VIVA Foundation UK - Newsletter

 
Newsletter - July 2020
 
Under very stringent safety regulations and prescribed measures, our centre received children again, on the 6th of July 2020.  Grades 2 to 6 started school and Grades RR [pre-school] to Grade 1, will start on the 13th of July 2020. 
 
It is a very strange, new world for the children and some of them became very fearful, when they saw all the measures in place.  Few people in the settlement observe safety measures and seeing their teachers in Hazmat suits and having their temperatures taken, drove home the seriousness of the threat to their health and wellbeing.
 
The centre will operate in 2 shifts: the little ones from 7:30 - 10:30 and the older ones from 11:00 -15:00.  The whole Viva Village had to be re-spaced and every day, each child has to be screened and anyone found with Covid19 symptoms must be quarantined immediately.  In South Africa 2 000+ teachers were infected in June alone, when Government opened Public Schools for Grade 8 and 12. 
 
We have to pray and believe that our small faculty, will remain healthy and our children safe, so that we can continue with their education and make sure they are fed and protected.  We continue to distribute food parcels to their families and other vulnerable households, as hunger has become the primary threat.
 
FEEDING SCHEME: We have exceeded the half-million-meals mark!  
 
Viva is distributing food in Mamelodi East and Melville, Johannesburg, weekly.  Since the beginning of the lockdown, we have distributed food parcels that provided at least 518 000 individual meals at these two locations. We are aiming for a Million Meals during the lockdown period and can only do it with the help of individuals and companies sponsoring food and money.  
 
If you want to support this project, please Donate and mark your donation "Mamelodi" for the feeding scheme at the Viva Village and "Melville" for the Johannesburg distribution. 
 
Thank you so much for your support!  
 
Warmest regards 
 
Leon, Meleney and the Viva Team 
 
 

 

April 2020 

 

Dear Friends

 

Viva Foundation is now registered in the UK and we are in the process of opening a bank account and setting up our charity's activities. We had planned to travel to the UK for our first Trustees Meeting in May this year, but those plans had to be placed on hold.  Also, the process of opening a charity bank account seems to be on hold as we are not getting response from our contact with the bank.  We are nevertheless very excited that our organisation is expanding.  

 

These are very unusual times and it makes one thankful for every blessing, every friendship, every family tie and all the material comforts that we can enjoy, despite, perhaps having to enjoy them in confinement.

 

A very troubling impact of schools closing as a necessary preventative measure against the Corona Virus threat, is the risk of Hunger and Domestic Violence to underprivileged children, who depend on the meals they receive at school and for whom school was the only safe place. 

These children are going hungry and are extremely vulnerable to domestic violence and sexual exploitation, alone at home, or worst still, at home in the presence of unemployed adults.  

They need food, they need support, but the donations have dropped very dramatically, as individual donors are concerned for their own future and the uncertainty the pandemic has unleashed on the economy.  

 

Remote schooling is very difficult in a community that has no computers and internet access.  We are looking into broadcasting lessons via the radio, and also to hand out lesson worksheets with the food parcels.

The drop in donations, combined with the higher need for services, is a very concerning reality faced by charities.  

The Viva Foundation has likewise noticed this drop in donations and cannot maintain the services with the level of funding it receives, without urgent assistance.  

We need money for groceries so that we can take food parcels to extremely vulnerable households and to maintain our team of social workers and care workers, that will manage the support under the restrictions.


Presently, we have been posting a need on Social Media for food and financial assistance.  This is MONTHLY need - if we are to provide only 300 food parcels per month, € 20 each, plus provide protective gear, transport and stipends to the teams doing the food parcels and our faculty members who will be supporting the learners remotely with educational material and follow up, an additional €10 000 per month will barely be enough. 

We call on everyone who is able to make a donation of €20, or more, to please do so urgently.  

Updates and reporting will be posted via the Viva social media platforms and per email newsletter.  Please provide your details, if you wish to receive a Donation Receipt.  

Thank you very much for your support! 

Leon and Meleney Kriel and the Viva Team
Registered in the following countries: 

Viva Foundation e.V. [Germany]
Viva Foundation of South Africa [NPO & PBO]
Viva Foundation UK [United Kingdom]