Table of Contents
AGM Agenda
- Welcome
- Opening
- Notice Convening Meeting
- Project Reports: Manager, Social Worker, Social Auxiliary Worker, Kabouterland Educare Centre, Fundraising
- Financial Statements
- Auditors for 2021-2022
- Closing
AGM Minutes
| Agenda item | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Welcome | The meeting commenced at 15:00. David Fourie welcomed everyone to the meeting. |
| Opening | Pastor Chris Liebenberg opened the meeting with scripture based on Psalm 41: “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak.” |
| Notice Convening Meeting | The notice convening the meeting was read by Jenny van Heerden. |
| Sparrows: 21 Years in Review | Attached. Presented by Jenny van Heerden. |
| Manager’s Report | Attached. Presented by Jenny van Heerden. |
| Social Worker’s Report | Attached. Presented by Faith Fusa. |
| Social Auxiliary Worker’s Report | Attached. Presented by Monica Banzana. |
| Kabouterland Educare Centre Report | Attached. Presented by Jenny van Heerden. |
| Fundraising Report | Attached. Presented by Rachel Helm-Jovo. |
| Financial Statements | Attached. Presented by Jenny van Heerden. The Sparrows and Kabouterland audits were accepted by the members present. Proposed by Charmaine Jonk, seconded by Israel Jovo. |
| Auditors for 2021-2022 | A2A Kopano has been the auditors for Sparrows for 21 years. David Fourie suggested they remain the auditors. The suggestion was accepted by the members present, proposed by Brendon Booysen and seconded by Charmaine Jonk. |
| Closing | Nosiphiwo Taliwe was awarded the first Allcopy Publishers annual prize of R2 000 for showing courage, kindness and respect. David Fourie closed the meeting at 15:45 and invited the members present to enjoy the Sparrows 21st birthday cake. |
Sparrows: 21 Years in Review
The Sparrows idea started in 1996. God asked me to look after His misplaced people: house, clothe and feed them.
I was given three instructions by Dr Tony Campolo (American sociologist, pastor and author):
- Get the blessing of your family
- Pray for God to show you someone who shares your vision
- Have strict timelines
I fulfilled the first two within two months. Then the fun began.
We purchased three houses and a vacant plot. The boundaries connected and we had a large area to work with.
Money came from friends and donors. I must tell you about my partner – my Siamese twin from another mother. We were joined at the hip.
Jean is blonde and beautiful. She was the charmer. I would send her in ahead. After she had charmed and convinced the donor to part with their money, I would come in for the kill. It sounds very calculating, but it worked. Jean kept me excited and I kept her grounded. A winning combination. Sadly, she later emigrated to the United States.
We welcomed our first eleven children on 13 April 2000. They arrived in an Opel. Jean rushed them off to play a game. I disappeared into the house to have a good cry. The moment was too great – the responsibility was overwhelming.
One of the children who arrived on that day is now a social worker. We are very proud of her achievements. All four of our matriculants over the years were prefects at Tarkastad High School. I do believe that education is the best inheritance we can give our children.
We later bought an adjacent house to the plot and renovated it to become the foster home. We inherited Kabouterland Educare Centre from Child Welfare Queenstown.
The vacant plot is currently used by the community as a vegetable garden.
At present, we have 22 children, a manager, a social worker, six child care workers and a social auxiliary worker.
The success of Sparrows was not due to two people. Many contributed, especially our families. I would like to pay tribute to the late PJ Budler, Jean’s husband, and BJ van Heerden, mine, as well as our children.
The mere fact that you support us today means so much to all of us in the organisation. You, the community, have carried us through the times when we had to stay behind locked doors. It was not always easy as the children sometimes became restless. The staff also had to be very conscious not to bring Covid-19 into Sparrows.
The Kabouterland staff have also excelled this past year with the school attendance being so erratic. You, staff, have been absolute stalwarts. You rose to the challenge and have done a sterling job. I salute you.
Brent, our very own psychologist. We so look forward to your weekly visits. You are so caring and kind to us. You are a wealth of knowledge and we appreciate your guidance. Your muffins are the best in the world!
Ms Msila, Mrs Fulani and Ms Ntshanga. If only the Department of Social Development were made up only of people like you. Tiny, we appreciate all you mean and do for us. You are a true friend of the organisation.
Rachel, our fundraiser. You are always looking for ways to improve our bank balance. Thank you for being so thorough and committed. I appreciate you very much.
Welcome to our new Management Committee. I trust we are going to have a wonderful three years together. I am thanking you in anticipation for all you are going to do. David, you have already been such a wonderful support to me. Your knowledge and expertise is valued.
The community of Tarkastad embraced us this past year in many ways that fulfilled our needs. We are so grateful to be part of your lives.
I would like to thank Allcopy Publishers especially for introducing an award for whoever has shown that she can rise to her challenges with courage and strength, whilst continually treating others with kindness and respect. Congratulations to this year’s winner: Nosiphiwo Taliwe.
Letter from Allcopy Publishers
Dear Jenny, staff and children at Sparrows
Tarkastad is a place where our father loved to spend his holidays as a student, visiting his cousins’ farms. He worked very hard during his career to afford his own farm to semi-retire and then fully retire in Tarkastad from 1993, and we were both lucky enough to spend time there too with our parents, our families and their many friends and families. Jenny and BJ, you were some of their most beloved friends, and through that friendship our company, Allcopy Publishers, became associated with Sparrows.
Whilst rooted in that special friendship, this association has grown into a relationship that has been ongoing in its own right for many years now, and we are proud of our association with the incredible work that you do. Congratulations to you all for making a significant difference to the many children who will progress through your care to adulthood and carry Tarkastad in their hearts, as we do. Jenny, your leadership has been an inspiration to us all.
Congratulations on your 21st year! To celebrate this special occasion, we would like to introduce an award that recognises the traits we uphold strongly at Allcopy Publishers in all we do and all we touch. These are traits of courage in the face of challenges, whilst always showing kindness and respect to others. We are thrilled to award this to Nosiphiwo Taliwe. We would like this to become an annual award.
Very best wishes to you all,
Alan Jonker and Sandy Geyer
Manager’s Report
“I will walk by faith even when I cannot see.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7
COVID-19, LOCKDOWN, LEVEL 5, 4, 3 … MASKS, SANITISE, SOCIAL DISTANCE, VACCINATE – this has become so part of our lives. But through all of this, we have been blessed.
Sparrows Child and Youth Care Centre
I am so proud of the children and staff for embracing the unusual situation and making the best of it. In the beginning, we were in total lockdown. It was fun in the beginning, but as time went on, we realised that COVID-19 was here to stay for a while. We drew closer as a family and had time to reflect on how we were doing things and how to move forward in this unnatural time.
The children were able to go home for the Christmas holidays. I would like to thank the external social workers for organising the holiday placements as well as the families who hosted the children. It is a financial strain on families to accommodate more children into their homes over the festive season. We do assist by sending food parcels as well as new clothes and gifts for our children.
The staff must be commended for their dedication and commitment. This past year has been no different to others as far as payment of subsidies is concerned. The quarterly payments were seldom on time, but the staff endured and continued working.
This has been a very difficult year for education. WhatsApp teaching became the norm as teachers sent messages to and fro. Sparrows was a flurry each morning as children and staff settled into classroom mode. I would like to thank Faith, the social worker, and Monica, the social auxiliary worker, for assisting the childcare workers each day. I would also like to thank the educators for trying their best.
Kabouterland Educare Centre
The children’s education has really suffered. The Educare Centre was closed for most of 2020. When open, parents were loath to send their little ones back to school. I would like to thank Lydia and Vinah for being devoted and dedicated to teaching these beautiful children. The staff were paid erratically, because the subsidy was not always paid on time. I would like to thank Sparrows for coming to the rescue.
Community Services
This service has been difficult to render as the office was closed. Monica would consult with the clients through the burglar bars. On a few occasions, she was able to accompany clients to the Department of Home Affairs and SASSA in Cradock. I would like to thank Monica for continuing with her work regardless of the risk.
Fundraising
Fundraising became very difficult as we were not able to host our annual fundraising events. This did not deter Rachel. She found innovative ways to continue raising awareness and funds. We appreciate her dedication to the organisation as a volunteer.
Conclusion
I would like to welcome the new Management Committee for 2020 – 2023. I trust you will take this organisation to new heights. I appreciate your willingness to volunteer your time to this end. David has been a gem. He has assisted me with issues where I was out of my depth. Thank you, I appreciate you.
I would like to thank the staff and volunteers for their contributions toward the success of the organisation.
May we not buckle under the pressure or be consumed with fear, but continue pouring into the lives of our dearest children.
Jennifer van Heerden
Manager
Social Worker’s Report
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
— Romans 5:3-6
Statutory work and family services
| Activity | Number |
|---|---|
| Family reunification | None |
| Family conferences | 22 |
| Section 159(2) supervision reports | 22 |
| Care plans | 25 |
| Children’s Court inquiry reports | 5 |
| Institutional placements | 5 |
Casework
- Five children from the foster home were admitted to Sparrows.
- The internal social worker, the external social workers and the manager assessed children for the holidays.
- The internal social worker holds regular counselling and therapy sessions with the children.
- External social workers and other professionals were invited on different occasions to help with counselling sessions and to attend family conferences.
- Individual development plans are drawn up by multi-disciplinary teams and the child concerned. The child’s growth and development is encouraged and monitored, and the plan is reviewed every six months.
Group work
The children are grouped according to their ages. The groups work well on Fridays and during the holidays. They help with behaviour, because the children formulated the group rules and the consequences for not keeping them. Sessions covered:
- Life skills
- Independent living for children leaving the residential care programme
- Victim empowerment
- Family preservation
- Promotion of the rights of children
- Income-generating activities
- Individual counselling
- Grief counselling
- Trauma counselling
- Play therapy
- Psycho-social support
Successes
- Therapeutic group work has resulted in children being able to voice their feelings more easily.
- The Journey of Life programme helped most of our children to reflect on who they are and why they were placed at Sparrows. The children were grouped by age and most took part.
- Programmes aimed at older girls were successful, judging by participation and feedback after every session.
Challenges
- We did not allow visitors at Sparrows during the higher lockdown levels. The children found it difficult not to see their parents for family conferences.
- Some parents did not return their children on the agreed date after the holidays. The external social workers located the children with the help of SAPS.
- Some children returned from the holidays in poor condition, which was reported to their social workers.
- Teasing and bullying is a challenge at Sparrows, especially of children with low self-esteem.
- Some children have difficulty controlling anger. It is difficult to find the causes.
- Some children avoid being vulnerable by avoiding discussions about deeper issues.
- Sharing of clothes among the older girls is a challenge.
Meetings, conferences, training and workshops
| Description | Participants |
|---|---|
| Revised job descriptions for CYCWs | 7 |
| Staff meetings | 9 |
| Management meetings | 11 |
| IDP reviews | 9 |
| Assessment tools for children in alternative care (virtual meeting) | 5 |
Only three families had an opportunity to hold family conferences in 2020, because the Covid-19 pandemic reached us at the end of March 2020 and the country entered lockdown.
The year in review
- 22 April 2020: the child and youth care workers met about their job descriptions.
- 22 May 2020: Ms Magda Greyling brought cakes, sweets and chips to Sparrows and we had a party with the children.
- 14 August 2020: the reintegration programme started with the older children, to ensure they return to their families as functional adults.
- 30 October 2020: Mr Garvin Willemse spoke to the boys about sexuality and relationships. The children held a talent show, and each child received a small gift to encourage participation.
- 16 November 2020: the manager and staff started working on the children’s individual development plans (IDPs).
- 26 November 2020: the Social Worker attended the launch of the 16 Days of Activism.
- 1 December 2020: the children’s Christmas wish-list was presented to the manager.
- 8 December 2020: the Department of Social Development approved holiday placements, dependent on the external social workers’ recommendations.
- 10 December 2020: Christmas dinner.
- 11 to 22 December 2020: the children were taken to their holiday placements.
- 11 to 14 January 2021: the children returned from their holiday placements.
- 26 February 2021: the Social Worker attended a virtual workshop on the assessment tool for children in alternative care.
Conclusion
I would like to conclude by quoting Dr Nelson Mandela: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
Faith Fusa
Social Worker
Social Auxiliary Worker’s Report
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.”
— Psalm 139:1-2
I did not join Sparrows for fun. You made me a pillar of strength for Your purpose. This is how You showed Your love, mercy and kindness to the community of Tarkastad.
Positive outcomes, 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021
- 500 community members were reached through food and vegetable donations during lockdown.
- Two orphaned children were placed in foster care within their families.
- Eight clients were referred to the occupational therapist for further assistance.
- Five neglected children were removed from their maternal families and placed with their paternal families.
- During the 16 Days of Activism, a men’s empowerment campaign (“Not In My Name”) proved successful and resulted in some men opening up about the abuse they suffer.
- The “Back to School” campaign was successful. Children needing school uniforms were referred to the Department of Social Development for assistance.
Priority challenges
- Unemployment. Our communities are the poorest of the poor. Because of illiteracy and other circumstances, privileges and benefits are received by the people who are familiar with those in authority. This makes it difficult for people to find employment. Substance abuse in the workplace also plays a role.
- Substance abuse. This is becoming more of a challenge, especially with young children becoming involved. This has led to an increase in the crime rate, especially assault, theft, robbery, burglary and break-ins.
- Gender-based and domestic violence. Children are exposed to this on a daily basis in the community, leading to serious behaviour challenges.
- Teenage pregnancy. Because of the above challenges, many teenagers leave school and cohabit with men to alleviate their situation. This often leads to unplanned pregnancies.
Community work
| Description | Previous total | Added | Total in progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assigned cases | 172 | 22 | 194 |
| Home visits | 810 | 186 | 996 |
| Office visits | 635 | 189 | 824 |
| Child support grants | 652 | 152 | 804 |
| Birth certificate applications | 458 | 89 | 547 |
| ID document applications | 553 | 113 | 666 |
| Referrals | 404 | 269 | 669 |
| Residential care family conferences | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Foster care family conferences | 70 | 11 | 81 |
| Other family conferences | 50 | 15 | 65 |
| Child removals | 18 | 8 | 26 |
| Awaiting family placements | 20 | 8 | 28 |
| Institutional placements | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Meetings, conferences, training and workshops
| Description | Participants |
|---|---|
| Group sessions with Sparrows children | 25 |
| White Door CPF: 16 Days of Activism | 48 |
| Back to School Campaign | 100 |
| Masizone DC | 8 |
| White Door Centre | 11 |
| CPF meetings | 15 |
| Stakeholders’ meetings | 22 |
| Workshop: SLA implementation | 7 |
| Valedictory service: THS | 50 |
| GBV dialogue | 50 |
| Men empowerment | 100 |
| Staff meetings | 9 |
| Management meetings | 11 |
| Annual General Meeting | 35 |
| Group sessions with the psychologist | 10 |
Conclusion
I would like to thank all the departments and community members who made the year a success. I am looking forward to reaching all vulnerable groups in Tarkastad.
“With God on our side, we are more than conquerors.”
Monica Banzana
Social Auxiliary Worker
Kabouterland Educare Centre Report
We have had a really strange year. Plans could not be made ahead of time as we were never sure what the President would announce about lockdown. Regardless of the circumstances, we soldiered on. Vinah and I enjoyed teaching the children.
There were 17 children attending school. We taught the children to wear masks, wash their hands, social distance and sanitise.
Without God in our hearts, we cannot successfully do the work that we do.
Activities
| Indoor activity | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Cutting | Hand-eye co-ordination; control the scissors; follow the outline of the picture |
| Pasting | Follow instructions; paste to make a picture |
| Counting | Recognising numbers; addition and subtraction |
| Puzzles | Improve cognitive ability |
| Outdoor activity | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Ball games | Hand-eye co-ordination |
| Climbing | Improve gross motor skills |
| Team games | Sportsmanship and teamwork |
Challenges
- Some children dropped out of school before the end of the school year.
- Some parents are not committed to paying school fees regularly.
- Some of the children display difficult behaviour. We need to understand that the reason behind this behaviour is often circumstances at home.
- Parents and children do not always know their HIV status.
Conclusion
We are grateful to the clinic staff who visited the centre regularly. They check our children to monitor their development.
We are sincerely grateful to all who donated goods and money to our school, as well as the Department of Social Development for the subsidy.
Our donors were: Mr J. Mariema, Mrs L. Booysen, Ms Y. Mbadu and the Bikers Clubs.
L. Siqaza
Principal
Fundraising Report
“Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”
— Psalm 150:6
Even though we started this financial year during the Covid pandemic, we continued to find reasons to praise the Lord. Our children and staff were safe. Each day, there was food on the table and lights each evening. Much-needed maintenance was completed on our buildings. All this when the rest of the world was preparing for doom and gloom. We were praising God in the midst of the storm.
Kabouterland
For the majority of the year, the Educare Centre was closed, but the staff continued in their faithfulness to the children and the heart behind educating them.
Competitions
The restrictions on face-to-face events got us thinking out of the box. A raffle event each month became a staple. From chocolate cake to biltong cake to hampers, this provided an unexpected income that we would normally receive from food sales.
Our annual Christmas in July event initiated a food take-away for the evening.
Hunt Auction
While this event was held online, the hunt packages were well supported, raising almost R50 000. AuctionOne with Justin Rothbart offered us assistance with advertising and logistics of an online auction. We really appreciate their continued support.
Live in the Garden
In October, we were able to do a small event through the Victory Family Church and The Shed in Cradock. Kim Liebenberg provided live music with the help of Aiden. The Shed, other businesses and Unitas International provided food for the event. Our profit was over R12 000 for this special evening. Plans are underway for this to become an annual event.
NPO Fundraising Forum
In September, I began attending the NPO Fundraising Forum through Sparrows’ Patron, Annelise de Jager. New insights have been gleaned, which I hope to begin implementing at the end of the training period.
Christmas Shoeboxes
Victory Family Church took the initiative to prepare a Christmas shoebox for each child at Sparrows. We are grateful for their kindness and continuous care for our children.
Yard Sale Day
While a charity shop is not feasible at this time for Sparrows, we decided to do a Yard Sale to help with fundraising. This was a huge success. We are looking at continuing this on a bi-monthly basis and incorporating roosterkoek sales and other food items on the same day.
Fundraising totals, 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021
| Description | Date | Amount raised | Goods in kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unitas International (maintenance) | 30 June | R15 000 | |
| Unitas International (running costs) | 30 June | R12 000 | |
| Hunt Auction | 1 July | R48 200 | R14 000 |
| Cake Raffle | 15 July | R970 | R250 |
| Christmas in July | 17 July | R2 020 | R1 810 |
| Hamper Raffle | 31 August | R1 050 | R750 |
| Biltong Raffle | 30 September | R1 530 | R350 |
| Venison Raffle | 30 October | R510 | R150 |
| Live in the Garden | 31 October | R12 620 | R7 550 |
| The Story: Cake Raffle | 30 November | R550 | R250 |
| Christmas Shoeboxes (Victory Family Church) | 25 December | R2 750 | |
| Yard Sale Day | 3 March | R3 050 | |
| Food Pantry Donations (Unitas International) | April 2020 to March 2021 | R68 671 | |
| Food Pantry Donations (miscellaneous) | April 2020 to March 2021 | R3 500 | |
| Donations toward SEESA | April 2020 to March 2021 | R14 400 | |
| Total | R111 900 | R100 031 |
Conclusion
Fundraising has taken a different avenue during the Covid-19 pandemic and remains a continuous process. The building of relationships, no matter what our circumstances, shows the resilience of our organisation.
I am grateful to serve Sparrows in this manner. Thank you to the management board, staff and Jenny for their assistance with the fundraisers.
These last few months have allowed many of us to have a different type of quietness in our lives that we may not have been used to. I pray that through our quietness or stillness, we can know God deeper each day.
Rachel Helm-Jovo
Project Co-Ordinator: In-House Fundraising
Donors
We appreciate every donation, whether in cash or in kind. If your name or organisation has been left off this list in error, please contact us.
- Agnes Mkobeni
- Alex Muller
- Allcopy Publishers
- Annelise de Jager
- Anthony Bradley
- Baptist Church, Queenstown
- BJ van Heerden
- Bonnie McEwan
- Brent Phillips
- Brian Malloy
- Budler Family
- Charles Aspeling
- Chris & Kim Laubscher, Blanco
- Colleen Elliott
- Cornel Smith
- Dee Mac Taggart
- Department of Social Development
- Dezzy Bentley
- Elsa-Marie Michau
- Gateway Church
- Geyle & Allan Porter
- Glendale Group
- Grand Lodge of South African Freemasons, EL
- Jackie, Victory Family Church
- Jo-Ann King
- Joy Wokiyesi
- Justin Bridger
- Kayakazi Mgalewi
- Kirsten Watt-Pringle
- Lindisa Lisa
- Lucas Rudman
- Magda Greyling
- Maru Maghajena
- MC du Plessis
- Moira Collett
- Mr Morris, Queenstown Forklift
- National Lotteries Commission
- Nicolette van der Westhuizen
- Oupa & Nana Mouton
- Presbyterian Church
- Rachel Helm-Jovo
- Rowan Phillips
- Sarliena Triegaardt
- Sienie Niehaus
- Smouse Family
- Sonna Kitching
- Tarka Pharmacy
- Teree du Preez
- Tinah Rajaal
- Tracy Frost
- Trish King
- Unitas International
- Victory Family Church, Cradock
- WA Ladies
- Wayne Porter
- Wayne Smith & Sponsors
- Wendy Scott
- XC Godlo