South Africa

Aspen South Africa Operations - Port Elizabeth:

Aspen’s team in Port Elizabeth selected three projects for their 2013 Mandela Day activities. These included the Missionvale Care Centre, the Echo Foundation and the Sinethemba Children’s Care Centre.

Missionvale is an interdenominational, non-profit organisation that operates in the extremely poor informal shack land of Missionvale outside Port Elizabeth. This centre provides love and care to the poor and destitute with particular emphasis on those living with HIV/Aids. Approximately 130 000 people receive daily sustenance from the Centre which offers a range of facilities including education, medical care, social services and nutritional programmes. Nearly 1500 basic meals of soup and bread are provided to underprivileged members of the community each day. The Missionvale Care Centre also provides much needed clothing to some 600 families each month.

A team set to work early in the day at the Missionvale Centre where maintenance work was carried out, ceiling boards repaired, and compost bins constructed out of dis-used wooden pallets. In addition to feeding the hungry, the Aspen team also handed over donations of clothing, food, cleaning products, toiletries, blankets, chairs for the children and glucose test kits. Entertaining activities were also arranged for the children who thoroughly enjoyed the sports and games, reading corners and the love and attention that they so freely received. Practical supplies were also donated to Missionvale such as discontinued empty infant formula cans that are used to serve food in as well as 5l water bottles.

There is an increasing need to care for the elderly who either have no families or have been abandoned or neglected by their families. The Echo Foundation in the Walmer Township is such a facility that provides a home and care to 15 frail elderly residents who are unable to take care of themselves. The Aspen team visited the aged members of the community and shared gifts of toiletries and cleaning products, crockery and cooking equipment, buckets, blankets and rugs with them in addition to supplying glucose test kits for use where needed. Earlier in the week the clear bathroom windows were also sandblasted to provide a little privacy for the residents.

The Sinethemba Children's Home is situatued close to Aspen in Korsten, Port Ellizabeth. Siqnoria Qolani, an orphaned lady herself, who came across the abandoned old police station buildings and found young children hiding beneath the floorboards, established the facility. Sinethemba is now a home of safety for 26 abandoned children who are aged between 1 and 18 years. After returning from school, the kids were delighted to be met by the Aspen team who came along in their droves to replace doors, lay concrete for a gate that was being installed along with gutters and a Jojo tank. Damaged plug fittings were also repaired and broken lights replaced. The new lawnmower will indeed be put to good use to help maintain the garden. The kids reveled in the fun that was provided by the jumping castle and games and they were all very grateful for the donations of clothing, toiletries and cleaning materials. The party packs were a welcome treat as were the cupcakes which they heartily enjoyed.

The 2013 Mandela Day initiative proved to be even bigger, better and more well-supported than ever for Aspen in Port Elizabeth, with employees and families; customers and suppliers; and sister sites participating in the day in various forms.

Aspen wishes to thank every person, group and company who supported the event this year including:

DB Fine Chemicals, Advanced African Technology, ProPrint, Medi-Centre, Uniprint, A&S Printers, Akulu Marchon, Glass and Aluminium, All Round Engineering, MQ Developments, Wright Security, First Garment, CB Agencies, Business Connextion, Merck, Enviroserv, Rubicon, Beacon Lighting and Britepak.