Going home, areas of need and plans for sustainability

My days are numbered here now. Even after extending my stay I’m not sure that I’m ready to leave quite yet, I have A LOT of things that need to get done this week. But, I do realize that I need to get back to my life so that I can continue to pay my bills!

What became abundantly clear upon my arrival here a couple of months ago is the amount of need for everything. The obvious need is easy to see when the kids show up without shoes, clean clothes and most importantly, without parents. Operation Bobbi Bear itself relies on donations from the local community. There is a local grocery store that provides regular food donations as well as a variety store that donates any applicable items that can be included in our rape kits; however there is a desperate need for regular and consistent support. I'm including the list below for a number of reasons: 1) You never know whose reading this blog and what connections, commitment or amount of money they have 2) I would like to see if I can get some people together to commit to making a monthly donation that can go towards a CSO salary, money for stock etc, and 3) As a reference for future volunteers coming into the program.

The list below includes both basic supplies needed to maintain operation of the program as well as continuing education of and investment in the Child Safety Officer’s:

- Stock for Emergency Care Cottages (wet wipes, baby hygiene products, any household items, clothes for all ages/ genders, food staples)
- Stock for rape kits (boys/ girls underpants, drink boxes that won’t burst, sanitary napkins, wet wipes, crayons/ colouring books)
- New cell phones for CSO’s (as many are old and unreliable)
- Projector for training
- 3+ new desktop computers

Also need money for:
- CSO salaries
- Budget for private social worker/ advocate (if you’ve read my blog then you know why
- Video equipment fort statement taking
- CSO training on computers (Internet, Word, Excel, PPoint, typing)
- CSO’s to be able become a trainer
- CSO to take a paramedic course
- All CSO’s to be trained in HIV/ AIDS pre/post counseling
- ‘Hero’ program (approx 1200 rand/ month)
- Printing information pamphlets to be distributed within the community and at schools
- Transport and fees for children’s hospital/ doctor visits
- Uniform for CSO’s
- Production of more bears
- Pattern-maker for:
o New face for bear
o Prototype for speaker bear
o Update edu-toy
- Saturday support group (food and fun) approx 500 rand
- Bobbi Buddy shirts for all children at support group

Donation money can be sent to the following address: Bobbi Bear Fund
First National Bank
Amanzimtoti
Account No: 620 1861 9471
Branch Code: 220127
NPO No: 015 208

If you would like to specify what your funds are to go towards then please do so by sending a message with your bank transfer or contact Bobbi Bear at +27319032424

FUTURE BOBBI BEAR VOLUNTEERS: fill your bags with kids clothes/ shoes that you've gathered from family and friends, then you'll also have room for souvenirs when you head home!

FRIENDS/ FAMILY: let me know if you're willing to put aside a nominal fee per month to send to the project to help keep it running and maybe even help it grow!!

Cheers, Molly

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