.

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December 11th, 2010 in Report back on | No Comments »

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