Joya News June 2024

 

For all the mothers!

 

 

 

 

12 May was Mother’s day and we at Joya Homes hold a special place for all mothers in our extended community. Not all of us are mothers to our own children but at Joya homes we experience daily how women step into the gap to be a mother figure for children who has lost their mother. 

Meet Joannette, the founder of Joya Homes and Educare. Her story goes back many years to an encounter with some street children on a very cold evening. In that moment Joannette’s heart was deeply touched and the dream was born to start an organisation that helps and uplifts vulnerable children. 

Fourteen years later, joining forces with mothers, ordinary women and countless people in our communities, Joya Homes and Educare is keeping Joannette’s dream alive- to care and empower vulnerable and abandoned children. 

 

 

 

We are growing

Meet Theresa…the heart behind ‘Destiny’, our new Cloetesville, Stellenbosch project.

Theresa started looking after some local children a few years ago. They came to her house every afternoon after school for help with their homework, a plate of home cooked food and to spend time with their friends in a safe space.

Cloetesville is an area known for its drug abuse and gangster violence and for most of these children Theresa’s backyard and kitchen became their only safe haven.

We have taken Theresa and her ‘children’ under our Joya Homes umbrella to support her to grow the project to be able to continue giving these children a secure environment with educational support in the afternoons. We have already appointed a qualified teacher to help the children with their schoolwork and to also identify any specific needs that the children may have.

 Somehow God’s destiny comes in to motion.These children end up with you and you end up with them. It is something quite sacred.” 

 

Spier stationary drive

Spier volunteers and employees had a huge stationary drive for the Joya Homes children and the educational classes in the afternoon.

They collected stationary and donations for the children’s school needs for the year.

Each child received a pencil box, writing pads, colouring pens and much more. Everything bought or collected for each child’s specific needs and school grade. 

 Thank you Spier employees and volunteers! 

 

Wednesday-warmers 

Every Wednesday at our Nomzamo educare classes we make a big warm stew or soup and invite all siblings and other children from the community to join for bible hour, friendship and love.

It has become a local favourite and every week new children join and new friends are made.This is such a great opportunity for our teacher to build trust, influence these kids in a positive way and provide them with a nutritious meal. It has become one of our most important lessons of the week.   

 

Fridays are for cross-country races!

We continue to try and raise our foster kids as normal and as integrated as possible.We want ‘our’ kids to be in good schools with afternoon sports and extra mural activities where they can enjoy healthy activities, develop social skills and grow into balanced adults.

This is exactly what the Friday school cross-country races is doing to one of our boys.The whole family go together to support him when he runs for his school in the local cross-country race. While their brother is showing off his speed on the route, his sisters and brother make new friends and play around in the winter sun on the open grass fields.

 

Eisteddfod dancing 

‘Our’ girl danced at the Eisteddfod.

Her school entered her and and she was quite a brave star for pushing through and not letting her nerves get the better of her.

Well done Janine- we are proud of you.

 

You might be temporary in their lives or

they might be temporary in yours.

But there is nothing temporary about a moment of love or the lessons learnt. 

 

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