Berakah Events
Recent Events:
Opening of Phase One of the Berakah Building Project, Mamelodi
We celebrated the completion of Phase One of the building project of our new Education Centre in Mamelodi East, on the 5th of September 2009. Members of the Rotary Club, the sponsor of the building, Berakah staff and other Friends of Berakah, joined in this happy occasion.
Berakah AGM
Friends of Berakah were invited to attend our AGM on the 8th of June 2009 at 19h00 at the Hatfield Christian Church in Pretoria, South Africa. RSVP to meleney@berakah.org.za
Ground Breaking Ceremony and launch of Berakah Community Forum
Saturday, the 21st of March 2009, saw the launch of the Berakah Community Forum in Mamelodi East's Lusaka Squatter Camp at the celebration of the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the building of our very own Educational Centre. The community showed up in numbers and the crown consisted of parents of the children we serve, community members, supporters and friends of Berakah. Hundreds of children were present and it was good to have the children from our home-based OVC care programme present. Many of them are not able to attend the Day Care Centre as they have no-one to bring them to the centre. This is one of the biggest challenges facing Berakah presently. We want to purchase a school bus and do rounds in the mornings and afternoons to fetch and bring back our orphans from child-headed households.
However, this day they were there and spent hours on the jumping castle, sponsored by Joyous Jumpers (Tel 082 929 7502), enjoyed hot-dogs and were given gifts sponsored by KFC and Eclipse IT company. The adults enjoyed watching the Berakah drama troupe perform a piece, the youngsters performing Gum Boot Dancing, reciting poetry and giving speeches. The Berakah Choir performed to the joy of the audience and the CEO Meleney Kriel addressed the community in regards to what Berakah needs from the Community. She stressed the fact that Berakah and the Community are part of one family and need to support each other. The community must encourage and protect the OVC volunteers walking the streets, inform us of areas of need and give us feed-back on the level of service providing that makes a real difference.
Edwin Corbett, Coordinator of
the Impact Mobilisation Network and
Chairman of Berakah's Board, spoke to the community about the building
project, long in the waiting and now finally a visibile reality. After
everyone enjoyed a meal, we stood on the spot where the first classroom
and ablution block will be built and many members of the public took
turns to till a spade-full of ground for the cameras amid loud cheers.
"Drumming up Support" at Drumming Marathon
On Saturday, the 14th of March 2009, we were 'drumming up support' for Berakah at a Drumming Marathon, held at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens.
We had a core group of drummers from Klitsgras Drumming Circle that was joined by members of the public.
Musical instruments and other crafts were for sale and some of the well-known faces in the drumming scene, were present, such as Rheece Kriel and Adries from Klitsgras Drumming Circle. Member of the public brought food and clothing and the profits from entrance fees, all went for the Berakah Orphan and Vulnerable Children Care programme.
Some of the older children in the OVC programme joined in the drumming, our Gum Boot Dancers performed and several children recited poems. Some of our volunteers and care givers at the Berakah Educational Centre, were present to answer questions.