COPESSANewsletterApril 2010

COPESSA was honoured with the 2009 Johannesburg City Parks Chairperson’s Recognition Award under the “Youth-based Greening Organisation in Joburg” category. The glitz-fi lled

awards ceremony was hosted by Ms Jenny Chrys-Williams of 702-talk radio station in Kyalami at the Theatre on the Track on the 12 March 2010.

Dr Nobs Mwanda was also recognised in this function as “the real champion and driver of this project that developed an overnight park in Protea Glen.”

Dr Nobs Mwanda, CEO of COPESSA receiving award from Clr Msikoe

We would like to thank all our sponsors for their immense support, in particular The Mike Horn Foundation, The Table of Peace and Unity, EOH, City Parks, Infant Trust, and the participants and sponsors of the 2008 COPESSA annual golf day. Without your invaluable contribution, this park would never have been birthed. It would have remained only a dream and continued to be an eyesore in our neighbourhood. Today our children have a safe and secure place to play in.

It delights us to remind you of the journey – from an illegal dumpsite to an award winning play-park, built by the youth for the children:

COPESSA receives an AWARD!

This issue

COPESSA receives an AWARD! 1

Mini Table of Peace and Unity 3

2009 Christmas Party(ies) 4

Earned Income Projects 5

COPESSA Annual Golf Day 6

Income-generating projects –

Embroidery Project 7

Philanthropy corner 8

8955 Protea Boulevard

Protea Glen Ext 11, Soweto, Jhb

Phone: 011 297 3320

Fax: 011 297 0094

E-mail: nobs@copessa.za.org

Website: www.copessa.za.org

Registration: 2000/025755/08

PBO exemption: 930 012 177

When we shift from talking about the

problems of community to talking

about the breakdown of community,

something changes. Naming the challenge as

the “breakdown of community” opens the way

for restoration. Holding on to the view that

community is a set of problems to be

solved holds us in the grip of retribution.

Peter Block – Community – The structure of belonging

From – this vermin-infested illegal dumpsite

To – award-winning play park

Again, many thanks. Ningadinwa nangomso!

COPESSA receives an AWARD! continued from page 1

2 COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010

Mini Table of Peace and Unity

The 18 April 2010 was

the Table of Peace

and Unity. This

annual event, a brainchild

of Ms Christine Cashmore

of Gourmet SA, is held over

a number of cities in South

Africa, to highlight the

untenable plight of children

in our country. It raises much

needed funds for a number

of social profit organisations

in South Africa, including

COPESSA and Red Cross

Children’s Hospital, to

mention a few. COPESSA has

among other things, through

the generous proceeds from

this event, bought the centre

from which we operate, bought a utility van, plant a

seed into the above award-winning play park.

This year the Johannesburg leg, due to unforeseen

circumstances, had to be cancelled at the very last minute.

The celebrated Ms Edith Venter who was responsible for the

Johannesburg table, asked COPESSA to organise a “table” in

Soweto. We invited about 300 children and adult community

members and set up the table at our award-winning park.

There were no celebrities and celebrity musicians, a hallmark

of the Table of Peace and Unity, but children who were very

happy and grateful to be treated to a sumptuous banquet,

fit for the “kings and queens.” This so reminded me of the

“parable of the great banquet,” – Luke 14: 15-23.

Chefs Kym and Dave came prepared with their chafing

dishes and gas stoves. Rev. Jake Mabasa blessed the meal. A

three-course meal with split pea soup infused with ginger,

thyme & fresh lemon soup as a starter and Bolo de Mel with

glazed bananas desserts, was served.

In the true miracle

spirit just as we packed

the last chafing dish in the

Tantalizing Taste van, the

heavens opened!

We thank the following

for making this mini table

possible: Ms Christine

Cashmore of Table of Peace

and Unity; Ms Edith Venter

of Edith Venter Promotions;

Kym and Dave of Tantalizing

Tastes and Spar for donating

the raw materials.

Mothers from the community chatting while the chefs are setting up

Children playing while waiting

for the food to be warmed

COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010 3

2009 Christmas Party(ies)

December is always a time of winding

down for the year for COPESSA staff.

We however, never close the year

without remembering the less fortunate. Last

year’s Christmas Season was marked in the

usual manner for us, two Christmas parties

for two communities, Waterworks Informal

Settlement and Protea Glen.

Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd sponsored

the Waterworks Christmas Party. We had two

senior officials from the national department of

Social Development, Ms Patricia Mokwala & Mr

Colin Mhlongo in attendance. They were doing

site visits following their support with food

parcels and counselling for 34 vulnerable and

orphaned families. They saw at first hand what

some of our beautiful country’s families endure.

I could not resist this short commercial –

the photo to your right is the illegal dumpsite

before it was converted to the park above.

Children queuing for presents and food at the Waterworks Christmas Party held at the Play Park COPESSA built with the help of the

Westonaria Municipality.

4 COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010

Earned Income Projects

I dream of the day when COPESSA can generate at least

50% of its monthly running costs. This will mean that we

can spend less time fundraising and chasing sponsorships

and spend more time on community development

programmes and projects. This would also free our time so that

we can innovate while taking care of those less fortunate. This

A few days later we hosted another

300+ children at our Protea Glen Play

Park. This party was sponsored by Lake

Supreme Software (US), a company

introduced to us by Meditech, and Mr

Henk Bredenoord of Status Hotels.

Ms Lorraine Hurdus, her mom, Dawn

and HIV SA donated hand-crafted

Teddy Bears, which came in very

handy as we had many gate-crashers!

We are looking forward to 2010

Christmas Party and wonder whether

you will be involved in putting a smile

on someone’s face!

Joy inexplicable as the children

pose for a photo and proudly

lifting their toys as they show

off!

R-L: Mr Henk Bredenord from

Status Hotels, Ms Lorraine Hurdus

and our community women &

children

dream, hard as it is to attain as we give all our services and

professional time practically for free, mahala!, is not impossible

to attain. I just pray for dollops and dollops of patience!!!!

In a bid to make this dream a reality, we host an annual

fundraising golf day and embark on income-generating

projects.

COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010 5

COPESSA Annual Golf Day

This year’s golf day was held at Glenvista

Country Club in March. I wish to thank all

the four-balls that participated in this event,

the sponsors of holes and prizes, (see list under

‘philanthropy corner’), Glenvista Country Club for

giving us fair prices and Brian Rogers of “Just for the

cause of it’, our resident auctioneer, without who the

R85 000 net profit would not have been possible.

The funds raised were used to purchase an upgrade

software for our industrial embroidery machine, a

computer hard drive and the rest towards the running

costs.

The competition was a Better-ball stableford

and Individual Stable-ford (IPS). The IPS winner of

our floating trophy was Albert Doyoyo, better-ball

handicap16, on 39 points. The better-ball prize went

to Dr Don Pupuma (B.B. H’Cap 11) and Sifundile

Nkonyani (B.B. H’Cap 18), who won by 42 points on

count out. Jeni Looi got the prize for the women’s

longest drive and Ms Khali Jamnda, the women’s

closest to the pin.

Again, many thanks to all who participated in this

golf day, one way or the other.

Ms Pfarelo Netshimbupfe (R), COPESSA social worker giving

Ms Jeni Looi (L) a prize for women’s longest drive competition,

sponsored by Tracker Network (Pty) Ltd

Mr Albert Doyoyo (R), IPS winner receiving the trophy to the right and

a prize sponsored by Thaba Ya Batswana from Auctioneer & MC of

Prize-giving ceremony, Brian Rogers

6 COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010

In 2008 EOH donated an industrial embroidery machine

to COPESSA. This was to assist us to generate income

towards our running costs. This venture was plagued with

challenges up until recently such as trained personnel leaving

for greener pastures and poor marketing.

Along came Dalmatian Creations CC. – an embroidery

service. This company has been in business for a while and

boasts among other things, “unrivalled quality and service

and competitive pricing”. They also supply overalls and

safety gear, golf shirts, T-shirts, jackets, Catering and Chefs

Clothing, etc. COPESSA partnered with them not just to

increase the capacity of both ventures but also to give us more

professionalism and give them a BEE component. As a result,

no job is too big or too small!

We thus appeal to all you companies who are looking to

brand your corporate wares and promotional items to give us

an opportunity to shine. Not only will you get quality results

but you will also assist COPESSA to directly put bread on the

tables of two previously unemployed community members

and also with the running costs of the centre, thus indirectly

preventing child abuse and neglect.

Income-generating projects – Embroidery Project

Ms Sylvia Manyama, one of our trained embroiderers

Ms Manyama with a finished item

COPESSA Newsletter • April 2010 7

8 COPESSA Newsletter · December 2009

COPESSACOPESSA is a registered social profit organisation based in Soweto. Our reason for

being is to prevent child abuse before it occurs. Where we cannot, we ameliorate its

effects through intense counselling and support for the victims and their families.

VisionWe aspire to protect children by creating safe, secure and caring communities for

children.

MissionCOPESSA protects children through the following interventions:

1. Creation of sustainable community development programmes and projects

2. Counselling and medical assessment of abuse survivors

3. Training and capacity building of communities and research

Board of DirectorsMs S Mabusela, Ms N Mkhize, Dr N B Mwanda (CEO COPESSA), Ms D Terblanche; Mr Paul Qacha; Rev J Mabasa;

Dr U T Motjuwadi, Ms R Issel, Ms S Andersson PATRON: Dr Sibongile Khumalo

COPESSA in a nutshell – Strengthening communities and neighbourhoods!

Account name

COPES-SA

Bank

Nedbank

Branch

Business Central, Gauteng

Branch code

128405

Account no

1284 039 501

International Swift Code

nedszajj

Banking details

CASH DONATIONS

Amma Ilunga – R1 000 – Towards the running costs

Lake Superior Software – R3 895.87 – Towards the

Christmas Party for Protea Glen children

Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd – R5 000 – Towards the

Christmas Party for Water Works Children

Rev Mabasa – R1 000 – Towards the running costs

Aspen Pharmacare – R60 000 – Towards the running

costs

Samsung – R40 569.60 – Auditor’s fees, Clearance fees

Beth Chapman - US$1 000 – towards running costs

Infant Trust – R23 767 – Training & Stipends for

4 youth counsellors

Towards COPESSA Annual Fundraising Golf Day

– Care Cross Health – R10 000

– Novagen Pharma (Pty) Ltd– R5 000

– Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) – R5 000

– EOH Mthombo – R10 000

– Thandile Health Risk Management – R7 500

– Cwenga Chemical & Water Engineering Associates –

R2 000

– Godfrey Ntoele – R10 000

In-kind donors:

• Thaba Ya Batswana

• SASSDA

• The Pro Shop

• Absa

• Tracker Network (Pty) Ltd

• Sportsmans Warehouse

• C-Track SA (Pty) Ltd

Monthly contributions – COPESSA Friends

Ms Shirley Mabusela

Ms Anabel Ramcharan

Dr UT Motjuwadi

IN KIND

Fidelis Partners – Office furniture worth R33 817

Opano Interiors – Furniture worth R24 000

Samsung – 2 x Flat Screen TVs

ABB – sponsored Dr Mwanda to attend a community

building workshop

Here are just some of the things you can do:

Spend a Saturday morning with the children at COPES.

You can read stories for them, you can give them hugs;

you can teach them how to paint, sew and you can just

play and have fun with them.

Help us to maintain our website.

Sign up for COPESSA MyVillage Card.

Philanthropy corner