3-year-old Mimmie is fighting through Feingold Syndrome. Recently, she received a special visit from Miss World South Africa where the little girl touched the local queen’s heart, just as she has with so many others who know her:

Braampark, South Africa (09 February 2024) — Last week, a little girl named Mimmie, who is fighting with Feingold Syndrome, got a special visit from Miss World South Africa, Dr. Claude Mashego, who came to visit the Uthando Centre in Braampark.

According to Afrika Tikkun, the NPO who recently celebrated 30 years of impact, health and social services to disadvantaged communities, this was a hugely special visit for the 3-year-old warrior and the local queen.

“Feingold Syndrome [is] a rare autosomal hereditary disorder largely characterised by microcephaly (a smaller-than-normal head), complications with the oesophagus, intestines and limb malformations. As a result, at the tender age of 3, Mimmie is unable to attend school due to her limited mobility,” explain Afrika Tikkun. 

This means that even despite having prosthetics, Mimmie will spend consecutive years in surgery as she grows. It also means that she needs to be in an educational environment where her challenges are understood and cared for.

Despite it all, Mimmie is said to be a ray of life like any other three-year-old. And this is the energy that those who want to see Mimmie come out on top, hope to keep alive.

It was a personal experience for Dr Mashego, who has experience with a disabled family member born with cerebral palsy and understands that when children face disability, so do their families.

“For Mimmie’s Mom when Mimmie is sick, she is also sick and when Mimmie is happy, she is equally happy,” Dr Mashego shared.

Mimmie needs help funding her inevitable surgeries, custom prosthetics and the opportunity to attend Uthando Centre’s Early Childhood Development programme. All of these will afford her a life as close to normalcy as possible. Because of the importance of her crowdfund, her campaign has been extended and is almost halfway at its goal. Currently, R51,057 has been raised for Mimmie!

You can support Mimmie’s future here. 

Sources: Afrika Tikkun; Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Event organised by Nal’ibali and the City of Cape Town.

Cape Town, South Africa (08 February 2024)—Everyone who can – teachers, parents, caregivers – should read to children, says Gabrielle Kelly, Head of Research, Impact and Innovation at Nal’ibali.

Speaking at a World Read Aloud Day event organised by Nal’ibali and the City of Cape Town, she said reading aloud to children helps them to learn to read independently “and to adopt reading as a way of life”.

According to a 2021 study by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), over 80% of grade 4 children in South Africa cannot read for meaning.

About 200 learners from grades R, 4 and 5 gathered at the park on Wednesday to celebrate World Read Aloud Day.

People from various organisations, authors, and even players from the Stormers read to the children. Schools involved include Essenhout Primary in Delft South, Mamre Primary in Atlantis, Vukani Primary in Philippi and Enkululekweni Primary in Wallacedene.

Aroenisha Philander, a grade 5 and 7 teacher at Mamre Primary School, says that some grade 7 learners don’t even know the alphabet.

“I don’t know how they’ve gone through all those grades,” she said.

Many of the learners and schools at the event came from areas suffering from poverty and gang violence, which greatly affects learning ability, Philander said. Events like this are helpful as learners are more interested if someone else reads a story to them, she says. When they read on their own, “they don’t understand”.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said many of the problems of South African learners could be fixed “by just the simple act of daily reading.”

The City is trying to help through the many public libraries available across the city, he said.

Sources: GroundUp

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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We’re about to turn the page onto World Read Aloud Day, and everyone from local libraries to rugby stars is getting involved!

Cape Town, South Africa (02 February 2024) — Every year since 2010, World Read Aloud Day (7 February) has celebrated the power of connection through storytelling.

Aptly, the day was born from the mind of a young student, who, after a read-aloud session, asked whether a birthday party for reading aloud could happen. LitWorld loved the idea, and soon the rest was history!

This year in South Africa, Nal’ibali is setting its goals high. The national reading-for-enjoyment campaign hopes to reach many eager ears—3 million children in South Africa.

As anyone who read the news in 2023 knows, our country’s literacy rates were a huge point of conversation. But the beauty of being read aloud to is its nature as a starting block. From there, leaps and bounds to dive into the world of reading for yourself are inspired.

Then there are other important skills that are sparked, like using your own imagination instead of relying on other forms of content.

“One of our aims is to develop a culture of reading among our children and it starts with hearing stories being read out loud. Listening to a story does more than take you on an adventure you have to imagine.

“Reading aloud develops listening skills, models the use of language, and improves vocabulary and comprehension. It also motivates young children to read for themselves,’ says Councillor Patricia van der Ross, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.

The City of Cape Town has already announced that the Stormers will be whipping out their books to be part of the big day, and the City’s libraries will also be hosting events for World Read Aloud Day.

Anyone who wants to support the celebration of stories can either:

• Make a pledge to Nal’ibali by reading the special story “The Lost Kitten” by Stacey Fru which is available in all 12 official South African languages or
• If you’re in Cape Town, see what your local library has planned and how you can be a part of it
• If you’re in another part of South Africa and know of something awesome happening for World Read Aloud Day, let us know on info@goodthingsguy.com!

Whether its reading aloud to your child, for an underserved community of children, at an event or elsewhere, let your voice lead the way to a love of reading.

Sources: Nal’ibali; City of Cape Town

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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NPO the Good Work Foundation is giving students from rural areas a fighting chance for their futures thanks to their commitment to coding and robotics for all:

South Africa (01 February 2024)— “It’s music to our ears that Coding and Robotics is being formally rolled out as a subject in government schools from 2024,” says Kate Groch, CEO of NPO the Good Work Foundation.

Sharing the sentiment that many other education non-profits and educators focused on bridging the digital gap have, Kate adds:

“The South African education system needs to keep pace with these next-generation subjects if we are to be competitive—and confident—participants in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

This dream to give more South Africans from underserved areas a fighting career chance in a digitally-dominant society is what the Good Work Foundation is working so hard to achieve. Through tech-savvy classrooms, the right educators and enough support, they believe it is possible.

But it’s not a dream that one NPO can achieve alone. For Kate, partnerships where the public and private sectors are involved, motivation is present, and teachers have helped make all the difference.

Getting the kids motivated is one very important part of any educational story. Luckily, given the “wonder-filled” nature of learning tech is known for, running the education non-profits in both rural Mpumalanga and the Free State doesn’t lack cool and creative learning experiences. These keep the kids inspired.

“For more than a decade, we have taught what has now become the Coding and Robotics curriculum to pupils at the 29 government schools to which we provide free supplementary lessons. Every day, our staff revel in seeing the eyes of 10—and 11—year—olds from remote villages light up with the thrill of discovery when they learn how to build a robot out of Lego—and then program it to move according to their command,” Kate shares. 

Their teachings have also shown young people who may not feel confident in their Mathematics abilities that there’s an element for everyone in tech, especially in the careers you can leap into.

“Imagine if all video games were made solely by mathematicians? They’d be as boring as anything! You need the artists, performers and storytellers to work alongside the software engineers to bring these ideas to life,” she explains.

Another part of the Good Work Foundation’s mission is the donors who keep the momentum possible. From individuals to game lodges in the Kruger, Kate shares that there’s a lot of support for those who want to see the next generation come out on top.

The last and most important part of the mission is the educators. 

Facing the facts, most teachers in South Africa are overworked and underpaid. And with the rollout of coding and robotics, schools face a fresh new challenge in making sure educators are equipped.

“We—and other non-profits—are here to help. Over a decade of working closely with government players and the private sector, we have realised that close cross-sector relationships result in the best possible education outcomes for marginalised learners.”

Kate shares that at least once a week, learners are transported to the Good Work Foundation’s campuses so that trained facilitators there can help them beyond the classroom.

“As a teacher, I can tell you that the best educational moment is witnessing when a child experiences that “aha” or a “eureka” sensation of getting something right. Such as when, through trial and error, they manage to code a robot and make it move.”

Even if students don’t pursue careers in STEM, they would’ve still gained critical skills and even a lifelong journey of wonder and discovery.

As Kate concludes: 

“Such a love of learning, once ignited, never gets extinguished. It’s up to all of us to light that flame and keep it burning so that learning becomes a lifelong journey of wonder and discovery. These young people will end up using technology to solve the challenges in the rural villages and townships where they come from – so it’s incumbent on us to give them access to digital learning and make them comfortable with it.

But no one can do it alone. Only solid public-private-civil society partnerships will ensure that a young person living in Tshabalala village near Hazyview can, if he or she so desires, hop onto the web and code or collaborate online with others worldwide. We need to link arms across sectors to ensure that happens.”

Sources: Kate Groch; Website Submission

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Grade 1 got off to a rocky start for little Lindokuhle Ntsethe after he accidentally took the wrong taxi home. Luckily, this story has a happy ending!

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (18 January 2024) — The first day of school is a daunting time all on its own. But for Grade 1 Lindokuhle Ntsethe, that daunting feeling only became amplified after the little learner accidentally took the wrong taxi home.

17 January was his very first time attending Sydenham Primary School; a time filled with newness, big emotions and a lot of things to remember as first days often are. But, when school was reportedly closed early because of hectic weather (intense rainfall), home time would take Lindokuhle a little longer than expected.

Lindokuhle’s mom, Olwethu, became very worried about her child when he didn’t come home, not knowing at the time that her little one had taken the wrong taxi. After many visits to the authorities, Olwethu eventually called on the public to help her find her son through the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, Sydenham SAPs and social media.

Luckily, the search is over as Lindokuhle was reunited with his mom this morning back at school. According to Dasen Thathiah of eNCA, a woman had reportedly kept Lindokuhle overnight and brought him back to the Primary School in the morning.

Lindokuhle is now said to be safe and sound. What a first day!

2/2
3. She assumed he got into taxi. A Burnwood Secondary pupil had already found him walking alone outside the school. She took him home.
4. Lindokuhle is completely oblivious to the worry and panic his disappearance caused.
5. He is excited to go back to school tomorrow.

— Nivashni Nair (@NivashniNair) January 18, 2024

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Stationery is the beginning of big dreams and bright futures for so many, especially as the new school year kicks off. All aboard, because Restoring Hope is on a mission to get its stationery drive on the move!

Cape Town, South Africa (12 January 2024) — At the starting block of a new school year, many organisations are working hard behind the scenes to give underprivileged schools and underserved students the best beginning with the tools they need to begin big dreams. It’s a time when pre-loved school shoes leap into action, and stationery drives become imperative to a strong academic start. Joining the momentum is the non-profit organisation Restoring Hope, which is determined to change the narrative, particularly for communities on the Cape Flats, little by little.

A force true to its name, Restoring Hope undertakes several development commitments to its communities (namely, Cafda, Retreat and Ocean View) including:

• A blanket and clothing drive for the homeless (hosted once every 3 months)
• Volunteer programs (orphanage visits, soccer tournaments, offering the elderly manicures)
• Holiday clubs
• After-school programmes
• and Women Empowerment Programmes

Right now, their focus is on getting people on board with the stationery drive.

Nicole Burt of Restoring Hope shares that they are hoping to get enough supplies for 200 learners in total (100 primary school learners and 100 high school learners). The stationery will be going to learners of Victoria Lodge and Cafda, and will make a big difference in their educational adventures.

On the stationery roll call, they are looking for everything from pencil bags to colouring pencils and books.

Here’s What’s On the Stationery Drive Wish List:

• A4 soft or hardcover books
• Rulers
• Pencils
• Pens (blue & black)
• Erasers
• Sharpeners
• School Bags (old or new)
• Pencil Bags
• Mathematics Sets
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Crayons
• Colouring Pencils
• Colouring Books
• A4 Reel Paper
• Flip Files (20,30,4)

To find out more about getting the goodies to Nicole and the Restoring Hope community, you can contact her at nicole.restoringhope021@gmail.com!

Sources: Nicole Burt 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Some of cancer’s biggest opponents (joy and hope) are found in the powerhouse community Rainbows and Smiles, which recently celebrated its 13th birthday! Here’s what RAS is all about, and why we’re popping the bubbly for this milestone:

South Africa (12 January 2024) — Cancer is up against a fierce force of positivity and support thanks to the Rainbows and Smiles community.

What began as one woman’s commitment to hope and support for people facing circumstances she knew all too well, has turned into something that challenges one of life’s hardest fights with joy. Rainbows and Smiles is celebrating its thirteenth birthday—a massive milestone for any charitable organisation.

Thirteen years ago, Bonita Suckling made sure her son Jed Brady—who battled a type of brain cancer known as Anaplastic Astrocytoma for a large part of his short life—would live on in the most special way. Inspired by his little heart’s love of making others smile (especially through gifts), Rainbows and Smiles were, from its earliest days, premised to bring light to others in their dark times.

Years on and so many lives across South Africa enriched, and Rainbows and Smiles continue to fight the uphill battle like champions.

Fighting cancer is a lot about the medical resource access, but it’s also about the mental resources like support. And care. And knowing that someone else understands. This is also essential for oncology parents and families.

Rainbows and Smiles offers three kinds of support:

• Social Support
• Emotional Support
• Financial Support

They also install mobile libraries for children in hospitals, run toy drives, offer support groups and help upgrade oncology centres.

In celebrating the big thirteen, the organisation shares:

“We’re not your typical teenager; we’re dreaming big of a cancer-free world for every child.Until then, we’re on a mission to sprinkle love, support, and care everywhere! If you’ve witnessed the courage of a child fighting cancer, you know it’s life-changing. Your support keeps us shining and going strong! Here’s to 13 years of making a difference.”

You can find out a whole lot more about the good RAS does, here.

Sources: Rainbows and Smiles 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Rainbows and Smiles Celebrates the Start of the Big Teen Years  appeared first on Good Things Guy.

Little Liané has lived with cancer, cerebral palsy, blindness and brain damage all before the age of four years old. Despite the odds, she beat the Big C. Now, hope is on the cards for Liané to push through the aftermath and live a better life:

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (10 January 2024) — When Bianca Rossouw’s daughter Liané was in the very early phases of her life, she experienced a series of happenings most won’t go through in an entire lifetime.

Firstly, her legs stopped working unexpectedly. This happened during the peak of the pandemic, which meant that getting help was more stressful than ever.

Her family would come to discover that she had a tumour in her chest (initially diagnosed as pneumonia) which eventually was confirmed as cancer. All of this was the reality for a little girl who was not even a year old yet.

The rabbit hole of challenges furthered, and Liane was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy, brain damage, epilepsy, and the loss of her sight. She is also on a feeding tube.

Despite every single challenge, the toddler who will turn four in April, has proved the odds wrong.

This little legend beat cancer, and she did it despite her doctors telling her family that the chemo was not working. She has been in remission for just over a year and a half.

Liané still has a lot to overcome. As her mom Bianca puts it:

“Liané has kicked cancer’s butt, but was left with the aftermath.” Her parents are now seeking dire medical treatment to help their baby’s life improve. 

Her treatment comes at the massive cost of R50,000 every three months.

Upcoming is the hope for Liané, through a golf day fundraiser, set to be hosted at the Melbourne Hotel, Spa and Golf Estate in Pennington. Golfers, friends, helpers or even those who simply want to spread the word are all being called on by the Roussouw’s.

You can get in touch to help at hopeforliane@gmail.com.

Sources: Bianca Roussouw 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Ladles of Love are starting 2024 on a huge high! With a little potluck, they’ll soon reach their goal of feeding 200,000 tummies thanks to the Fill-A-Pot initiative. But, they need a little help for the last push:

Cape Town, South Africa (04 January 2024) — Kickstarting 2024 with a bang of positivity and pots are local feeding heroes, Ladles of Love. Close to feeding 200,000 people already, the Ladle-wielding legends are calling on all of us to share a little potluck with them to put a lid on their Fill-A-Pot initiative in the next few days.

The Fill-A-Pot campaign kicked off as a way to make sure hungry tummies get fed during the festive season and runs until 8 January.

While many of us might have enjoyed our fair share of delicious treats over “Dezemba”, many organisations that provide meals to the hungry tend to close. In turn, this leaves a lot of vulnerable people and children without these hugely necessary meals to keep them going.

But, in some really good news, the Fill-A-Pot campaign can almost be officially crowned a success; having provided 185,000 meals to those who needed them most. In total, 1,850 pots have already been purchased (one pot equals 100 meals) and now it’s the final push to the big goal of 2,000 pots (200,000 tummies filled).

Anyone who’s willing to lend a ladle of support can visit Ladles of Love here to be part of the charity’s first success story of the year!

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to help feed others by virtue of volunteering your time, the #Feed5000 programme facilitated by Ladles of Love and the Hope Exchange is still on and ready to change lives in big, little ways. You can find out more about it here. 

Sources: Ladles of Love

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Giving a gift that keeps on giving is not as difficult as you think, and can go further than you ever imagined!

Alexandra, South Africa (14 December 2023) — While many South Africans are anxiously awaiting the December holidays to come into full swing, there are unfathomable amounts of people and children who can’t say the same.

Children are especially vulnerable at this time of the year as safe havens like schools close and worries about food become even more painstaking than usual. This is something many of us might know, but perhaps haven’t really digested. It’s also something that the non-profit organisation Rays of Hope understands better than most.

“This is the reality for many children in Alexandra Township who rely on the meals and snacks they receive at school and learning centres for their daily sustenance, since many come from homes where parents struggle to put food on the table,” says Muziwethu Zwane, Rays of Hope CEO.

“The problem is exacerbated during the December holidays when schools close. So not only are they deprived of a festive and special Christmas…but they are also deprived of the basic human necessity of a nourishing meal every day.”

But, true to its name, Rays of Hope shares that there are ways to give a gift that keeps on giving; not just to the children of Alex, but for the people of our country’s future.

The Gift of Good Lessons This December

“Parents have an important role to play in both teaching children about the value of giving back, especially as we approach a time of year that is focused on consumerism. While one child may have a Christmas wish list filled with toys and other items for parents to purchase for them, others can only dream of what it’s like to receive a gift on Christmas day,” Muziwethu shares.

Teaching children about giving back can start with something as simple as a conversation, he adds, with parents reminding children that not all young people are in their shoes. It’s both a lesson of gratitude and one of empathy.

When mindsets of gratitude and gentle doses of reality are nudged, hearts filled with understanding become possible. And without understanding, there is hardly room for any growth.

Once the seed of good lessons is planted, parents can also encourage their kids to help make the holidays special for underprivileged children by making giving back a key theme of the season. This could look like spending time together making meals and distributing them to the homeless, those in shelters and orphanages. Or searching through old clothes, blankets and toys to find ones suitable for donation; because the joy of sharing these gifts with others is a lesson worth so many riches.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

“This year has been tough for all South Africans, and I am sure most of us have felt the pinch caused by an ailing economy,” Muziwethu adds, before mentioning that people in places like Alexandra are far from exempt from this.

The Sponsor a Child programme is Rays of Hope’s way of bridging the gap between those who have enough to give and those who have nothing to give to their own families. The programme is all about taking care of a child in Alex’s basic needs—nutritional, educational, physical, emotional and psycho-social.

“Whether you choose to sponsor a child on behalf of someone as a special and heart-warming gift that keeps on giving or decide as a family to forgo one or two items this holiday in the name of making this a more special time for someone else, there are plenty of ways that families can help,” he encourages. 

You can find out more about Rays of Hope, here.

Sources: Kgothatso Tema

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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