How about that Lemon Meringue!

A small army of volunteers made the Siphila Sonke tea room at Keurbos Nursery a hive of delicious activity during Elgin Open Gardens.  Bakers baked (those of us that weren’t so adept made potato salad to go with the yummy lunches) servers served, people manned the gate, or cleaned up and the washing up was of course never ending, thank you everyone! Thank you too to Jessie Walton who owns Keurbos, thank you for allowing us to partner with you to make this an excellent fundraising event. Beadwork made by the ladies’ beneficiaries support group was well supported and local produce on sale in the form of olives and blueberries were also big sales tickets. Each volunteer I met helped endlessly, all with a smile and the overall result was a wonderful boost in funds for Siphila Sonke.

Funds that are so necessary as the situation in the informal settlement has become dire during the extended state of disaster.  And disaster it is for those who have lost their jobs or businesses; hunger has become a tangible reality for many.  Thus we are extremely grateful to our generous donors who have made it possible for Siphila to distribute food parcels once every three weeks during this time, food that is so appreciated by our beneficiaries.  Those delivering parcels have strictly adhered to distancing protocols and mask wearing but have been challenged by the obvious vast needs in front of them.   

Likewise, many of the children have returned to our afternoon Kids Club sporting a variety of masks – above which their eyes twinkle with the joy of being together with friends once again.  Everyone has missed the interaction and sadly many have had little or no formal education for extended periods. Online schooling is not a possibility for those without Wi-Fi and mobile data is a luxury out of reach for the average pocket.  Hence Teacher Lein and her team are now concentrating on an academic catch up programme during Kids Club. If you would like to volunteer as a teacher’s assistant please contact the office on 021 859 0001.

Now, like you, we are looking forward to the end of the year and trusting for a better outlook in 2021.  Plans are afoot for an outing to the beach on December 10th – a time of fun, festivity and food - all (much) enjoyed by young and old alike.

We would like to express our grateful thanks to every person who has helped this project to not only survive but to thrive during a difficult year.  Thank you for giving of your time, talent and treasure – every part is appreciated!