This gallery contains 35 photos.
Did a bit of butt-kicking at our last meeting. You could call it a gentle, encouraging prod in the right direction. Or you could call it what it was – a swift kick in the rear for a couple of … Continue reading
This gallery contains 24 photos.
Our first meeting of 2012 was a little smaller than the end of last year – we had 27 moms which I think is a more manageable size than the 40-plus in December. We had some new faces which was … Continue reading
Here we go!
Our next meeting is Saturday 21 January at 10h30, Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation Youth Centre, Guinea Fowl Road, Masiphumelele.
Something that’s been on our wishlist forever and which I’m determined to make happen this year: a place of our own.
Not necessarily to hold our meetings, because we need a lot of space for that.
What we need is a small 2 or 3 bedroomed house, preferably in Fish Hoek or surrounds, where we can work from, store all our things and maybe use as emergency temporary accommodation for moms in dire straits.
It’s happened too often, and again today, that desperate moms call me needing somewhere to stay because their partner or family has kicked them out, or as in today’s situation, she’s being evicted because the rent or rates is in arrears. Today’s mom is being forced to make a choice – come up with R800 for the sheriff or give up her children to the welfare because the social workers can organise shelter for her children, but not for her. The money isn’t the issue though, because even if she pays it now (if she had the money, which she doesn’t), next month and the next the problem will still be there. What she needs is a breathing space in which she can find her feet, without breaking her family up.
So – we need this house. We need to be able to offer a bed to someone who otherwise would be homeless. Even if it’s for a few days while she figures out a better solution.
As you know, we gratefully receive some financial donations from various generous donors. But this isn’t enough to pay rent and utilities on a small house.
Rent in Fish Hoek is average R6000 (about $750) a month for the kind of place we need. Add some extra for electricity etc.
Between our Young Mom Support & Girl Who Couldn’t Say No Facebook pages, we have nearly 500 people who “like” us. If each of those people were willing to donate $5 a month – how much could we do?
I know it’s not nice to ask for money. I know you’re all inundated for requests for help from many worthy causes. I know you don’t *have* money to give. I know all this, because I’m in the same boat! 
It’s so horribly awkward to be asking, but I kinda feel I have to. It’s not for me. It’s not for my children. It’s for people who otherwise often don’t have anybody to speak for them. I know that if I won the lotto tomorrow, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Even if you or your family can’t donate yourselves – can you help us spread the word of what we’re trying to do, to people who maybe CAN help us?
A little house. A bed for a mom and her child. It’s not a lot to wish for, is it?
This gallery contains 70 photos.
We did it. It was a special day, a little bit of magic for the children who seemed to have a fabulous time. Face painting, balloon animals, Father Christmas and his reindeer arrived ringing bells, presents by the truckload and … Continue reading
In the previous post, I wrote about ABLE mothers who can face challenges.
I’ve written many times about Liezl, one of our moms who we met when she was in a very dark place. A talented seamstress and single mother of four, she faces several health challenges, was unemployed, desperate and convinced she didn’t have much time left. She could see no way forward. Bogged down with fear, shame, confusion and anger – she wasn’t being the best mom she could be.
Read more about Liezl here, and here.
We’ve come a long road with her; there’s still a long way to go. But now she says she has family in us, and that if she hadn’t seen our poster in the clinic that day and decided to call me, she would have given up by now.
Last week she was given the opportunity to sell her beautiful handmade textile items at the St Luke’s Hospice Tree-Lighting in Kenilworth. Her first outing to sell her creations to paying customers. She was incredibly proud of the flyers I made for her and handed them out with every purchase.
She did well,and made, she said, enough money to feed her family for four weeks. This amount, I have to point out, is less than most “middle-class” families would spend on groceries for one week. But there you go. She did it.
She brought her oldest daughter with and we had a fantastic time. A day of toffee apples, hot dogs and being able to say “YES” to her child when she asked for something, instead of always no. The tree-lighting was an emotional occasion as she remembered her mother who she lost when she was a child.
So here’s a pic of us (Liezl, me and my mom Linda) at her table (scuse my CRAAAAZY eyes) and you can see a bit of the beautiful cushions, shoulder bags, baby carriers and cushion covers she makes.
It’s a tiny step and won’t solve every problem. Of course not. But the boost to her confidence and self-esteem can’t be underestimated. Feeling good today will help her try again tomorrow.
Very honoured to have been part of it.
© 2012 - Young Mom Support
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