Lower Crossroads:
Since March 2011 Abbeyfield SA has been working closely with a group of compassionate and hard working women in an informal settlement in Lower Crossroads. We heard about the good work they were doing in running a crèche for 60 children and a soup kitchen twice a week for older persons in the community and saw this as a wonderful opportunity to partner with them. Through SANCO we have been able to lease some land in the community and together with this group and an organisation called Ikaya Lami we are looking to extend their crèche and soup kitchen and add a 6 bedroom Abbeyfield house.
Welbeloon:
Abbeyfield SA is breaking new ground and extending our footprint of work into the rural communities. Welbeloon is a farm in Riebeeksrivier Valley in the Swartland District. Land has been cleared on the farm and we’re furiously fundraising to build a 10 bedroom Abbeyfield House for elderly farm workers who farmers want off their land because they can’t work, are of no use and taking up a bed. Elderly on farms live in the most impoverished conditions with access to services and transport lacking. An Abbeyfield house in this rural farming community would restore dignity and respect to older persons and give them an opportunity to really enjoy their twighlight years. We’ll let you know when the building begins!
Esterhof:
Esterhof is a small community that forms part of the bigger rural town called Riebeek Kasteel, also situated within the Swartland district. Our Esterhof project is an interesting one for us. We have partnered with an organisation called the Goedgedacht Trust, an Educational and Charitable Trust that work with rural youth. Their flagship programme called the Path out Of Poverty (POP) aims to address the cycles of poverty that have dominated and ravaged these rural farming communities for generations. The Goedgedacht Trust have been working closely with local government and already have 3 POP Youth Centres and aim to have 5 more in no time at all. One of the Centres that is already up and running is in Esterhof and we’re looking at building an Abbeyfield house right next to it! We believe that accommodating and caring for vulnerable older persons in a kind a dignified way is equally as important as the education, health and personal development of youth too. So, we’re bringing these two groups together. A win win situation where both Abbeyfield and the Goedgedacht Trust are able to add value and enhance the quality of the service that they both provide. We have written to the Swartland Municipality to apply for the land and a meeting with all relevant stakeholders will take place early in the new year, so we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
Strandfontein:
Renovations at Ebenezer House in Strandfontein are finally complete. 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms have been built on to the existing house of 4 bedrooms. Interviews for prospective residents have started. We are thrilled to know that very soon 3 new elderly people will benefit from the comfort and security provided by our very special Abbeyfield home.
Macassar:
For 7 long years the Macassar Local Society has been fundraising for their first Abbeyfield Home and it finally looks like all their hard work has paid off. They have submitted an offer to purchase a lovely house which will in time be able to accommodate 7 independent elderly people. Well done Macassar, we’re holding thumbs for you!
