News Archive
2021
Stefan Hippler, founder and Chairperson of HOPE Cape Town, was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit
Stefan Hippler is the founder of the children's project HOPE Cape Town and has been engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa for many years. Now the native of the German town Bitburg was honoured in Cape Town with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Please diarize
Due to the ongoing uncertain Covid19 situation we want to inform you,that we have decided to move the prestigious BALL OF HOPE to Saturday, 21st May 2022. Read more.
The NEX – Indawo Yethu
Did you know? HOPE Cape Town is expanding – get more info under “What we do” – “The Nex – Indawo Yethu”
2020
2020 HOPE to Home: Meet Sonia Daniels
As we continue our focus on HOPE to Home, today we meet Sonia Daniels, Care & Support Coordinator for HOPE Cape Town. Sonia is well known for her bubbly and friendly personality and is no stranger to Tygerberg Hospital, in fact she has been part of the HOPE Cape Town family for 10 years!
Growing up in Bokmakierie, a small suburb in Cape Town, Sonia spent 27 years of her life working at a German textile factory where she played a pivotal role in designing various garments and liaising with international clients. She absolutely loved her work and expresses that everyone was close. From management, cleaners and general workers – everyone was like one big happy family. Unfortunately, with the economy taking a plunge and not being able to sustain itself, after 60 years of being in operation, they decided to close the factory. For Sonia, this was a very sad moment in her life because that once upon “family unit” was no longer there.
Although being unemployed, Sonia was still very much active in the church she belonged. She enjoyed lending a helping hand where she could and simply loved the interaction with the elderly, children and youth. It was at this stage in her life that she started to develop a passion for people and wanted to make a difference in their lives. In fact, she told herself that one day she would love to work in a hospital and help people – who would of thought that this dream would turn out to be a reality.
In 2007, Sonia underwent a minor operation and during this time while recovering, her surgeon asked her if she had any plans once she has been discharged (knowing she was unemployed). He then asked if she would be keen to work with children at the hospital and although Sonia was passionate, she was reluctant at the beginning but was willing to reconsider. She then applied for a position at HOPE Cape Town as a team secretary and over the years she further developed herself by attending various HIV programmes and courses, resulting in her blossoming into the role of Care & Support Coordinator.
Sonia’s role is to ensure that mothers are provided with the necessary support and that their concerns are communicated to the doctor in charge. Doctors at the hospitals are mainly there to attend to the babies (patients) needs although it is important for these mothers to speak on behalf of their child –in some cases this is not possible due to language barriers. HOPE staff however is equipped to address these barriers and can communicate and establish the underlying issues with mothers and report to the doctor for further intervention. In some cases, if the situation is too complicated or out of their scope, it will then be referred to a social worker for further intervention. It is important that doctors have this information, and we ensure that it happens.
Some of the challenges I do encounter is being able to deal with children who are terminally ill and who have no chance of survival, but the rewarding part is seeing people’s lives change through our passion and dedication.
2020 Meet Eva Coetzee: HOPE to HOME Care Worker
One of the biggest challenges in paediatric HIV today is the retention of care of patients who have started anti-retroviral treatment (ART). HOPE to Home is a project at Tygerberg Hospital that aims to help children and their caregivers in making the transition between treatment as an inpatient in Tygerberg Hospital’s ward and being treated as an outpatient in the community health setting/home. Today we meet one of the HOPE to Home care workers who shares her journey with us.
Eva Coetzee, mother of 2 children grew up on a farm just outside Malmesbury, Cape Town. Life was not easy for her as she lost her mom at the age of 12 and without the primary “bread winner” present, it was extremely difficult for them as a family. Being the second youngest out of 4 siblings, they needed to find ways to survive and opted to work on chicken farms over weekends to buy food and clothes. This lasted for a while until Eva decided to drop out of school during her grade 11 year.
In 2010, she then moved to Santekraam, Durbanville to find greener pastures and found a job on a wine farm. She wanted to ensure that her youngest brother continued school and supported him financially. She then started doing voluntary work at the clinics, assisting with basic administrative support and a few months later found herself working at the Grace Fellowship Centre as a home-based carer (HBC). With no experience and grade 11, they saw the potential in her and groomed her to be one of the best! The one thing she loved about her role as an HBC was the fact that she could interact with people who are facing life threatening illnesses and journey with them through their difficult time
In 2011 she then applied for a position as a community health worker at HOPE Cape Town. At first, she was very doubtful because of her lack of experience but believed if this was in God’s will, the doors would open – which it did! Eva loves her job especially engaging with people again. Her typical day at the office starts at 7am each morning, making her way through the wards and checking if moms and babies have been exposed to HIV. She is the liaison between the patient and doctor, ensuring that everything is recorded in their files.
In some case, especially when there are more than one patient in the ward, it can be difficult to communicate with patients regarding their HIV status as stigma is still and will continue to always be a problem area, however they do have access to counselling rooms and can address the situation with privacy. It’s really encouraging to see patients opening up to you and asking for prayer. Eva does believe that once you build good relationships with these patients and gain their trust, it’s easy to get a breakthrough to establish the root of their difficult circumstances.
One of the challenges I do experience is seeing children suffer but one of the biggest highlights is being able to put a smile on someone’s face.
2020 The HOPE Anniversary Concert has been postponed from 30.10.2020 to 2021
To postpone the HOPE anniversary concert was not an easy decision for initiator Viola Klein: "We have responsibility for the health of our guests. Even if our hygiene concept is still valid under the tightened Corona protection rules, the question is whether the guests really feel comfortable in an event with over 600 people".
The concert will be moved into the open air season, a new date in 2021. "This is an important ray of hope, because together with many partners we have invested so much time in the preparation of the concert! At an open air event we can also sell more tickets. The money is urgently needed in South Africa and the tickets already purchased, remain valid. “ said Michaela Gornickel of the agency Par.X Marketing & Events, which organizes the concert.
More new plans for the charity dinners
While the charity dinners on 20.11.2020 in Berlin and on 29.01.2021 in Munich are under discussion, a charity dinner in Dresden was held in two parts on two evenings on the 30.10. and 31.10.2020 with 100 people each in the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski. The dinners were intended to raise urgently needed money for the HOPE Cape Town children´s project in South Africa.
The evenings were filled with a dinner by head chef Jörg Mergner, a program with roundtables and artistic contributions, among others by Alina, Philipp Richter and Professor Milko Kersten, who originally wanted to organize the concert in the Kreuzkirche with the Young Symphony Orchestra of the HSKD. Heinrich-Schütz-Konservatorium Dresden (HSKD). Another highlight was a silent auction. The guests had the opportunity to bid for prizes such as works of art by Udo Lindenberg and Otto, the limited Miniature Hope Award from Ulrich Eißner made of Meissen porcelain or an original concert guitar of the music group “Die Prinzen”. Both dinners were a big success.
For 15 years the organizers of the Dresden HOPE Gala have been collecting donations for the children's project "HOPE Cape Town" in South Africa. At the moment donations are needed as urgently as never before to help children in the townships of Cape Town.
"The most important task of the HOPE staff is the fight against hunger", emphasizes Stefan Hippler, co-founder and Chairperson of the HOPE Cape Town project in South Africa. "Due to the long lockdown, people cannot go to work, they earn no money and cannot buy food. The HOPE project has been organizing soup kitchens for months and provides food for over 1000 people per day".
In addition, the HOPE project is facing drastic changes. The township of Blikkiesdorp, where HOPE Cape Town does important social work, will soon have to make way for a major construction project at the airport and plans to move to Delft with its container site. The care of HIV-positive children is also proving difficult at the moment. "Many patients miss their check-up appointments at the hospital for fear of the corona virus," says Stefan Hippler. "Pregnant women do not come for an HIV test, and so more positive babies are born again. This sets the project back for years. But there is also hope. The plans to provide vocational training for young people like in Germany are taking shape. Next spring we will start".
2020 Hope for Babies: Success Story
We often find ourselves in situations which is beyond our control and tend to make irrational decisions to overcome our circumstances, however there is Hope in the midst for those who need it the most. Today, we highlight a story of a young women who was faced with a dramatic turmoil which could of changed her life forever for the worst but through the love and compassion shown by our staff members, she made a full turnaround.
Angel[1], 24 years old and 27 weeks pregnant at the time was a patient at the Tygerberg Hospital and went for her regular check-ups. One day, while one of the HOPE care workers were doing their regular rounds in the ward, they noticed that she seemed very unhappy and distressed. Being the attentive people they are, they asked her why she was so sad and if they could assist in anyway. Her response to them was surprising as she emotionally expressed that she did not want the baby and wants the option to abort because she was raped.
Our staff at Tygerberg Hospital often deals with cases like this and at this point it is important to understand what intervention has or needs to take place. After consulting with her, they realized that she did not receive any form of counselling after the rape, hence she was expressing emotional imbalance and even contemplating suicide. At this stage, Hope staff needed to intervene and provide the support she needed the most. They managed to arrange a social worker to walk alongside her and checked up on her regularly, affirming her that everything will be okay. She was then referred to a psychologist who then could get down to the root of her unfavorable situation and provided support throughout her journey.
Angel has found hope, not only for her but also for her baby and the lesson one can take from this is that by being a listening ear and extending a little bit of care, many women’s lives can change and be transformed.
Well done to our staff members who work selflessly to bring about change!
[1] We have changed the name for identification reasons.
2020 Rotary Global Grant: Special Announcement
With combined forces we have made it: the Global Grant Number 2015165 "Entrepreneurial Education and Training - The NEX in the Delt Area/Cape Town" has been approved by TRF! Thanks to the Districts 1860 and 9350, the RCs Sankt Wendel, Bayreuth, Nürnberg, Nürnberg-Kaiserburg, Nürnberg-Reichswald and Signal Hill and to the many private donors in District 1880 as well as in Switzerland. Now the ambitious plans are about to be implemented and we will follow the development closely!
2020 HOPE for Babies: Meet Elfrieda
As we continue our focus around HOPE for Babies, today we meet another care worker, Elfrieda Leroux. Elfrieda joined the HOPE Cape Town Family in October 2016 as Community Health worker at the Scottsdene Clinic. Since April 2016, she has been working for HOPE for Babies at Tygerberg Hospital.
Elfrieda grew up on a farm in Paarl where she spent most of her childhood. At the age of 8, she moved to Kuilsriver where she completed her schooling and worked in a factory for a few years. In 2010, she joined Scottsdene Clinic situated in Kraaifontein, where she worked as a TB assistant – conducting sputum tests and ensuring patients received and were adherent to their medication.
Elfrieda always wanted to maximize her knowledge, grasping as much information as she could which resulted in her gaining enough knowledge to become a drug resistant counsellor. What she loved about this role was the fact that as a mobile unit, they were fortunate enough to travel to various clinics. It was through this interaction with various HOPE Cape Town staff members that she decided to join the HOPE Cape Town family in 2016.
As a care worker, Elfrieda enjoys the interaction with mothers, especially those who are new mothers. Part of her role is to ensure that mothers and their babies are tested for HIV before being discharged and provide counselling to those who need it. When babies are tested after birth and the results are negative, it does not mean that it will remain negative – it could change, however only after 18 months, once the baby has developed its own antibodies can the final status be determined. During this period, mothers are encouraged to remain adherent to their medication. There are times that patients forget their medication at home before being admitted and for Elfrieda, its important to communicate this to the doctor beforehand as it plays a vital role.
Some of the challenges experienced is dealing with young mothers who considers abortion. During this difficult time, Elfrieda is always there to provide the necessary support and encouragement and the highlights for her is seeing those same mothers enjoying their precious bundles of joy!
2020 HOPE FOR BABIES: Meet Mariam
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the most common way infants contract the virus and this happens when HIV is passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or while breastfeeding. Hope Cape Town conducts a project in collaboration with Tygerberg Hospital, situated in Cape Town, South Africa which aims to support these pregnant women who come to Tygerberg Hospital for care.
Today we meet Mariam Roelofse, Care Worker for HOPE Cape Town for Babies who shares her journey with us and why she loves doing what she does.
Growing up in Bontheuwel, a former coloured township in Cape Town was not easy for Mariam as it involved daily crime activity, gangs, and poverty. Without a matric certificate (graduation) it is not easy to pursue a career as a teacher, doctor or nurse, something Mariam always dreamt of - but because she failed matric, she could not fulfil this. Without a matric certificate, she had no choice but to find work and ended up in a jewelry factory where she spent 5 years. Soon realizing that this was not her passion as she loved engaging with people, Mariam quit her job and decided to look after her children instead.
During her time at home, she decided to empower herself by doing a 6 month Home Based Training Course which she completed and started doing voluntary work at the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) clinic unit in Vangate, close to her home.
She then moved with her family to Bishop Lavis and found work at the Bishop Lavis Clinic where she worked in a voluntary capacity as a Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) supporter, handing out medication to TB patients. This role continued for 2 years until she applied for a permanent position with HOPE Cape Town as a Care Worker. To date, Mariam has been part of the HOPE family for 15 years!
A typical day at the office for Mariam starts at 7am where she follows up with patients and assists the nurse on duty with PCR (HIV tests for babies). Starting at the labour ward, Mariam needs to ensure that all moms have done a recent HIV test and if not will arrange to have one done. For her, its important to build relationships with these moms and gain their trust as in most cases these new moms do not know what to expect during and after their pregnancy journey.
Part of her role is to get as much information as possible from mothers while they are in the labour ward – things like checking if they are adhering to their medication and the general well-being of the patient.
During the COVID- 19 pandemic, many mothers feel alone as they are not allowed any visitors, however we try to bridge that gap in order to make it as comfortable as possible by providing them with useful information, like what to expect, breastfeeding tips etc. We also allow them to call their loved ones just allow them to connect with someone who they cannot physically see.
The most rewarding part of my job is the feedback we receive from patients who are so thankful for the support during the whole process and especially the fact that we were there every step of the way. This gratefulness really makes me feel proud as an employee of HOPE Cape Town.
2020 HOPE to Home: Meet Samukelisiwe Nyamathe
For the month of October/November, we will be focusing and exploring two of our exciting programmes, HOPE for Home and HOPE for Babies. Situated at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, working closely with doctors and professors, these programmes have impacted many lives for the past 20 years!
To kick start this series, we chat to Samukelisiwe Nyamathe, Medical Doctor for HOPE Cape Town.
Introduction:
Samukelisiwe grew up in the south of Johannesburg in a small suburb called Elandspark. She was brought up by her grandparents and went to both primary and high school in a neighbouring suburb. In her matric year, she decided to go study in Cape Town where she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Town and then went back to work in Johannesburg.
She then completed her medical internship at Far East Rand Hospital and community service at South Rand Hospital, both in Johannesburg. She then worked for a while under a mentor doctor in a private practice in Johannesburg before coming to join Hope Cape Town. Subsequently, she completed a diploma in Public Health and in 2019 completed her coursework for a master’s in science in Child Health, pending examination of her thesis.
Was becoming a doctor always something, you wanted to do? Was their anyone who inspired you to choose this career?
I don’t recall when I made the decision to become a doctor, but it was largely influenced by my grandmother who happened to have many chronic illnesses and was sick for as long as I can remember. I had a great passion to be of service to people and that led me to the career of medicine.
How did you find yourself at HOPE Cape Town?
While I was doing work in private practice in Johannesburg, my mother came across an advertisement with the job for an NGO in Cape Town. She knew how much I wanted to explore my career in research much further and it was an excellent opportunity to come back to a city that I love.
Take us through your typical day/week before and at office
My day starts at about 5am, I wake up for an early morning prayer and breakfast. I do some reading and then get ready for work.
On a Monday I am in the office either for a staff meeting or doing administrative work. On a Tuesday I am at Delft South Clinic where I see paediatric patients in the infectious disease clinic together with 3 other doctors at the clinic.
On a Wednesday I am in the office and then I drive in to Tygerberg Hospital to see the Hope to Home and Hope for Babies Team.
On a Thursday I am in the Neurodevelopment Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital where I see some of the established patients alongside Dr Springer and Dr Thomas.
On a Friday I alternate with Dr Ana Houston to work at the Delft CHC clinic where we see the paediatric ARV clinic patients.
What are some of your challenges?
It has been quite challenging as a person with a background in medicine to work as a supervisor of projects where majority of the role was human resource and admin related however it was probably my biggest learning curve.
What are some of your highlights?
I got the chance to do a research project describing the risk of adolescent girls and young women becoming HIV infected where I interviewed hundreds of women at Tygerberg hospital and got the chance to get a glimpse of how young women navigate their environments and also to understand the challenges that they face as young women.
I also love working with the children in the clinics. Sometimes it is difficult to have the patience required to work with people and their commitment to the well - being of their children but when you see someone who was struggling actually doing well and being optimistic about their future it really makes it all worth it.
What do you do in your leisure time?
I take a lot of walks. During the lockdown period I came to appreciate the peaceful power that nature brings. I read at least 2 books a month, one with my book club and one other one of interest to me.
I spend a lot of time with friends and family and explore new places like coffee shops, small towns, new cities. I mentor other young women who are working their way out through life.
Favourite food
Hands down: Pasta!
Hobbies
Reading. Yoga. Gardening.
2020 Exploring the Process of Occupational Therapy
In our previous articles we had the privilege of meeting occupational therapists who shared their stories with us. Today, Robyn Meissner explains the process of patients requiring OT sessions and what these sessions entail.
Referrals come mainly from doctors and nurses in the clinics we currently work in (or their referring hospitals).Children are referred to us when a they are behind on or have missed developmental milestones in any developmental area, if their caregivers and teachers are worried about problems regarding writing and learning or if they have congenital or neurological disorders already diagnosed. We can see anything from sitting and walking delays, to behaviour problems, to writing backwards/upside down, to not holding their pencil correctly.
We always start with an assessment so we can try identify where the difficulties and problems are and so that we have a baseline of their abilities to use - we can use this at a later stage to compare and recognise improvements.
Therapy involves using play to practice/exercise/teach and improve their difficulties or delays. We try to involve the caregivers as much as possible within the therapy sessions and provide them with ideas and support on how to help their children at home as they are not always able to come to the clinic frequently in between their doctors’ appointments. These therapy sessions all take place at the clinic where the child is seeing their doctor, on the same day as their doctor and medication appointments. Children and caregivers will continue to see us for appointments until their difficulties are resolved and they are confident in their abilities.
Seeking early intervention (as soon as they start experiencing difficulties) is always best for the child! If there is a delay referring to therapy the difficulties are often more difficult to help resolve and could cause other problems.
One case that comes to mind:
I was referred a little girl at one of the clinics, who was 2yrs8mo old. She was born 1 month premature, weighing 1.62kg and tested positive for HIV after birth. Unfortunately, her family did not attend follow-up appointments and defaulted her medication, they were in struggling with a very poor socioeconomic situation at home. She now had pulmonary TB and malnutrition. My initial assessment placed her at a 1-year old level – she was not walking or talking yet, a delay of about 18months across all developmental areas. She was also extremely traumatised and would cry through her entire clinic visit, she would not let me come near her, even to give her a toy.
I was able to show her parents how to stimulate her development without having to buy toys. We worked slowly for her to gain my trust and eventually she stopped crying and started to play more in therapy sessions, all the while her parents were playing with her at home based on the guidance given. She started walking 4 months after I first saw them. She also started speech therapy which has helped her communication to catch up. She is now 5yrs old, I still see her for monthly sessions - she has continued to improve. Unfortunately, we think she will always be behind her age group in some developmental areas and she is being seen by specialists to help provide appropriate support. Her parents understand her health condition better and are committed to care for her.
This story highlights a couple things:
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- the significant importance of home stimulation in a child’s development and the difference it makes when the caregivers are encouraged and recognise their responsibilities,
- this is also a great example of the multi-disciplinary team at work to provide holistic care to save and improve a child’s (and their family’s) life – without the counselling from HOPE’s community workers, doctor’s care, nutritional advice and support from the dietician and occupational and speech therapist intervention, she would not be where she is today.
{slider2020 HOPE Cape Town - Occupational Therapist Zoné Janse Van Rensburg}
As September focuses on occupational therapy, we are pleased to introduce Zoné Janse Van Rensburg, occupational therapist at the Helderberg State Hospital in Somerset West, Cape Town.
1. How were you introduced to occupational therapy?
I studied at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein and successfully completed my Bachelor's degree in 2008. In 2009 I completed my community service at the Port Elizabeth hospital complex in the Eastern Cape Province, where I worked afterwards for another four years. At the same time, I studied Neuroscience at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg and successfully completed my studies in 2016.
Subsequently, I worked for three years in a paediatric practice in East London and then moved with my family to Cape Town and founded my own practice in 2017.
This practice has now been in existence for almost 3 years and is in Durbanville at the Stellenberg Therapy Centre. It is a paediatric practice with a special focus on neuroscience and early intervention. Here, I work with a combination of neurological development concept, sensory integration and sensomotoric treatment approach to treat patients either individually or in groups. I also work for various schools, in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Cape Gate Day Clinic and for HOPE Cape Town in Somerset West.
2. Zoné, is occupational therapy what you always wanted to do?
I was so convinced that I would study occupational therapy that I felt it was not necessary to add a second subject to my university application. I knew very clearly that occupational therapy would be my career. Occupational therapy is my passion. I do not think I would have fit into any other career.
3. What are or were the biggest challenges in your work?
Starting my own practice! It is still difficult for me to run my practice because I am less focused on the business and more on the clinical side of things. However, one part cannot survive without the other part if you want to run a practice successfully.
4. What are the best moments in your work?
There have been so many successes in my practice that I feel it is only one BIG SUCCESS. I am happy when I can help my little patients and thus create a basis for a better future for them.
2020 Focusing on Occupational Therapy : Meet Robyn
Occupational Therapy (OT) week will be celebrated nationally this year from the 16 - 20 September 2020. This annual event/ week is dedicated to OT’s and to promote the many ways that OT’s help all people to reach their full potential.
For the month of September, HOPE Cape Town will celebrate their very own OT’s that work so selflessly to help their patients reach their full protentional. We will be interviewing the “people behind the scenes “ as well as getting a better understanding and insight as to what takes place to make this programme successful.
To kick start this exciting topic, we chat to Robyn Meissner, Occupational Therapist for HOPE Cape Town.
Introduction:
Robyn studied at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she obtained her bachelors in 2009 and master’s degree in 2016 respectively. She then completed her community service at a small rural hospital in Greytown, KwaZulu – Natal. Since 2011, she has always worked in community clinics across Cape Town, focusing on vulnerable children in the community and those infected and affected by HIV.
1. What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy focuses on tasks we need and want to do every day. Being able to participate in these tasks contributes to our health and well-being. In children, the focus is on learning the foundational skills to become independent as they grow older. Often things happen in life, be it ill-health or family circumstances, that disrupt our ability to do what we want or need to do. Occupational therapists help you to get back on track with your goals when this happens. We use play, fun and games to practice skills that children will use to help them learn at school, look after themselves in everyday tasks and play at home.
Not many people know that HIV can also have neurodevelopmental effects on children, causing anything from developmental delays, to neurological disorders affecting muscle tone to learning disabilities. It is important for caregivers to be aware of these effects and for us to provide early intervention.
2. How do you apply OT and where does it take place?
At HOPE Cape Town, OT runs therapy services alongside some of the paediatric ID (infectious diseases) clinics at various clinic locations we are involved in. When children see the doctor for their regular check-up, they also have access to OT if needed. For these children I also run GOKidz program which is a play-informed caregiver-implemented home-based intervention that trains caregivers in appropriate developmental stimulation to do at home to prevent delays.
As an OT I also do outreach to the Blikkiesdorp playgroup – assessing the children that attend and providing activity-based groups to work on their developmental and learning needs.
I am also involved in the TBH NDC (neuro developmental clinic) and help with specific child development assessments to help decrease their waiting list.
3 Is Occupational Therapy always something you wanted to do?
I always knew I wanted to work somewhere in the health/medical field, I found occupational therapy to be the perfect balance of science and creativity.
4. What is a typical day at the office?
A typical day for me consists of seeing children and their caregivers in the mornings at various community clinics or outreach projects where we work on the needs of the child through play. My afternoons are spent planning and preparing for future therapy sessions and collaborating with other professionals involved in the child’s life (doctors, teachers, social workers, speech, and other therapists).
5. Do you experience any challenges?
Yes, absolutely! Dealing with difficult circumstances that are not the child’s fault and have little control over really makes it hard for me to digest.
6. Any Highlights?
Seeing children and families rise above their difficult circumstances in different ways. – any smile or laugh from a child achieving something new for the first time.
#OTweek2020 #OTASA
2020 15th HOPE-Gala has a New Venue
15th HOPE-Gala has a New Venue
For the past 15 years the HOPE-Gala in Dresden raised funds worth about EUR 1.7 million, which were donated for the fight against HIV/Aids and a better health care for children in South Africa.
In the first place a magnificent event was planned but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the initial venue would just be able to host 250 people. That’s why instead of the annual Gala an anniversary concert will take place. Numerous artists will perform in a church this year, as it can host more than 800 people in compliance with the COVID-19 regulations.
In addition to this event, Mrs Viola Klein (organiser), plans three charity dinners as support is highly needed at the moment.
Many people in South Africa survive day-by-day with their daily income now being lost due to the Corona lockdown. Therefore, parents and caregivers cannot afford to buy food for their children anymore. Previously, HOPE Cape Town’s main focus was to support mothers, adolescents and children with medical treatment, but food is more needed now.
Many soup kitchens had to close and left behind a hungry population. Children in townships are dying as a consequence of malnutrition. HOPE Cape Town has started a feeding scheme and is able to feed 1000 children a day. Through these donations HOPE Cape Town will be able to continue with saving the lives of children.
2020 HOPE Cape Town in the time of COVID-19
HOPE Cape Town in the time of COVID-19
The work of HOPE Cape Town has never been of greater importance than now in the current challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and what will be the aftermath. HOPE Cape Town had to adjust the way that we work to comply with lockdown regulations, but we have remained operational throughout this period.
Some points of interest:
- Dr Samke Nyamathe has been appointed as the HOPE Cape Town COVID-19 Compliance Officer.
- A COVID-19 policy has been put in place which is regularly updated.
- The HOPE Cape Town main office and research office has been closed on 27 March 2020 for lockdown.
- Clinical staff (HCHWs, Medical Officers, HOPE to Home and HOPE for Babies staff) remain on duty – they are also involved in data capturing, counselling, screening and testing for COVID-19.
- Normal operations at Blikkiesdorp Community outreach was suspended, but as a result of the growing need, we started a daily feeding scheme for the community. We are currently providing breakfast and lunch from Monday – Friday.
- Office based staff work remotely.
- Back office staff work remotely but meet daily to coordinate operations, fundraising and the development of The Nex.
- We are in the process of getting the offices “COVID-19 ready” in accordance to the national guidelines. The main office and research office will be incrementally reopened from 1 June 2020 onwards.
We are keeping a close eye on international COVID-19 developments in terms of travel, safety and guidelines. We are not currently accepting any new applications for international volunteers. Please keep on checking our website for further developments.
2020 Experiences of a HOPE Volunteer
The experience I’ve got at HOPE Cape Town is difficult to describe.
Even for me as a journalist it is not easy to find words for this extraordinary adventure. I am grateful, deeply touched and thoughtful at the same time.
When I applied for a volunteer position at HOPE Cape Town I actually just wanted to do something different, something meaningful. Sometimes, my work can be very fast-moving and superficial. Once I was accepted as a volunteer at HOPE Cape Town, I was very excited, but I also asked myself if I am actually able to do that. And what is waiting for me in Cape Town?
But all my expectations were surpassed. The awesome work, the many charismatic and impressive people I met. At the end, I even had the feeling that I’ve got more back from the children than I was able to give to them. Besides my work in Blikkiesdorp, I had the opportunity to work on a film project about the HOPE Community Health Workers together with another volunteer. This work gave me more insight about this well-structured organisation and its real impact on the people.
To be honest, the work in the township was very emotional and exhausting. Sometimes, I experienced difficult situations and I didn’t know how to deal with them. But the team of HOPE Cape Town never left us volunteers alone and we always had the feeling of being part of the team. As bathetic as that may sound, it is true: After a few weeks as a volunteer you start becoming another person. Grateful but also more realistic. Everything I saw on TV in the past, suddenly became realistic, concrete and overwhelming.
I really like to recommend to everybody to get involved in the fantastic work of HOPE Cape Town, be it as a volunteer or through a donation.
April 2020
Lisa Maria Siewert
2019
2019 Kids Party
On Monday, 30 September 2019, HOPE Cape Town held its annual Kids' Party for the children that we serve in Delft.
It was such an incredible, fun-filled day with laughter and smiles all around. The aroma of freshly popped popcorn kept the children coming back for more. The huge, colourful jumping castle was a major fun for the younger children. There was face painting for those wanting to be a butterfly or Spiderman for a day, and there was a pamper station with nail painting, nail decor and hand massages. We had an awesome DJ playing all the latest tunes, while the children took the opportunity to have a dance competition with our special HOPE Ambassador Katlego Maboe. One of the greatest highlights of the day was the drumming session with musical tubes - what an experience!
Once the children had worked up an appetite, it was lunch time. Chicken burgers and potato wedges followed by a slice of freshly baked cake. The day ended with a special gift for each child which was prepared by children of the German School in Cape Town.
2019 Benefit Concert for HOPE Cape Town on Niederwerth Island
Benefit Concert for HOPE Cape Town on Niederwerth Island
The 36th benefit concert of the Lions Club Vallendar took place on 15 September 2019 at the Rhine Island Niederwerth. The South African singer and guitarist Tinus van Dyk from Stellenbosch entertained the audience with a wide musical spectrum of folk, blues, jazz, rock and classical music.
As a member of the Lions Club Vallendar, Mr. Paul Dennis suggested that the proceeds of this year's benefit concert are transferred to HOPE Cape Town.
In the frame of his work for the Ernst Klett Verlag Paul Dennis got introduced to HOPE Cape Town and our work. Since May 2019 HOPE Cape Town is featured in the new "Abi Workshop English South Africa" books of the Ernst Klett Verlag.
2019 A new car for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town is very grateful for the long-term support by BILD "Ein Herz für Kinder”. We recently received a new car, also donated by the German organisation. We are very excited about the vehicle, which will make our work in the townships around Cape Town much easier. A big THANK YOU goes to BILD “Ein Herz für Kinder”!
2019 Radio Tygerberg in Blikkiesdorp
On 05 June 2019, our community project in Blikkiesdorp was visited by Radio Tygerberg 104FM. Besides staff members of HOPE Cape Town also volunteers and residents of Blikkiesdorp got interviewed. The three hours broadcast provided a deep insight into our work in the community and the living conditions in the township.
2019 Thank You Viola
Dear Viola,
We congratulate you heartily for the conferment of the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony.
This well-deserved award goes far beyond your outstanding commitment and your services to the well-being of Saxony and its people. Through your tireless and selfless commitment, you not only support people in Germany, but you also urge them to help people all across the world so that they can remain in their homeland. You elucidate that we have to fight the problems and needs of the people where they occur.
We as HOPE Cape Town thank you very much for your great commitment and your continuous support. Without your commitment, our work here in South Africa during the past 18 years would not be as successful. Thanks a lot!
With warm regards from Cape Town and from the entire HOPE Cape Town Team
2019 Occupational Therapy at Tygerberg Hospital School
Occupational Therapy at Tygerberg Hospital School
HOPE Cape Town was able to sponsor Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment and treatment sessions for seven learners, who would normally not be able to afford extra therapy costs, at the Tygerberg Hospital School. For the last quarter of the school term (September – December 2018) the learners of Dr Springer’s class received either small group or individual therapy sessions run by Sensory Kidzone – a private practice already supporting the school.
Therapy sessions were focussed on motor skills (including pencil grip and writing skills), visual perception and eye-hand coordination. The children were assessed at the start and end of the OT treatment period and significant improvements were seen in the majority of learners.
Further to the therapy provided at the school, the learners received specific home programmes to empower the parents with ways in which to play with their children at home while stimulating their development at the same time.
“One of the benefits for us in this process is that we formed a closer relationship with the parents, teachers and management of Tygerberg Hospital School and realised their passion for the children of the school and the future of the school. It has been a privilege to work with these learners and the teachers of Tygerberg Hospital School.”
– Robyn Turnball, Sensory Kidzone Occupational Therapist
Report by:
Robyn Meissner
HOPE Cape Town Occupational Therapist
January 2019
2019 Elective Student Neelima
Neelima Agrawal joined us for her elective in February 2019. Neelima is currently studying her final year at NorthWestern University in Chicago, USA. Her final presentation looked at Pharmacovigilance: what side effects can be expected from TB and ARV treatment, and what are the systems put in place to monitor them on a public health/national level. It was interesting to gain insight from how the USA and South Africa differ!
2019 Elective Student Jessica
Jessica Quaggin-Smith hails from Canada originally but is currently studying her final year at NorthWestern University in Chicago, USA. She joined Hope Cape Town for her elective in February 2019. While she has some experience seeing adults with HIV in Chicago, it was a good learning experience seeing how the management of children and teenagers with HIV is different. Her final presentation was entitled “Challenges to paediatric medication adherence in the United States and South Africa”. A key point from her presentation is summarized in this quote: “Paediatric adherence among … children is best understood as behaviours that are shaped by the context in which adherence occurs”
2019 Elective Student Britt
Britt Hultgren from University of Missouri in the USA joined us in February 2019. He is no stranger to international travel and cross cultural living, having lived and worked abroad prior to starting Medical studies. His interest in cross-cultural societal dynamics and their impact on health systems and individual care was evident in his engagement within the elective. His final presentation was a lively discussion entitled: “Privilege and progress - The role of the privileged in healthcare Justice: A Discussion across cultures”.
2018
2018 Devastating Fire in Blikkiesdorp
Devastating Fire in Blikkiesdorp
In the early hours of Sunday morning (7 October 2018) a shack was petrol-bombed and nine adjoining shacks as well as all the contents were destroyed in the blaze. As residents escaped from the flames with their small children, they stood across the road and watched their personal belongings burn to ashes. These include birth certificates, identity documents, bank and SASSA cards etc.
HOPE Cape Town visited the homeless families and assessed the damage and the immediate needs. Fifteen children have not attended school this week as we need to replace their school uniforms, books and stationery. The children spend their days at 'Tannie Maria se plek' where they receive meals and some supervised studies. Some of the children are walking barefoot as they have no shoes. The families are separated as they find a small space to share with neighbours until they receive alternative accommodation but even if they have another shack they have nothing to put in it, no furniture, no appliances, no clothes, no bedding...nothing.
Meantime HOPE Cape Town will provide food for the children and their families. If you would like to donate anything towards these families, we would be very happy to collect and distribute. Please contact us on 021 938 9930 during working hours and 082 563 1464 all hours.
Contact us:
Tel: +27 21 938 9930
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.hopecapetown.org
www.facebook.com/HopeCapeTownAssociationTrust
Our Banking Details in South Africa:
Account Name: HOPE Cape Town Trust
Name of Bank: Standard Bank of South Africa Limited
Account No: 070274525
Branch Code: 020909
Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ
Branch Name: Thibault Square
Account Type: Business Current Account
2018 Annual Academic Day
Annual Academic Day 2018
The 62nd Annual Academic Day (2018) took place on 29 August 2018 at the Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
The research poster presentation "Neurodevelopmental and behavioural outcome of HIV-exposed uninfected infants from the Mother and Infant Study, Cape Town at 3 years" led by Dr PE Springer and funded by HOPE Cape Town was on display at the 62nd Annual Academic Day.
The poster display includes "NGO initiated research - translating community needs to academia" compiled by a complete HOPE Cape Town team - Dr A Houston, Prof W Preiser and Prof M Esser.
2018 HOPE Cape Town's visit to Dallas, USA
HOPE Cape Town’s visit to Dallas, USA
June 16th – 21st, 2018
“Interdependent people combine their own efforts, with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success” – Steven Covey provides a powerful definition encouraging people to pool their talent, resources, and insight for mutual benefit. The results of such joint action are far greater than the results of individual actions taken separately.
Mindful of the above quote and with the aim to build and strengthen existing knowledge, skills and capacity of already active community based organizations in Dallas, Texas – home of the program implementation arm of HOPE Cape Town USA, the Reverend Father Stefan Hippler, founder and chairperson of the HOPE Cape Town Trust and Marlene Whitehead, donor relations manager, journeyed to Dallas to participate in HOPE Cape Town USA’s Board Meeting and AGM.
Well-established initiatives caring for poor and marginalized citizens in Dallas were visited in 2017 and revisited during this period. The discussions were robust and successfully demonstrated how HOPE Cape Town, as an intermediary, can nurture and safeguard action-learning programs to empower organizations to engage more meaningfully in processes geared to improve challenges within their respective communities. All stakeholders were offered the potential to collectively create and utilize participatory opportunities enabled by a range of local and international academic institutions to support young professional capacity building, including the Department of Social Work at Stellenbosch University and Rutgers University School of Social Work, New Jersey, USA.
HOPE Cape Town and HOPE Cape Town USA believe that together they can play a specialized role in facilitating and coordinating the exposure learning opportunities with partner organizations and students. Adopting this strategy will require continued engagement with the identified partners, other tertiary institutions, the public, private and other stakeholders in order to channel the collective efforts and energy into common and constructive directions.
2018 Partnership Bavaria - Western Cape
The Bavarian One World Days and Fair Trade Congress took place on 22 – 23 June 2018 in Augsburg/Germany. Participants amongst others were the Vice President of the German Parliament Claudia Roth, Members of the National, Bavarian and European Parliaments as well as the Chair of the HOPE Cape Town Trust Rev Fr Stefan Hippler.
2018 Visit at the Federal Minister of Health in Berlin
Visit at the Federal Minister of Health in Berlin
As Trustee of the German AIDS Foundation and former Parliamentary Undersecretary of the Federal Minister of Finance, Jens Spahn (MdB) visited HOPE Cape Town in January 2017. Rev Fr Stefan Hippler introduced him to our work and Mr Spahn gained an insight into the living conditions of the township residents of Blikkiesdorp and Manenberg.
In June 2018 Rev Fr Stefan Hippler visited Jens Spahn (MdB), Federal Minister of Health, in Berlin. Together they reflected Mr Spahn’s visit at HOPE Cape Town and talked about the work at the Federal Ministry of Health, especially in the area HIV and early childhood development.
2018 Word of Greetings – Consul General Matthias Hansen
Word of Greetings – Consul General Matthias Hansen
Ball of HOPE 2018 @ the Westin Hotel in Cape Town
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Dear Guests, all protocol observed –
I take pleasure and pride in joining you on this special occasion - the well-deserved celebration night of a proud & independent NGO, and its supporters, together looking back on the stretch of way you came forward over the year gone by, and at the same time together rewarding & honoring a wonderful staff for their craving & tough daily work in the field.
As I understand HOPE’s philosophy, it is above & beyond all a marvelous humanitarian approach. At the same time, nonetheless, in practice and in the way it works, it implies a substantial German contribution to a better life for people in South Africa - maybe not in a formal legal sense, but both with a view to its founding father and founding history, to its team leaders, to the close and long-standing partnership with our fantastic Chamber of Commerce, as well as in terms of many of its donors and corporate partners both overseas and here. It is this contribution - based on voluntary commitment of citizens and companies! - that my country has a special reason to take pride in, and that the German Consul General has every reason to honor tonight.
All the more so since your work as an NGO is invaluable and irreplaceable. As a state institution, we can work hand in hand with you on a project basis, but we would never be able to bridge the gap we would face if you were not there. Because at the core of your work, as I perceive it, is decentralization & proximity to people: Developmental success in the highly sensitive field of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS outreach requires an extraordinarily deep cultural understanding. What does people's everyday life looks like? What are people's core values & how do these influence their behavior? How do people interact, what makes their communities & families work (& vice versa: what has a potential to threaten or undermine them?) What practical impact does all that have on the development of their children and teenagers? Understanding that complexity and building trust is a pre-condition i.o.t. identify & determine your leverage and hence make sure that you can have an impact, initiate change, and make a difference. To achieve that degree of understanding & trust is only possible by means of continuous grass-roots presence & work. As an NGO, this is precisely where your comparative advantage lies.
Ladies & Gentlemen, please allow me to conclude by four remarks. Even though I’ll make them in my official capacity, let me assure you that I also speak from my own heart & mind & conviction.
To begin with, I want to bear witness to the work & integrity of HOPE as an organization. And at the same time: to the professionality of their approach. It is by combining the two that you truly have achieved long-term sustainability. I am emphasizing this also with HOPE’s German donors and partners in mind: Be confident that the resources you invest do serve their purpose!
Next, I would like to pay tribute to HOPE's wonderful team. I have been out there to see and - albeit tentatively – to grasp what you do. Your tireless commitment, your energy, your resilience deserves a tremendous measure of appraisal and - to add a personal remark - of deep respect.
Thirdly, let me give the credit they deserve to HOPE's long-standing institutional partners here in the Western Cape. Beyond the German-South African Chamber of Commerce, let me highlight Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University, as well as the Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town. By providing a constant, reliable institutional and academic framework, you have been ensuring maximum efficiency and scientific state-of-the-art quality of HOPE’s work in-the-field.
Finally, let me conclude by saying thank you to all of you guests here tonight: be it for your very own personal commitment or for the commitment of HOPE's corporate sponsors represented here. You are all giving expression to a truly remarkable degree of social responsibility – something which, in my perception, is also of tremendous importance in a wider context: the social cohesion in this country. It is YOU whose investment in the good cause has been putting Stefan and his team in the position to do their work and can – and hopefully will - continue to do so.
Ladies and Gentlemen - be proud of those contributions and enjoy this festive evening!
Thank You
2018 HOPE Cape Town’s Chairperson presents at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Rev Fr Stefan Hippler was invited by Emeritus Professor William Chafe to deliver a presentation at Duke University on April, 9th. The large audience that gathered in the Old Chem building were both mesmerised and inspired by the discussion entitled PROJECT HOPE – FIGHTING INEQUALITY IN A FRAGMENTED SOCIETY.
We look forward to hosting Professor Chafe and students of the Duke Foreign Service Programme for three weeks in June 2018 when they will volunteer their services to a variety of non-profit organisations and community-based projects in Cape Town.
2018 Zeit Reisen visits HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town is a proud partner of ZEIT REISEN and it was a pleasure for us to welcome the first visitor group in Blikkiesdorp. Rev. Fr. Stefan Hippler introduced the group to our organisation and our work. For more information about ZEIT REISEN please click the following link: https://zeitreisen.zeit.de/reise/suedafrika-kunst-natur/
2018 A delegation from Bavarian Parliament visits HOPE Cape Town
From 12th to 15th February 2018 a delegation from the Bavarian Parliament visited the Western Cape to see partner projects from NGOs in Bavaria and to meet members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. The One World Network of Bavaria, who initiated the delegation in the context of the partnership between the Western Cape and Bavaria, prepared the programme. The delegation visited HOPE Cape Town among other NGOs and institutions on 15th February 2018. For more information please click on www.bavaria-westerncape.de/news
2018 HOPE Cape Town USA Director Auntjuan (Mr Community) Wiley
Our heartiest congratulations to Auntjuan (Mr Community) Wiley who was elected new President and CEO of C.U.R.E. Inc on 2nd January 2018. Auntjuan is a director of HOPE Cape Town USA, our sister organisation based in Dallas, USA. C.U.R.E. (acronym for Community, Unity, Respect, Education) is a non-profit organisation resolved to combat the continuing risks and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and is based in Dallas/Fort Worth.
2018 USA Director Stacie McNulty
We are so proud to announce that HOPE Cape Town USA Director, Stacie Greskowiak McNulty, is a finalist for the 2017 Outstanding Corporate Award for Public Service & Pro Bono. For more information read Mark Curriden’s article published in The Texas Lawbook.
Click below to view the file:
2017
2017 Masterpieces In Progress
Masterpieces In Progress
On Thursday, 30th November – the Eve of World AIDS Day, Hope Cape Town hosted an evening of presentations and conversations. It was an appropriate occasion to give thanks to Friends of HOPE Cape Town who enabled another year of many achievements in our workplace, and to share with them a deeper insight into the interventions at one of our flagship outreach projects at Blikkiesdorp. This, combined with a display of the artwork from the children who attended the school readiness programme throughout the current year, as well as a peek into the future vision for HOPE Cape Town, resulted in a number of animated discussions and potential innovative collaborations. We also honoured our Social Worker Maria van Blerk with the HOPE Hero Award – 2017.
2017 DSK Bazaar 2017
DSK Bazaar 2017
HOPE Cape Town is proud to be associated with the German School of Cape Town (DSK). We thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the children in the “Crayon Corner” of our stand at the DSK Bazaar on 4th November. Dear Children please see your masterpieces below and thank you for brightening our world!
2017 Ball of HOPE
2017 Ball of HOPE
The Ball of HOPE, a HOPE Cape Town and Southern African - German Chamber of Commerce and Industry collaboration took place in Cape Town on Saturday, 13th May 2017. The Team at the Westin Hotel created an atmosphere and experience that Benefactors and Friends of HOPE Cape Town will never forget. HOPE Cape Town has enjoyed increasing support both locally and internationally and has seen substantial growth since the first Ball of HOPE held in 2002.
2017 Mandela Day
Mandela Day
For Mandela Day 2017, HOPE Cape Town brought together a number of sponsors and volunteers to our outreach site situated at the temporary relocation area of Blikkiesdorp near Delft. We coordinated mini-projects which would address the immediate needs of the community during the cold winter.
Although the sky was grey on Tuesday, 18th July and the temperature below 15 °C, we experienced a warm atmosphere in Blikkiesdorp. The 40 volunteers young and not-so-young were receptive to the attention of the smaller children and together they played games, sang and clapped hands. Amid the noise of the gathering crowds a young woman stood alone, quietly trying to attract the attention of HOPE Cape Town’s chairperson by raising her hands, “Excuse me, aren’t you Father Stefan Hippler?” she asked. “Years ago you helped me to bury my child, I will never forget your kindness, thank you.” If ever there was a reason for the existence of HOPE Cape Town and our presence in Blikkiesdorp, it was clear at that poignant moment.
Our aim was to provide warm nourishing meals for 1,200 children but through the generosity of sponsors and collaborators we exceeded all expectations and were able to provide more than 2,600 meals between 09h00 and 14h30. The children also received new blankets, toothbrushes and toothpaste and a “How do we brush our teeth?” demonstration. Volunteer students assisted with picking up litter and recycling and turning it into a fun lesson. The community vegetable garden was revitalised with a clean-up, fresh soil and new seedlings following the long drought, and paint was sponsored to give the pre-school a new look on the outside and a colourful mural on one of the inside walls.
HOPE Cape Town would never have been able to achieve all of this without generous support and sponsorships from the We Can Together Foundation, Things on Wheels, Ellies, Buildit Bothasig, Unlimited Building Supplies, Melomed Hospital Holdings, Nedbank Non-Resident and Embassy Office Cape Town, AfriLandscapes, Dr Fernando Adams, The Hawks, RedBlah Events Management, History Students of Duke University Colorado USA, Academic Staff of CTI and Pearsons Institute of Higher Education, Interact clubs of Milnerton and Bosmansdam High Schools. Very special thanks to those individuals who volunteered a whole lot more than 67 minutes in their own private capacity.
2016
2016 HOPE Gala Dresden
HOPE Gala Dresden
The 11th HOPE Gala Dresden will take place on 12 November 2016. We are looking forward to another successful event organised by Viola Klein. This year, we will welcome amongst others Alexa Feser, Albert Hammond and Julia Neigel. The evening will be presented by the charming Mirja Neven Mont. Please visit www.hopegala.de to buy your ticket and support HOPE Cape Town.
2016 Blikkiesdorp Project
Blikkiesdorp Project
After a long period of addressing issues of crime and vandalism at our Community Project in Blikkiesdorp, sponsored by HOPE & Future e. V., we are able to continue to thrive and serve the local community providing critical interventions, social and health services. With the help of HOPE & Future e. V., Builders Warehouse and other friends and supporters we could equip the project and can continue to support the residents in Blikkiesdorp. We thank our donor, Hope & Future, for their ongoing commitment.
2016 HOPE to Home
HOPE to Home
Our project "HOPE to Home" sponsored by BILD "Ein Herz füz Kinder" continues to grow as one of our major projects.
Retaining patients in care in the community, after being discharged from hospital, remains a challenge and initial integration of patients into their community health care facilities plays a major role in this retention. Hope Cape Town facilitates the smooth transition between admission and reporting for care at a local community facility, by preparing patients for discharge, confirming appointments, visiting them at home and accompanying them to the local facility, where possible.
Early Childhood development / Neuro-cognitive development are often neglected in a child with chronic disease in South Africa. We have now opened a playroom in the Infectious Diseases Ward at Tygerberg Hospital, stocked with age appropriate educational materials and toys.
2016 HOPE for Babies
HOPE for Babies
The care of HIV-positive children has changed in recent years to a more holistic approach and we care now for HIV-positive children in all wards of the Tygerberg Children's Hospital. Doctors from Tygerberg Children's Hospital approached us in 2015 with the request to extend our services to the maternity wards in Tygerberg Children's Hospital.
The mother-to-child-transmission of HIV is the most common way to transmit the virus to the child. The child can be infected with the virus during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
HOPE Cape Town has recognised the need for additional consultations and support for mothers during pregnancy and we would like to make sure that all mothers know their status during pregnancy. Mothers who do not know their status, get tested during pregnancy and childbirth and after childbirth to keep the risk of transmission of the virus from mother to the child as low as possible.
2016 HOPE Cape Town USA Established
HOPE Cape Town USA Established
HOPE Cape Town is proud to announce the establishment of HOPE Cape Town USA which will assist with fundraising efforts for our various programs and ensure collaboration and learning exchange while creating awareness about our work in South Africa within the USA. We are pleased to announce our USA board of directors comprising Rev Fr Stefan Hippler, Joe and Shirley Kunzmann and Stacie McNulty. We are excited about this next chapter for HOPE Cape Town and are looking forward to hopeful days ahead.
Please visit our USA website at www.hopecapetownusa.org
2016 Ball of HOPE
2016 Ball of HOPE
The recent Ball of HOPE at the Westin in Cape Town was a huge success having raised funds that will be used to ensure we continue with our various programs. The master of ceremonies was HOPE Cape Town Goodwill Ambassador, Katlego Maboe, with German singer and HOPE Cape Town Champion, Nevio Passaro and the Holy Cross Convent School Choir entertaining guests. Member of the South African Parliament, Mr Nick Koornhof was also present and his address was very fitting considering how integral he was to the founding of HOPE Cape Town by giving official permission for us to operate within state facilities, as the then Minister of Health. He used this opportunity to congratulate us on 15 years of delivering our programs as HOPE Cape Town. We are also thankful to the SA German Chamber of Commerce and their members for continued support.
2016 Barbecue for children at Manenberg Aftercare Centre
Barbecue for children at Manenberg Aftercare Centre
HOPE Cape Town recently hosted a barbecue for around 200 children at the Manenberg Aftercare Centre. We are thankful to Brett Steensma who sponsored all the food and drinks for the event. The children were entertained by musician, Nevio Passaro who enjoyed engaging with the children through his music. Our visitors at the event were Viola Klein, Organizer of the HOPE Gala Dresden, Mirja Neven du Mont, Moderator for the HOPE Gala Dresden 2016, Anna Schmidt who is assisting with the HOPE Gala Dresden and Thorsten Kloth, Chief Financial Officer of the German Aids Foundation.
2016 Opening of HOPE Cape Town Playroom
Opening of HOPE Cape Town Playroom
We recently took our supporters on a tour of our various projects. Our visitors included Viola Klein who organises the HOPE Gala Dresden, Anna Schmidt who is assisting with the HOPE Gala Dresden, Mirja Neven du Mont, moderator for the HOPE Gala Dresden 2016, Thorsten Kloth, Chief Financial Officer of the German Aids Foundation and German singer Nevio Passaro who recently performed at the Ball of HOPE in Cape Town. We also used this visit to officially open the HOPE Cape Town Playroom at Tygerberg Hospital which will allow our young patients to have some fun during their long stay in hospital. We are very thankful that Viola Klein was on hand to officiate the opening.
2016 Blikkiesdorp Project
Blikkiesdorp Project
We recently faced some challenges with our Blikkiesdorp Project with security becoming a major concern. We have now taken measures to secure the project and have two security guards on site ensuring that we can continue to deliver our essential services to the community of Blikkiesdorp. Since we have taken these measures, we have not had any incidents and are confident that the project will continue to bring hope to those in need with the loyal support of our donor, Hope and Future.
2016 HOPE Cape Town Trust AGM
HOPE Cape Town Trust AGM
HOPE Cape Town Trust held yet another successful AGM on 7 May 2016 at the Westin, Cape Town celebrating 10 years of the founding of the HOPE Cape Town Trust. Trustees from throughout the world attended reaffirming their commitment to ensuring HOPE Cape Town continues to provide its programs and essential services while ensuring financial sustainability and accountability. We look forward to another successful year ahead and are excited about our plans for the future.
2016 HOPE to Home
HOPE to Home
HOPE to Home continues to grow as one of our major projects. One of the biggest challenges in paediatric HIV today is the retention in care of patients who have started ART. Good adherence to treatment is essential in order to avoid the development of drug resistant HIV. HOPE to Home is a project at Tygerberg Hospital that aims to help patients and their caregivers to make the transition between treatment as an inpatient in Tygerberg Hospital's ward to being treated as an outpatient in the community health centre. This is done through relationship building, support, education and ongoing telephonic follow up. We are increasingly seeing more patients and are committed to promoting and facilitating their adherence to medication with the continued support of our donor, BILD "Ein Herz für Kinder".
2015
2015 Year End Function
Year End Function
Hope Cape Town staff celebrated a year of challenges, hard work and some incredible achievements, with a relaxed barbeque recently. Some even braved the water. Thanks to everyone who made this wonderful afternoon possible and to our donors who helped us give each Community Health Worker a smart handbag as a Christmas gift.
2015 HOPE Cape Town supports Youth Camp
HOPE Cape Town supports Youth Camp
42 teenagers from Tygerberg Children's Hospital attended a youth camp at the beautiful Back to Basics campsite outside Grabouw this weekend. HOPE Cape Town doctor, Sue Purchase, and HOPE Cape Town volunteer, Martin Fehmer, joined in the fun and festivities. HOPE Cape Town was also able to donate a radio/alarm to each of the teenagers, which caused much excitement. A big thank you to our sponsors who make such donations possible.
2015 HOPE brings festive joy to children
HOPE brings festive joy to children
HOPE Cape Town hosted a Christmas party for about 200 children in Delft recently. They had such a great time jumping, singing and dancing, eating, having their faces painted and of course getting gifts from Father Christmas. A huge shout out to all the volunteers, and especially to HOPE ambassadors Kia Johnson and Katlego Maboe for being there and for serving and entertaining the kids!
2015 HOPE Cape Town brings joy to kids on World Aids Day
HOPE Cape Town brings joy to kids on World Aids Day
HOPE Cape Town in partnership with Goodhope FM Radio treated 50 children from Blikkiesdorp to a fun day out at the Blue Train Park in Mouille Point, Cape Town.
The children were treated to a full day of activities with snacks and lunch. HOPE Cape Town staff were also interviewed live on radio as part of the World Aids Day programme.
This was the first such outing for most of the children who come from very impoverished backgrounds. We were happy that we could give them this opportunity to have some fun.
2015 UCT graduation held on World Aids Day
UCT graduation held on World Aids Day
Hope Cape Town is extremely proud of all our community health care workers who graduated with certificates in Health Literacy and Advanced Counselling at the University of Cape Town recently. Their teachers all commented on the tremendous growth and development they have seen in all the participants over the last 2 years. Special congratulations to Mariam Roelofse (Bronze Award in Advanced Counselling), Violet Avontuur (Silver Award in Advanced Counselling) and Dandelene Sylvester (Silver Award in Advanced Counselling, Gold Award in Health Literacy and Valedictorian)!
2015 HOPE Gala Dresden Raises Funds for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Gala Dresden Raises Funds for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town received a major financial boost from its annual gala event held in Dresden, Germany recently. The HOPE Gala Dresden raised major funds which will help the organisation continue to support the communities of the Western Cape with its various programmes including feeding schemes, toy libraries, resistance testing and 22 HOPE Community Health Workers who are active in the field.
The event which was attended by more than 800 guests from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Africa included celebrities and politicians and was a huge success and not only raised funds but also created an international awareness of the challenges that South Africa still faces in terms of dealing with HIV/Aids and TB and the related social ills.
According to the organisations founder and Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust, Rev Father Stefan Hippler, "We are thankful to all our supporters who make it possible to bring HOPE to so many.
We still have a long way to go and there is an ever increasing need to expand our services. With the continued support of our international friends and the South African public, we are committed to making a difference in the communities we serve."
HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat added, "We are very happy that our friends in Germany are continuing to support our work and have managed to raise funds which support our efforts. This would have not been possible without the hard work of our HOPE Gala Dresden Coordinator, Ms Viola Klein and her team who have been promoting our work for many years now. We look forward to an even bigger event next year."
2015 HOPE Cape Town attended the German School Bazaar
HOPE Cape Town attended the German School Bazaar
HOPE Cape Town had a stall at the German School Cape Town Bazaar which took place on Saturday. We thank everybody who visited our stall to find out about our many programmes. We look forward to participating at this event again next year.
2015 Family Health Days for Blikkiesdorp
Family Health Days for Blikkiesdorp
HOPE Cape Town is proud to partner with the Signal Hill Rotary Club for the Rotary Family Health Days held at Blikkiesdorp from 7 to 9 October. Together we are using our containers in Blikkiesdorp as a base to bring the community essential health services including: HIV Testing, TB Screening, STI Screening and Counselling. HOPE Cape Town Community Health Workers and our Rotary colleagues are hard at work serving the community.
2015 Welcome to Maggie Andresen
Welcome to Maggie Andresen
Maggie Andresen (USA)
HOPE Cape Town welcomes Maggie Andresen as our HOPE Champion and wish her well with her efforts to promote HOPE Cape Town in the USA. Maggie Andresen is an award winning student of photojournalism currently studying at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America. She has worked and been published in Philadelphia and New York area publications. This summer, Maggie was lucky enough to work in South Africa doing documentary work with AIDS orphans and HIV positive mothers. She aspires to one day work internationally as a documentary photographer. Maggie has committed to supporting the work that HOPE Cape Town does and to spread our message of hope throughout the USA.
2015 Talk on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Talk on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Peter Lovick, from the NGO Living Grace, spent a morning with our community health workers recently, discussing alcohol and drug abuse. It was so useful to gain greater insight into this terrible problem which devastates families and communities across the Western Cape. We learnt all about stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens, and were challenged to consider whether our children's attitude to mind altering substances is not strongly linked to observed behaviour in adults. Perhaps our children just need better role models? Many thanks to Peter for coming all the way from Muizenberg, and for the incredible work you do with addicts.
2015 Visit by John Matthias Roth
Visit by John Matthias Roth
Today, we were pleased to welcome protestant pastor, singer-songwriter and composer, Johannes Matthias Roth. We introduced him to our work and visited the clinic in Delft. Afterwards we went to to Blikkiesdorp, to entertain the children of the kindergarten with his songs. The children were thrilled and unfortunately time passed too fast even for John.
2015 Happy Birthday Aunty Gairo
Happy Birthday Aunty Gairo
Today we celebrated the 60th Birthday of one of our HOPE Community Health Care workers. Gaironessa Abrahams has been working for HOPE Cape Town in the Delft South community since 2009. She is passionate and energetic and enjoys working with children. Gairo requested to continue working for HOPE Cape Town, despite reaching the official retirement age. We wish her a year ahead filled with health and happiness.
2015 Williams Hunt Cape Town donates blankets
Williams Hunt Cape Town donates blankets
Thank you to Williams Hunt Cape Town for their continued support. Their vehicle sponsorship enables us to continue to spread hope to the communities we serve. This donation of blankets will spread warmth this winter and will be distributed to those in our care at Tygerberg Hospital. A special thanks to the ladies at Williams Hunt Cape Town who took the time to knit one of the very special blankets. Thank you for all your effort.
2015 School Uniforms for Primary School in Klipheuwel
School Uniforms for Primary School in Klipheuwel
Today we gave out school uniforms for 175 children at a Primary School in Klipheuwel.
Klipheuwel is a small rural village located 15km north of Durbanville, Cape Town and consists of an area with brick houses, but the majority of the people here live in shacks without running water and toilets in dwellings.
About 2300 people live in Klipheuwel, 55 % of them are black, and 39 % are coloured. 57% of people in Klipheuwel live in shacks. The unemployment rate is 30%.
Klipheuwel is served medically by a mobile clinic which operates out of Durbanville Clinic. Some residents of Klipheuwel visit the Fisantekraal Clinic if they can afford the transport. Both clinics have a HOPE Community Health Worker who are part of the mobile clinic team.
The children, Principal and teachers were delighted with our visit and could not believe that we would like to give out much needed jackets and school uniforms. Many children are coming to school – also in the current winter - only with short skirts or shorts and without jackets and feel very cold.
We thank our sponsors Lions Club Voerde, Kamghe Gaba/My Chain for Happiness and the Saarland State Youth Choir for their donations which made this possible.
2015 HOPE Cape Town helps families in Kayamandi
HOPE Cape Town helps families in Kayamandi
Responding to a call for assistance from Kayamandi township in Stellenbosch where 12 homes were destroyed in a fire leaving the families out in the cold.
HOPE Cape Town and Shoprite-Acts of Warmth Project handed out blankets and fleece sets to those affected.
2015 Shoprite-Acts of Warmth Project Supports HOPE Cape Town
Shoprite-Acts of Warmth Project Supports HOPE Cape Town
We thank Shoprite for donating blankets, umbrellas and fleece sets to HOPE Cape Town for distribution in the communities we serve. HOPE Cape Town Ambassador, Katlego Maboe helped us give out some of these items on Mandela Day to the Blikkiesdorp community. We will be distributing more items over the next week to those in need.
2015 My Chain For Happiness
My Chain For Happiness
Kamghe Gaba, a successful athlete and member of the German national team (400 m), visited HOPE Cape Town in 2010. His visit to the community of Blikkiesdorp had a profound effect on him. Kamghe then launched in 2014 his project "My Chain for Happiness" to support children in care of HOPE Cape Town by selling chains.
http://www.mychainforhappiness.com/chains/
He recently launched a new product and is selling now via his webpage not only his chains for happiness he is offering now a T-Shirt as well http://www.mychainforhappiness.com/the-chain-shirt/
For more information please visit http://www.mychainforhappiness.com/ or www.kamghe.com
Vielen Dank, Kamghe!
2015 HOPE Cape Town Mandela Day Breakfast
HOPE Cape Town Mandela Day Breakfast
HOPE Cape Town staff and friends dedicated their time in honour of Mandela Day, feeding the children of the Blikkiesdorp community in Delft.
We started at around 9am and expected to feed around 400 children. We ended up feeding over 600 children. Fortunately with donations from Hastens Beds South Africa and HOPE Cape Town Ambassador, Katlego Maboe, we had enough porridge for everyone. We also gave each child a rain jacket and a party pack with juice, chips, sweets and other goodies.
Communities like Blikkiesdorp need all the help they can get from government and wider society. They are truly impoverished and HOPE Cape Town's programmes in the community seek to improve nutrition and the general quality of life while also focussing on upskilling individuals and facilitating access to health care. We encourage others to do their bit to also positively impact and make a difference in the lives of the needy. This was Madiba's vision and the true spirit of Ubuntu.
It was a day with all hands on deck including HOPE Cape Town staff, visitors from Germany and the USA and HOPE Cape Town Ambassador Kia Johnson who was very moved by the kids.
2015 Visit to GLM Crèche: Blikkiesdorp
Visit to GLM Crèche: Blikkiesdorp
What a privilege it was to visit GLM (God Loves Me) Crèche in Blikkiesdorp recently. The crèche has been running for about 2 years in a marque near the play area.
There are about 50 children, in the care of the dynamic Didi April and her amazing staff of lady volunteers. Didi is also studying early childhood development, while running the crèche!
Apart from some tables and chairs, the crèche has been running with no toys or equipment. The staff and children were so delighted to receive our donation of a CD player and 2 boxes of toys.
The smiles on their faces say it all.
2015 HOPE Cape Town supports Holy Family Child and Youth Development Centre
HOPE Cape Town supports Holy Family Child and Youth Development Centre
HOPE Cape Town recently brought joy to the children of the Holy Family Child and Youth Development Centre in Manenberg where we donated school uniforms and jackets to hundreds of deserving children..
2015 Official Launch of HOPE to Home
Official Launch of HOPE to Home
It was with great excitement that we were able to officially launch HOPE Cape Town's new project called "HOPE to Home" which is based in Tygerberg Hospital this week after the weekly Tygerberg Paediatric doctors meeting.
The launch followed on an 18 month trial phase.
Approximately 40 Paediatric doctors were present including consultants, registrars, medical officers and interns. Four nursing sisters were also able to join us for a cup of coffee, a muffin and a short talk on HOPE to Home.
HOPE to Home aims to augment the paediatric services already provided by the hospital with additional counselling, liaising between the hospital structures and the community clinics and practical support. Our focus is on children who are HIV positive and those infected with TB. We have identified a need in these children for extra support for both the care givers and the children themselves in terms of understanding their disease, the importance of their medication and the need for a smooth, uninterrupted transition back into the community in order to maintain good adherence and retention in care.
The HOPE to Home team comprising of Sonia, Mariam and a medical doctor, work from an office in G7 and encourage Tygerberg doctors and nurses to refer children to the project by means of a short, simple referral form. Once the child/caregiver has been seen and helped in whatever way is necessary, a feedback form will be placed in the child's file informing the team as to what has been done.
We look forward to many years of being a useful service to Tygerberg Hospital and the surrounding communities in helping HIV +ve children successfully adhere to their treatment programme and to retain them in the correct cascade of care.
2015 HOPE Cape Town volunteer, Miss Earth South Africa semi-finalist
HOPE Cape Town volunteer, Miss Earth South Africa semi-finalist
Miss Earth South Africa semi-finalist and Hope Cape Town volunteer, Ms Sakhe Silwana recently spent a day in Blikkiesdorp planting trees and vegetables and assisted with the vegetable garden to help support the HOPE Cape Town soup kitchen for the needy residents of Blikkiesdorp.
Thank you Sakhe!
2015 HOPE Cape Town brings joy to the children at Blikkiesdorp Crèche
HOPE Cape Town brings joy to the children at Blikkiesdorp Crèche
HOPE Cape Town recently handed over a cd player, lego sets and food hampers to the children from the Blikkiesdorp Crèche.
We are thankful to Hastens Beds South Africa who have committed to supporting this crèche with a monthly donation in order for the children to be provided with breakfast daily while at the crèche.
We are also most grateful to our board member, Mr Hardy Fiebig who facilitated a donation of a container load of cd players, radios and toys from the German company, Kompernaß Handelsgesellschaft mbH.
Only with your support can we support others.
2015 HOPE Cape Town Trust Annual General Meeting
HOPE Cape Town Trust Annual General Meeting
HOPE Cape Town Trust had its Annual General Meeting on 16 May 2015 at the Mediterranean Villa in Cape Town. During the AGM, Rev Father Stefan Hippler, Chair of the HOPE Cape Town Trust reported on the financial and general well-being of the Trust and reaffirmed the strong position and standing of the Trust. The board reaffirmed their commitment to the effective management and oversight of the Trust and attributed the success to date to prudent spending, careful investments and effective controls that have been established.
Dr Izane Reyneke, HOPE Cape Town Programme Coordinator, gave an overview of the state of HOPE Cape Town Association and gave feedback on current projects and the direction moving forward.
Mr Fahim Docrat, HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, gave an overview of fundraising to date, highlighting our reliance on German donors as our core funders while significant progress has been made with South African donors who will account for a larger percentage of income in the coming years. Marketing efforts have also yielded returns with increased visibility and awareness of HOPE Cape Town in South Africa due to the forging of significant local partnerships.
The outgoing treasurer, Prof Detlev Geiss was thanked for his many years of service and the new treasurer, Mrs Petra Reichwein, was welcomed and is now entrusted with this important position. The AGM was concluded on a high note with all in attendance committing to grow HOPE Cape Town and ensure we continue to positively impact the communities that we serve.
2015 HOPE Cape Town hands over toys to Holy Cross Convent School
HOPE Cape Town hands over toys to Holy Cross Convent School
HOPE Cape Town recently handed over R10 000 worth of toys, courtesy of a German donor, to the Holy Cross Convent School.
The toys will be used by the school’s after care centre and all students will have access to the toys.
The school choir have been participating at the Ball of HOPE event for many years now and this relationship has grown into a strong partnership.
HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat said, “We wanted to show our appreciation to the school for their commitment to our cause and felt the toys would assist them with their efforts of encouraging learning through play, particularly with the younger learners. We thank the school for their friendship and hope the learners benefit from our gift.”
2015 Ball Raises Funds for HOPE Cape Town
Ball Raises Funds for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town received a major financial boost from its annual Ball of HOPE event held at the Westin recently. The Ball raised over R235 000 which will help the organisation continue to support the communities of the Western Cape with its various programmes including research, toy libraries, resistance testing and 22 HOPE Community Health Workers who are active in the field.
The event which was attended by more than 300 guests from South Africa and abroad included celebrities, members of the diplomatic core and government officials, was a huge success and not only raised funds but also created an awareness of the challenges that South Africa still faces in terms of dealing with HIV/Aids and TB and the related social ills.
The event which had HOPE Goodwill Ambassador, Katlego Maboe as the master of ceremonies had Justice Edwin Cameron as the guest speaker while entertainment included songs by Katlego, Kim Collins and the Holy Cross Children’s Choir.
According to the organisations founder and Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust, Rev Father Stefan Hippler, “We are thankful to all our supporters who make it possible to bring HOPE to so many. We still have a long way to go and there is an ever increasing need to expand our services. With the continued support of our international friends and the South African public, we are committed to making a difference in the communities we serve.”
HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat added, “We are very thankful to Ms Viola Klein, our main fundraiser in Germany, for handing over the cheque of R3 million on behalf of the donor, Ein Herz Für Kinder. We are very pleased that the Ball of HOPE remains a major event on the Cape Town social calendar and continues to be supported by members of the SA German Chamber of Commerce.”
2015 HOPE Cape Town hosts Stellenbosch University students
HOPE Cape Town hosts Stellenbosch University students
HOPE Cape Town recently hosted twenty dietetic (first year) students from Stellenbosch University who were participating in the university’s Amazing Race for Health. During their tour they visited our projects in Blikkiesdorp to see what role NPO`S are playing to improve health for SA citizens.
2015 HOPE Doctors give Talk to Foster Parents
HOPE Doctors give Talk to Foster Parents
HOPE Cape Town’s doctors were invited by the NGO NORSA to talk to their foster parents about babies that are HIV exposed and/or HIV positive. The talk was given in the Bellville Methodist Church Hall and was well attended by approximately 20 people. All attendees listened attentively to the latest guidelines on the testing and management of babies born to HIV positive mothers. A lot of the foster parents face this situation on a regular basis and it is important that they are up to date in what the latest government guidelines are advising. As well as dealing with HIV we also educated the foster parents on the disease syphilis and its possible effects on babies born to mothers carrying syphilis. We ended off the 1, 5 hour session by doing a practical session on how to administer the different ARV syrups to babies. It was a highly successful morning with lots of education around ‘HIV and the infant’, given to an audience that was highly receptive!
2015 Farewell to Sister Arendse
Farewell to Sister Arendse who was the first nursing sister running G7 Ithemba Ward, our Ward for Infectious
Diseases at Tygerberg Hospital
Sr Mary Arendse is one of the few people who knows HOPE Cape Town from the start in October 2001. She was the Nurse in Charge of the Ithemba ward in Tygerberg Hospital for many years. She supported HOPE Cape Town with CHWs, volunteers, lots of visitors and office space in the ward.
Sr Arendse retired end of March, after 37 years of service in Tygerberg Hospital.
A big “thank you” for all she has done and we at HOPE Cape Town wish her well and everything of the best for the time with her family and loved ones.
2015 USA Students visit HOPE Cape Town
USA Students visit HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town had the pleasure of hosting students from the USA, at Blikkiesdorp, as part of their Semester at Sea world tour. Rev. Fr Stefan Hippler kicked of their visit with an interactive talk. This was followed by a walk through and home visit in Blikkiesdorp. It concluded with a hands-on session where students got the opportunity to assist in the garden & beading project. Two of our staff members Izane Reyneke and Pauline Jooste got the opportunity to visit the Semester at Sea Cruiseliner, as guests of Prof Shepherd, for dinner to learn more about life at sea. Bon Voyage
2015 HOPE Community Health Workers attend University of Cape Town course
HOPE Community Health Workers attend University of Cape Town course
Two more of our community health care workers have begun to study Advanced Counselling and Health Literacy at UCT. Many thanks to The Kidzpositive Family Fund for their generous sponsorship, which has made this incredible learning journey possible. Both of our community workers care for HIV positive children in Paarl and are very excited to be able to study further and put their new skills to use in their daily work.
2015 Mrs Bouffier visits HOPE Cape Town
Mrs Bouffier visits HOPE Cape Town
On 18 March 2015 we had the honour to welcome, Mrs Ursula Bouffier, the wife of the President of the Federal Council of Germany, Mr Volker Bouffier and Mrs Heidi Wunsch, the wife of the German Consul General in Cape Town. We introduced our work at the clinic in Delft, our community project in Blikkiesdorp and the paediatric wards at Tygerberg Hospital to the delegation. Rev Fr Stefan Hippler gave an overview about our work and the impact of our work for the children and their families to the delegation. During the tour in Blikkiesdorp and the home visit Mrs Bouffier and Mrs Wunsch experienced the living conditions in Blikkiesdorp. We also visited two children’s wards at Tygerberg Hospital and highlighted how important our work is for the patients, their parents and also for the nurses and doctors. We would like to thank Mrs Bouffier for the generous donation which we received and her interest in our work. Thank you very much!
2015 Blessing of the Beer at Spice Route
Blessing of the Beer at Spice Route
HOPE Cape Town thank Andy and Wolfgang from the Cape Brewing Company based at the Spice Route in Paarl, for hosting the Blessing of the Lent Beer Ceremony and for donating proceeds to HOPE CT. The blessing would not have been possible with fathers Stefan, Wim and Dieter. Thank you to all who attended and supported us.
2015 Garden Party of the German-speaking community in the Cape
Garden Party of the German-speaking community in the Cape
At the invitation of the Rotary Club at the Cape and the representatives of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, we took part at the garden party of the German-speaking community on the Cape on Saturday, March 14, 2015 The Festival was under the auspices of the Consul General Mr. Dr. Bernd Rinnert, the Consul General of Switzerland, Mrs Bernadette Hunkeler Brown, as well as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Mr Otto Stehlik. We could introduce our work at Tygerberg Hospital and in the communities to many interested guests and we were pleased with spontaneous donations too. In particular we were very pleased with the visit of Mr and Mrs Süß, who are now back home in Dresden.
2015 HOPE Cape Town launches SMS Donation Campaign
HOPE Cape Town launches SMS Donation Campaign
HOPE Cape Town recently launched a national SMS donation campaign and are calling on the public to support this initiative by SMSing the word hope to 42409 and donating R30 to support HOPE Cape Town’s various programs. HOPE Cape Town’s Donor Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat said, “We are very excited about this campaign and are looking to the public to support this initiative and help us to continue to bring hope to those in need. For an SMS donation of R30 you will be helping to make a huge difference in someone’s life.”
2015 Donation from the Antarctic
Donation from the Antarctic
Dr. Eberhardt Kohlberg and his team are again back from the Neumeyer Station in the Antarctic and have brought mattresses for HOPE Town Cape. Together with Eberhardt, we donated the mattresses to Klipheuwel and issued them to the members of the community. Klipheuwel lies outside of Durbanville, Cape Town. There are two areas in Klipheuwel, one with stone houses and a school, and a township consisting of wooden shacks.
We would like to thank Dr. Eberhardt Kohlberg and his team for the continuous support from the Antarctic. Thank you!
2015 Blessing of the Beer at Spice Route
Blessing of the Beer at Spice Route
Join us at Spice Route in Paarl on Sunday 15 March from 9am to 12 for a fun day where the Blessing of the Lent Beer will take place with service delivered in English, Afrikaans and German.
Proceeds from the sale of beer will be donated to HCT.
We will also have an info stand on the day and look forward to seeing you there.
For more info please visit http://www.spicerouterestaurant.co.za
2015 Support HOPE Cape Town and Be a HOPE Hero
Support HOPE Cape Town and be a HOPE Hero by purchasing your very own HOPE Cape Town T-Shirt.
Orders can be processed for delivery in SA by visiting:
https://www.design4t.com/hope For international orders please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone +2721 9389930
2015 HOPE Cape Town Toy Library gets another donation
HOPE Cape Town Toy Library gets another donation
HOPE Cape Town recently brought joy to the children of Blikkiesdorp in Delft with a donation of more toys for the HOPE Cape Town Toy Library that was established at Blikkiesdorp Crèche in August last year.
According to HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, “As part of our outreach initiative we had secured R200 000 worth of toys with the support of a donor. Our plan was to distribute many of these toys to children in the various communities that we serve which we did last year. We had also committed to establishing toy libraries in various impoverished communities allowing children to access toys that they would otherwise never be able to afford. Our main objective is to bring joy to these children but there is also an underlying component of learning through play.” Docrat continued, “We can now report that we have successfully established various toy libraries and recently we made an additional donation of toys to the Blikkiesdorp Crèche. Seeing the children’s faces was fantastic. We also handed over some toys to babies that are under our care at Tygerberg Hospital. We will be distributing more toys and establishing more toy libraries in the coming months.”
2015 German Charity Gala raises funds for HOPE Cape Town
German Charity Gala raises funds for HOPE Cape Town
The Gala Night of the Stars was held in Germany on 5 February 2015 to raise funds for HOPE Cape Town.
Organisers Viola Klein and Andre Sarrasani invited celebrities Andrea Ballschuh and Wofgang Lippert to MC the evening. The German country band "Truck Stop" also featured as part of the evening’s entertainment. HOPE Cape Town thanks all our supporters for their ongoing loyalty and dedication to our cause.
2014
2014 Visit from Berlin
Visit from Berlin
Today, we welcome a tour group from the travel agency “Your Africa” in Blikkiesdorp. They were on a round trip in South Africa and made station in Cape Town on their way back home and they did not want to leave Cape Town without visiting HOPE Cape Town.
We have welcomed the group in Blikkiesdorp, and Kerstin gave at first an overview about the work of HOPE Cape Town and presented our community project in Blikkiesdorp to them. Then we went on a tour through Blikkiesdorp. The group was impressed by the work that HOPE Cape Town is doing and could get an idea of the situation on the ground during the tour in Blikkiesdorp.
They also recognized the importance of the work HOPE Cape Town is doing for the people in Blikkiesdorp.
A big thank you goes to all group members for the very generous donations. We wish the whole group a safe fly back to Berlin.
2014 HOPE Cape Town participates at German School Bazaar
HOPE Cape Town participates at German School Bazaar
HOPE Cape Town was invited to take part at the annual Bazaar of the International German School in Cape Town. The Bazaar took place on 1 November 2014. We shared the booth with the Mediterranean Villa, ISUNA Ceramic and the German speaking Catholic Community Cape Town. The Bazaar was well attended and our colourful booth attracted lots of visitors.
2014 HOPE Gala Dresden Raises R1.5 million for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Gala Dresden Raises R1.5 million for HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town, received a major financial boost from its annual gala event held in Dresden, Germany at the weekend. The HOPE Gala Dresden raised R1.5 million which will help the organisation continue to support the communities of the Western Cape with its various programmes including research, feeding schemes, toy libraries, resistance testing and 25 HOPE Community Health Workers who are active in the field.
The event which was attended by more than 800 guests from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Africa included celebrities, the Executive Mayor of Dresden, the German National Minister of the Interior and Head of UNICEF Germany, was a huge success and not only raised funds but also created an international awareness of the challenges that South Africa still faces in terms of dealing with HIV/Aids and TB and the related social ills.
According to the organisations founder and Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust, Rev Father Stefan Hippler, “We are thankful to all our supporters who make it possible to bring HOPE to so many. We still have a long way to go and there is an ever increasing need to expand our services. With the continued support of our international friends and the South African public, we are committed to making a difference in the communities we serve.”
2014 BEN-Africa Conference 2014 comes to HOPE Cape Town
BEN-Africa Conference 2014 comes to HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town hosted delegates from the Business Ethics Network Africa 2014 Conference yesterday.
BEN-Africa currently has members in 25 African countries. National chapters have been established in Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Cameroon and Ethiopia.
BEN-Africa also provides members with the opportunity to participate in generating new knowledge and expertise. This is done through a number of research projects including and HIV/AIDS project.
HOPE Cape Town presented our work in communities of Manenberg and Blikkiesdorp, where delegates had an opportunity to hear about the conditions from the residents themselves as well as time spent reflecting on their experience.
2014 Visit from Dresden
Visit from Dresden
In October a group of geography students from TU Dresden visited HOPE Cape Town. They were on a study trip in Namibia and made a pitstop in Cape Town on their way back home. Once they were in Cape Town they did not want to leave without visiting HOPE Cape Town.
We gave the group a tour of our activities with Kerstin first giving an overview about the work of HOPE Cape Town and presented our community project in Blikkiesdorp to them. Then we went on a tour through Blikkiesdorp and right away, the aspiring teachers befriended the children of Blikkiesdorp.
A big thank you goes to all group members for the very generous donations. We received a stove, pots, gas bottle and several other items. We hope that all group members safely arrived in Germany.
2014 Thank you for donation from Selm/Germany
Thank you for donation from Selm/Germany
“The "Reuter family" in Selm is supporting HOPE Cape Town since years - a donation tin in their shop "Felix Knümann" gives their clients the chance to donate the change. A big Thank you goes to the great people in Selm. In the picture: Christian, Mechthild und Herbert Reuter together with Rev Fr Stefan.
2014 Delegation of Bistum of Speyer visited Blikkiesdorp
Delegation of Bistum of Speyer visited Blikkiesdorp
Recently, the delegation of the Bistum of Speyer, Episcopal Officialat, St. Paulus Stift, visited HOPE Cape Town in Blikkiesdorp. Gerald Flagg, Pauline Jooste and Kerstin Behlau introduced the guests to our projects in Blikkiesdorp and to the work of HOPE Cape Town in the townships and at Tygerberg Hospital. At the tour through Blikkiesdorp, guests experienced the situation on the ground and recognized the importance of the work of HOPE Cape Town in Blikkiesdorp.
We thank Mr Pastor Steffen Roth and his fellow guests for their interest in our work and for their generous donation. Thank you very much!
2014 Stefan Hippler here to stay
Stefan Hippler here to stay
We are pleased to announce that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Fr. Stefan Hippler, has received permission from the Archbishop of Cape Town and of the Bishop of Trier to permanently continue his work with HOPE Cape Town.
2014 Katlego becomes a HOPE Hero
Katlego becomes a HOPE Hero
HOPE Cape Town is proud to announce that Katlego Maboe has joined us as our Ambassador and is now an official HOPE Hero.
Katlego Maboe presenter for Expresso breakfast show and Strictly Come Dancing said, “I have been involved with HOPE Cape Town for some time and have admired the work that they do. I am grateful for this opportunity to become a HOPE Hero to the children and families affected by HIV/AIDS and TB.”
Katlego will not only be an advocate for the work we do but also actively participate in community outreach activities and programmes. We are very pleased to welcome Katlego as part of our team. His contribution towards our efforts will help us to serve our communities.
2014 Swiss Club visit to Blikkiesdorp
Swiss Club visit to Blikkiesdorp
On 30 August 2014, Mr Stefan Pflocksch and Mrs Annette Weber, President and Treasurer of the Swiss Club in Cape Town accompanied by Consul Klaus Stross from the German Consulate General in Cape Town, visited HOPE Cape Town.
They were welcomed at the Community Project in Blikkiesdorp and Rev. Fr. Stefan Hippler introduced them to the work of HOPE Cape Town.
After the tour Mr Pflocksch, Mrs Weber and Mr Stross handed over donations to the people of HOPE Cape Town which were collected by the members of the Swiss Club. HOPE Cape Town will hand out these donations to the people of Blikkiesdorp.
2014 The Saarland State Youth Choir visit to Blikkiesdorp
The Saarland State Youth Choir visit to Blikkiesdorp
On 5 September 2014, members of the Saarland State Youth Choir visited the community project of HOPE Cape Town in Blikkiesdorp. Pauline Jooste, Gerald Flagg and Kerstin Behlau gave them a tour of our work to witness the conditions in Blikkiesdorp. After the tour, the choir serenaded Gerald for his birthday, much to his enjoyment.
On the occasion of a concert tour, the Saarland State Youth Choir handed over a donation of R 30.000.00 to HOPE Cape Town.
We would like to thank all choir members for the generous donation. Our supporters make our work in South Africa possible.
2014 HOPE Cape Town Distributes Trees for Arbour Week
HOPE Cape Town Distributes Trees for Arbour Week
Hope Cape Town recently distributed trees and vegetable seeds as part of their programme for Arbour Week.
Ten grape, orange, peach and fig trees as well as a box of spinach, onion, cabbage and beetroot seeds were distributed to various projects that the organisation currently supports including Emily’s Play School and Joyce’s Soup Kitchen in Sir Lowry’s Pass, the Mannenberg Aftercare Centre and the Hope Cape Town Community Outreach Project in Blikkiesdorp.
According to HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, “In keeping with the spirit of Arbour Week, we distributed and helped plant various fruit trees and vegetable seeds that can help sustain efforts to feed people in various impoverished communities where we currently have a presence. The projects that we support all have vegetable gardens that are used to provide ingredients for meals that are prepared as part of feeding schemes. It is an ongoing challenge to ensure that we can feed the needy in these communities and we call on the public to visit some of our projects and help us to bring hope to others.”
2014 HOPE Cape Town Distributes Samsung Tablets to Community Health Workers
HOPE Cape Town Distributes Samsung Tablets to Community Health Workers
As part of their ongoing development and training, HOPE Cape Town recently distributed brand new Samsung Galaxy tablets to its 24 Community Health Workers.
The tablets have been pre-loaded with useful data, including illustrated presentations and videos for patient education, recent and relevant TB and HIV related guidelines, various tools for counseling and disclosure, a wide range of reading materials, useful contact numbers, illustrated human anatomy charts and copies of training material. This data will be updated regularly and whenever the community health workers attend monthly training, new information will automatically upload to their tablets. The tablets will be fantastic tools for the community health workers in their clinics and communities, as they interact with and educate patients.
According to HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, “The better equipped our Community Health Workers, the better the service they render to the community. As far as we know, our Community Health Workers are the first in South Africa to make use of tablet technology for teaching and learning at grass-roots level. We thank the German Consulate in Cape Town for so generously supporting our blended learning programme and our training coordinator Dr. Sue Purchase for ensuring effective technology based learning programmes are implemented.”
2014 French Consul General Visits HOPE Cape Town
French Consul General Visits HOPE Cape Town
HOPE Cape Town recently hosted Mr Xavier d’Argoeuves, Consul of France in Cape Town.
During his visit he went to Delft Clinic, where our HOPE Community Health Worker gave him a tour of the facility and showed him first hand the impact of the work that we do.
He also visited our project in Blikkiesdorp and spoke to local residents who highlighted the challenges they face.
We thank him for his interest in our projects and look forward to welcoming him again.
2014 HOPE Cape Town welcomed a delegation to Blikkiesdorp
HOPE Cape Town welcomed a delegation to Blikkiesdorp
On 16 August 2014 HOPE Cape Town welcomed a delegation to Blikkiesdorp.
Kerstin Behlau, Pauline Jooste and Gerald Flagg presented the work of HOPE Cape Town to the delegation. During the walk through Blikkiesdorp the German guests gained an insight into the tough life that people face day to day in a South African township.
Mrs. Pfeiffer is the chairperson of CDU/CSU working group on economic cooperation and development, as well as member of the advisory board of the German Evaluation Institute of Development and Cooperation.
Other participants of the delegation were Consul General Dr Bernd Rinnert, Dr Holger (Dix/Country Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung), Dr Georg Kippels (MdB), Dr Katja Pohlmann and Christina Teichmann (Project Manager), Konrad-Adenauer (Stiftung in Cape Town).
2014 HOPE Cape Town brings joy to little ones
HOPE Cape Town brings joy to little ones
HOPE Cape Town recently brought joy to the children of Blikkiesdorp in Delft with a donation of toys.
According to HOPE Cape Town Donor Relations Manager, “As part of our outreach initiative we have recently secured R200 000 worth of toys with the support of a donor. Our plan is to distribute many of these toys to children in the various communities that we serve. We have also committed to establishing toy libraries in various impoverished communities allowing children to access toys that they would otherwise never be able to afford. Our main objective is to bring joy to these children but there is also an underlying component of learning through play.”
Docrat continued, “Today we started off the distribution process by handing over toys to children at a crèche in Blikkiesdorp. Seeing the children’s faces was fantastic. We also handed over some toys to babies that are under our care at Tygerberg Hospital. We will be distributing more toys and establishing our toy libraries in the coming months.”
2014 HOPE Cape Town showcases research at 58th Annual Academic Day
HOPE Cape Town showcases research at 58th Annual Academic Day
HOPE Cape Town Doctors Sue Purchase and Jayne Cunningham presented their research poster entitled “HIV genotypic resistance testing in children in the Western Cape” at the 58th Annual Academic Day at Stellenbosch University.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences hosted this exciting annual event on Wednesday 13 August 2014, and it served as a showcase for the latest research by under- and postgraduate students and researchers of Tygerberg Campus.
At the Tygerberg Academic Campus there are approximately 2500 under- and postgraduate medical students, 700 medical doctors including 150 specialists, and a number of allied health professionals, in addition to other hospital and University staff. The campus and Tygerberg hospital complex has a staff component of about 7000 individuals and the hospital has a similar number of patients per day.
2014 HOPE Cape Town Doctor to attend Advanced HIV Course in France
HOPE Cape Town Doctor selected to attend 12th Advanced HIV Course from 27-29 August 2014 in France
HOPE Cape Town Doctor, Dr Jayne Cunningham was recently selected by the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) Review Committee to participate in the 12th Advanced HIV Course from 27 - 29 August 2014 in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Dr Cunningham was selected for one of the 50 available spaces out of over 170 candidates and has received a full scholarship to cover all the expenses.She is the only participant attending from South Africa and the other participants come from far and wide including countries like Denmark, Georgia, Colombia and Ethiopia.She will be attending the 3 day clinical program followed by a 3 day workshop on clinical research.
According to Donor Relations Manager, Fahim Docrat, “We are thrilled that Jayne will have this opportunity to learn a lot from this time but also to impart some of her South African experience and expertise in the field of HIV, to other participants. Jayne is currently conducting research for us and also staffs clinic in communities that we serve. Her selection serves to acknowledge the work that we do and the impact that we have on the lives of those that are infected and affected by HIV/Aids.”
2014 HOPE Cape Town Mandela Day Breakfast
HOPE Cape Town Mandela Day Breakfast
HOPE Cape Town staff dedicated their time on Mandela day to feeding the children of the Blikkiesdorp community in Delft.
The organisations spokesperson, Mr Fahim Docrat said, “We started at around 8am and expected to feed around 200 children. We ended up feeding over 600 children and adults. Fortunately with the support of Spar Corporate and Spar stores in Milnerton, Gardens and the Neelsie in Stellenbosch we had enough porridge, fruit and yogurt for everyone. We also provided fun activities and entertainment for the children. It was truly a moving experience to see how appreciative these little kids were and we are reminded that there is lots more work for us to do.”
He continued, “Communities like Blikkiesdorp need all the help they can get from government and wider society. They are truly impoverished and HOPE Cape Town’s programmes in the community seek to improve nutrition and the general quality of life while also focussing on upskilling individuals and providing access to health care. We encourage others to do their bit to also positively impact and make a difference in the lives of the needy. This was Madiba’s vision and the true spirit of Ubuntu.”
HOPE Cape Town is located at the Medical School of the University of Stellenbosch – Tygerberg Campus and is a non-profit organization providing outreach, education and counselling at community level, focusing on HIV/AIDS and TB in the Western Cape.
2014 HOPE Cape Town distributes Cooler Bags
HOPE Cape Town distributes Cooler Bags
HOPE Cape Town with the generous support of Ein Herz Fur Kinder from Germany recently distributed cooler bags to young patients at Delft Clinic.
According to Donor Relations Manager, Mr Fahim Docrat, “We have been working in this community for many years now and have identified the need to encourage our patients to take their medication. Our Drs, Dr Jayne Cunningham and Dr Sue Purchase regularly counsel patients on the importance of adherence.”
Program Coordinator, Dr Izane Reyneke added, “With the distribution of these 250 high quality cooler bags, we have now made it that much easier to store and take medication. We are hopeful that we can continue to impact this community and make a difference in people’s lives.”
2014 HOPE Comes to Blikkies for Youth Day
HOPE Comes to Blikkies for Youth Day
As part of Youth Day celebrations, HOPE Cape Town distributed clothing to youth and other residents at Blikkiesdorp settlement.
According to HOPE Cape Town’s Donor Relations Manager, “We have been involved with the Blikkiesdorp community for many years now. As part of our continuing outreach program we established a vegetable garden that feeds local residents. Our dietician, social worker and occupational therapist also have weekly sessions with locals where they are counselled and advised on healthy living and are equipped with coping skills and supported by our wider team. We also teach parenting skills and have implemented play therapy sessions.”
He continued, “While the focus of our work is to address the HIV/Aids and TB pandemic, we do this within the wider social context and as part of our approach, we also address issues of poverty. To fully address the pandemic, one needs to create an environment that is conducive and supportive of treatment that goes beyond the dispensing of medication. Blikkiesdorp is just one of 20 communities that we currently operate in and we hope that we can have a positive impact through our efforts.”
HOPE Cape Town also supports the local soccer club, Blikkesdorp United, which has 6 teams and have benefitted from sponsorships for food, soccer kits and club events. They played a football match on Youth Day to mark the celebrations. HOPE Cape Town’s work in Blikkiesdorp continues.
2014 Ball of HOPE Raises Crucial Funds
Ball of HOPE Raises Crucial Funds
HOPE Cape Town and the SA German Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Westin Hotel recently hosted the annual Ball of HOPE to raise awareness and funding for efforts at addressing the HIV/ AIDS and TB pandemic that is affecting South Africa.
The event which featured local and international artists was held at the ballroom of the Westin Cape Town on 10 May is always very well attended and was sold out a month in advance. Rev. Fr. Stefan Hippler, founding member of HOPE Cape Town and Chairperson of the board of trustees of the HOPE Cape Town Trust, thanked the SA German Chamber of Commerce for their ongoing support and commitment to the work of HOPE Cape Town.
According to Rev, Fr. Stefan Hippler, “Since we began our work in 2001, our key mission was to impact the communities we serve and we have been fortunate that we have certainly made a difference. However, today more than ever before, there is an ever increasing need for more support and for us to widen the scope of our reach. To do so we rely on business and individuals to support our efforts and enable us to spread HOPE.”
2014 Children’s Day in Manenberg
Children’s Day in Manenberg
The champion German athlete, Kamghe Gaba, spent quality time with 200 children in Manenberg on Children’s Day. Kamghe, and his organisation My Chain for Happiness, donated a new jungle gym and entertained the children of this township with live shows. Special thanks goes out to Kamghe, Le Eat for providing the food as well as everyone else who were involved in making this day a success.
2014 The First HOPE Cape Town charity shop
The First HOPE Cape Town charity shop
The team at the Mediterranean Villa has furnished the HOPE Cape Town charity shop with lots of passion, creativity and attention to detail.
The manager of the Guest House, Petra Reichwein, knows HOPE Cape Town very well and has supported the organisation for years. The shop opened its doors to guests and visitors of the Villa in 2010. On offer are hand crafted products created by artists based in local townships, with all proceeds going to HOPE Cape Town.
Since May 2014 colourful ceramic goods from ISUNA are also offered at the shop. ISUNA, managed by long-time supporters of HOPE Cape Town Christina and Hans-Uli Strohm, is a group of trained artists who have studied fine art and design.
Please visit and support the HOPE Cape Town shop at the Mediterranean Villa during your next trip to Cape Town.
2014 Education Outreach
Education Outreach
As part of HOPE Cape Town’s commitment to impacting communities on all levels, we facilitate an international volunteer program where one of the projects is currently an education outreach and enrichment project with underprivileged children at Blikkiesdorp.
Our current volunteer from Germany, Lydia Schidelko, who will be with us for 6 months, teaches the children language and social skills. According to Lydia, “Spending time with the children has been an amazing experience. Seeing the condition that these families live in makes me realise just how fortunate we are back in Germany.” We ensure that all our volunteers are immersed in local communities and have the opportunity to engage with different cultures and environments adding to their experience.
2014 HOPE to Home
HOPE to Home
HOPE Cape Town recently launched the HOPE to Home initiative as an extension of its current program of intervention.
The biggest emerging threat to HIV positive patients receiving ARV’s is the lack of compliance and the resulting resistance to available antiretroviral drugs. At HOPE Cape Town we recognise the importance of addressing the obstacles to Adherence. Retaining patients in care in the community, after being discharged from hospital, remains a challenge and initial integration of patients into their community health care facilities plays a major role in this retention.
We plan to facilitate the smooth transition between admission and reporting for care at the local community facility, by preparing patients for discharge, confirming appointments, visiting them at home and accompanying them to the local facility, where possible. We estimate that 200 – 300 children will require this service per month.
2014 Internal Development
HOPE Cape Town has appointed three new staff members that will help take us to the next level.
Mr Fahim Docrat
Donor Relations Manager
With local and international experience in the education, NGO and corporate sectors, Fahim drives the implementation of the fundraising and communications strategy and ensures that all stakeholders are kept informed and are included in the latest developments and expansion of our programs.
Mr Yazeed Peters
Donor Relations Officer
With experience in Sales, Marketing and Customer Relations, Yazeed supports the implementation of the communications, fundraising, and stakeholder relations strategy.
Ms Tasneem Hendricks
Community Health Worker
23 year old Tasneem Hendricks is our newest Community Health Worker. As of the 1st of July 2014 she has been based in the gang-ridden community of Manenberg. She loves assisting people and looks forward to helping turn her community into a better place.
2014 HOPE to HOME
HOPE to HOME
We would like to start our new project “HOPE to HOME” as soon as possible. Retaining patients in care in the community, after being discharged from hospital, remains a challenge and initial integration of patients into their community health care facilities plays a major role in this retention. Hope Cape Town wants to facilitate the smooth transition between admission and reporting for care at a local community facility, by preparing patients for discharge, confirming appointments, visiting them at home and accompanying them to the local facility, where possible. We estimate that 200 – 300 children will require this service per month. HOPE Cape Town has been involved in community based Paediatric HIV Care for many years by providing a HOPE Doctor for clinical sessions in the Infectious Diseases Clinic at Delft Day Hospital.
2014 Funding from BILD “Ein Herz für Kinder”
Funding from BILD “Ein Herz für Kinder”
Through the generous support from BILD "Ein Herz für Kinder", we are not only able to continue, but can even expand the support for HIV+ children and their parents in the fields of nutrition, social work, early childhood development and parents training. For example, every Wednesday takes place the occupational therapy where the therapist educates children and their parents in early childhood development with the focus on the relevance of the play. Most parents are so busy trying to survive that they do not have time to play with their children and, due to being raised in poor and under resourced families themselves, never learned how a parent should play with their child.
2014 Studies at University of Cape Town
Studies at University of Cape Town
Ten of our Community Health Workers attending currently a course at University of Cape Town (UCT) to expand their skills in field of advanced clinical consulting and their knowledge about health.
2014 Ecotrophology students support Blikkiesdorp and Manenberg
Ecotrophology students support Blikkiesdorp and Manenberg
With their knowledge about healthy nutrition four Ecotrophology students from Hochschule Niederrhein in Mönchengladbach supported actively the soup kitchen in Blikkiesdorp and the “Holy Family child and Youth Development Centre in Manenberg. The students taught the staff about healthy nutrition and hygiene. In addition, the students developed short animated teaching films.
2014 Organizer of HOPE Gala Dresden on visit in Cape Town
Organizer of HOPE Gala Dresden on visit in Cape Town
As the first visitors in the New Year we welcomed Michaela Gornickel from Par.X Marketing and her partner, Andreas Koreng. Par.X Marketing organizes together with Viola Klein our major German fundraising event, the HOPE Gala in Dresden, Germany every year. It was a special pleasure for us to receive guests from Par.X to give them a deeper insight in our daily work and our projects.
2014 From Antarctica to HOPE Cape Town
From Antarctica to HOPE Cape Town
In February, eight researchers and guests of the Neumayer Station in Antarctica visited HOPE Cape Town. The Alfred-Wegener-Institut supports HOPE for many years, among others with clothes or food donations. Dr. Barbara Fiedel, Dr. Georg Spiekermann, Dr. Julia Regnery, Adam Zieba, Dr. Eberhardt Kohlberg and his wife Elke and Petra and Andreas Reichwein visited the Ithemba station, Blikkiesdorp and the clinic in Delft.
2014 “Sächsische Zeitung” researches on-site
“Sächsische Zeitung” researches on-site
Peter Hilbert, editor of the “Sächsische Zeitung” visited HOPE Cape Town to get a deeper and extensive background for an article about HOPE Cape Town in order to draw attention with detailed information to the upcoming HOPE Gala in Dresden. Accompanied by Psychologist Martin Arnold and Dr. Richard Weigelt, Mr Hilbert visited various projects.
2014 American students of the George Quaker School help in Blikkiesdorp
American students of the George Quaker School help in Blikkiesdorp
A group of teachers and students from the American George-Quaker School visited the Community Project in Blikkiesdorp. They sponsored different seedlings for the garden and planted them to support the project.
2014 Raffle winner of HOPE Gala visited HOPE Cape Town
Raffle winner of HOPE Gala visited HOPE Cape Town
The first prize of the raffle at the HOPE Gala 2013 in Dresden was a trip to South Africa. Matthias Hundt and Britta Boy were the glad winners of the raffle. On their trip, they grasped the opportunity to look insight the work of HOPE Cape Town and visited amongst others Blikkiesdorp and the Ithemba station.
2014 Bavaria meets Western Cape
Bavaria meets Western Cape
On the basis of the cooperation of the Federal State of Bavaria and the Western Cape Province, a Bavarian delegation including Minister of State Dr. Beate Merk visited Cape Town. In addition to an amount of appointments, Merk took the time to get informed about HOPE Cape Town to attract future joint projects. We welcomed the Minister and the delegation at our community project in Blikkiesdorp.
2014 Happy Children's Day in Manenberg
Happy Children's Day in Manenberg
Thanks to the great support of Kamghe Gaba, we were able to organize a Happy Children's Day in Manenberg on April 23, 2014. There have been jumping castles, face painting, candy floss and an “oasis of power” with fresh fruits and juices for 200 children. In addition, the new jungle gym was be inaugurated. Kamghe visited HOPE Cape Town in 2010 and since then he is collecting donations for HOPE Cape Town with his project "My Chain For Happiness" (http://www.mychainforhappiness.com/) and a photography workshop.
2014 Community Health Workers
Community Health Workers
In the context of HOPE to HOME, Community Health Worker Mariam Roloefse is working since February 2014 at Tygerberg Hospital. She was working at the clinic in Bishop Lavis. In exchange, the place in Bishop Lavis has been taken over by Devitia Swartbooi, who was formerly stationed in the clinic in Valhalla Park. Fazlin Hendricks was newly employed for the clinic in Valhalla Park. Fazlin has valuable experience in dealing with HIV and TB patients from her previous duties in the clinic.
We also congratulate Rochelle Paka to her admission at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Since 1st February 2014, Rochelle studies at the UWC to be trained as a nurse. We wish her all the best for her further career.
2013
2013 E-learning
E-Learning
Our community health workers are increasingly being exposed to the electronic age! Two groups of health care workers are studying the same material, one group using tablets and one using paper based methods. They will write tests at the end of each module and we will see how the groups compare. This is a project in cooperation with the University Neu-Ulm.
2013 New Research Project
New Research Project
HOPE Cape Town is involved in a research project based in the Paediatric HIV Clinic in Delft. This clinic is situated in a peri -urban township where the HOPE doctors work on a Friday. The research aims to document how many children on anti-retroviral therapy are failing their treatment and if so what are the reasons for this failure. The ultimate aim is to see if our HOPE Community Health Care Workers can address any of the reasons for treatment failure.
We have received Ethics approval and approval from the Western Cape Department of Health and are currently in the data collection phase. We also aim to provide this clinic with an up to date record of all HIV positive children who have ever attended this clinic.
2013 Visit from Dr Annette Schavan
Visit from Dr Annette Schavan, former German Minister of Education and Research
Towards the end of the German-South African Year of Science, the German Minister of Education and Research, Dr Annette Schavan, and her delegation of about 30 people from the German parliament, academic and other institutions visited HOPE Cape Town on February 7, 2013. During this visit, the visitors saw the township of Blikkiesdorp, the work HOPE Cape Town is involved in and the visitors were also informed about the collaboration between the Pharmacology and Virology Divisions of the University of Stellenbosch and HOPE Cape Town.
2013 Visits of Bavarian Politicians
Visits of Bavarian Politicians
On the 28 February 2013, the President of the Bavarian State Parliament, Mrs Barbara Stamm, and Vice-Presidents, Mr Reinhold Bocklet, Mr Franz Maget, Mr Peter Meyer and Mr. Jörg Rohde and other members of the Presidium of the Bavarian State Parliament visited HOPE Cape Town. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the delegation for the generous donation.
2013 Visit of Hope & Future e.V. Germany
Visit of Hope & Future e.V. Germany
Our supporters and friends from Hope & Future, Mr Andreas Schröer and Mr Gregor Lamers, visited HOPE Cape Town on 01 August 2013. Hope & Future has been supporting and funding our work in Delft and Blikkiesdorp for many years. They visited the communities and the clinics in Delft and Delft-South; they have spoken to the community health workers about their work and their daily problems. In Blikkiesdorp they cooked jam with the residents and helped in the garden. Thank you for the continuing support! We wish to express our condolences to the family and friends of Mr Heinz Westhoff (a Chairperson of Hope & Future) who passed away earlier this year.
2013 Ball of HOPE
Ball of HOPE
The annual Ball of HOPE was held at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town on 4 May 2013. Guests came from all walks of life and travelled from all corners of the globe to attend the Ball. The world class music production was directed by Adolf Thelen. It included performances by: Theo Mangomgaman, Shirley Sutherland and the Holy Cross Primary Brooklyn’s Senior Choir. There were great raffle prizes up for grabs, donated by our generous sponsors. Everybody had a wonderful time with fantastic food and music. It was a great opportunity for the friends and staff of HOPE Cape Town to get to know each other. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal friends and sponsors for supporting our worthy cause, and to congratulate the organisers for hosting a very memorable evening.
2013 National AIDS Conference, Durban
National AIDS Conference, Durban
In June 2013, 3 of us, Dr Izáne Reyneke (Program Coordinator), Pauline Jooste (Outreach Facilitator) and Mariam Roelofse (Community Health Worker in Belhar), represented HOPE Cape Town at the National AIDS Conference in Durban. Pauline presented our research project “The use of point-of-care CD4 testing as an adjunct in determining ART eligibility to improve maternal care”.
2013 Mandela Day at Blikkiesdorp
Mandela Day at Blikkiesdorp
HOPE Cape Town staff, community workers, volunteers and Blikkiesdorp residents really got their hands dirty on 18 July, to make a difference on Mandela Day. Ground was cleared, vegetables planted and containers painted. Great fun was had by all!
2013 AGM HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust
AGM HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust
The HOPE Cape Town Trust held its AGM in May. As it is custom in South Africa, the chair reported back on the developments during the year in question, the financials were discussed and approved.
In August, HOPE Cape Town Association held its AGM. Charles Scheltema was adopted as a new board member.
Both these annual reports are available for download on our website.
2013 HOPE Cape Town Internal Developments
HOPE Cape Town Internal Developments
HOPE Cape Town welcomed Izane Reyneke as the new program Coordinator. She will oversee the different programs and develop new approaches to the ever changing challenges in fight against HIV/ AIDS. We bid farewell to our doctor Sandy … and welcome as new doctors: Jayne Cunningham and Sue Purchase. As a team they contribute to our training programme, perform clinical work at at a local community clinic and head our research projects.
Hope Cape Town it proud to introduce these 3 dynamic staff members:
Dr Izáne Reyneke
Izane completed a Bachelor’s degree in Science (Physiology and Psychology) prior to starting her Medical degree in Bloemfontein (Free State). She qualified as a medical doctor in 2002, and moved to Cape Town in 2003 to start her Medical internship at New Somerset Hospital. Here she was faced with the stark reality of HIV/AIDS prior to the availability of antiretroviral treatment in the Public Sector.
In 2004, Izane started her Community Service at Wesfleur Hospital in Atlantis, a marginalised community North West of Cape Town. Here she started the first infectious diseases clinic providing antiretroviral treatment, in the area and continued to manage this clinic for the next 10 years. Izane has always believed in the community based holistic management of HIV and has been actively involved in nutritional projects / clothing drives in the area. She was involved in Community Health Care Worker training and also established a family clinic at Wesfleur Hospital where parents and their children could access care during the same consultation. She completed the Advanced Health Management Programme through Yale University and FPD in 2009.
Izane married Peet, a financial manager, in 2001 and had a baby (Luka) in 2012.
Izane started as Program Coordinator at HOPE Cape Town in May 2013 and is looking forward to this new chapter in her life.
Dr Jayne Cunningham
After obtaining her MBBCH degree from Wits University in 1992, Dr Jayne Cunningham worked in Johannesburg as a General Practitioner for 10 years as well as working sessions in a local clinic seeing HIV individuals and offering supportive care in the pre ARV era. During this time she also received her Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Jayne married Garth in 1997 and studied further to obtain her diploma in HIV Management. After having 2 children, Rebecca now age 12 and Leigh aged 8, Jayne moved into exclusive HIV work with an NGO called Right to Care, helping to run their flagship Paediatric HIV Clinic in Alexandra Township for 5 years.
A move to the Western Cape 2 years ago saw Jayne obtaining locum work with HOPE Cape Town initially and then joining the team of permanent staff in November 2012. Jayne is involved in both the clinical and research fields currently with HOPE Cape Town.
Dr Sue Purchase
Dr Susan Purchase joined HOPE in May this year. After studying science and business management and working in industry, she felt the calling to medicine and did her MBChB at UCT. Since qualifying in 2004 she has worked primarily with HIV positive children, in community, clinic and research settings. Sue loves travel, reading, hiking and photography. She is married to Marc, an ENT registrar at Tygerberg, and has two little girls, Melissa and Chloë.
2012
2012 HOPE Cape Town - Donations
HOPE Cape Town - Donations
Mammies for HOPE
The project of "Mammies for HOPE" of Monika Rosenkranz was initiated in 2011. The project depends on the support of Mammies for Mammies. Monika Rosenkranz sponsors material for the mothers in the Ithemba ward to make bookmarks, bracelets and necklaces. This is done in groups led by Monika Rosenkranz and Sonia Daniels while their children sleep or are being entertained in the playroom. Bookmarks, bracelets and necklaces are sent to Mammies in Germany, who sell these on Christmas and other markets. We thank Monika and all involved "Mammies" for the wonderful idea!
Donation for research purposes
After a visit to HOPE Cape Town the BIPPOP Foundation from Lichtenstein has donated generously to HOPE Cape Town Trust for HIV/AIDS research. This donation will be allocated to benefit research projects of the University of Stellenbosch, in the field of HIV/AIDS.
Thank you!
HOPE Cape Town is very happy and grateful for the constant and tireless support of all the volunteers helping hands that regularly provide the young patients and their caregivers on the Ithemba station with food, blankets, toys, candy, clothes, and toiletries and much more. A big thank you goes to all these people, who give so much of their private time, their money and their energy, so that the children in the ward of Ithemba feel better.
A long-time volunteer worker is Marchelle Hendricks; who since 2007 supports HOPE Cape Town with donations and wherever needed. Furthermore, she is a great Ambassador for HOPE Cape Town in South Africa and wherever she travels in the world. A big thank you, Marchelle for your support!
HOPE Cape Town would not be where it is today if it wasn’t for the continuous support and donations from numerous individuals, institutions, associations and companies. A very heartfelt thank you goes to all the friends and supporters of our organization.
Especially we want to thank the Rotary Club Oostenberg for the continuous support of food parcels for the mothers at the Ithemba ward.
A special thank you goes to the Dinkel Bakery in Cape Town for the donation of sweets for the children at the Ithemba ward.
2012 HOPE Cape Town Events
HOPE Cape Town Events
HOPE Gala
Under the motto "From classical to rock" the 7th successful HOPE GALA took place on the 27th of October 2012 in Dresden. Many national and international artists performed again this year, waiving their profit to make a personal contribution to the success of this charity event. For more information, see www.hopegala.de. A big thank you goes to the organizers and sponsors and especially to the main organizer Viola Klein.
Bellville library
A fair at the Bellville library took place from 15 to 22 September 2012. The library is visited of 45 000 people every month. The fair aimed to support small businesses and entrepreneurship in this area. HOPE Cape Town was invited to participate in this exhibition. Our health care worker Charlene Felix represented HOPE Cape Town. The fair was a great success, and we were able to raise the profile of HOPE Cape Town in this part of the metropole significantly.
Ball of HOPE
On 5 May 2012, the annual Ball of HOPE took place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of HOPE Cape Town and the 60th anniversary of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce for Southern Africa at The Westin Cape Town. The event under the patronage of the three German-speaking consulates in Cape Town was once again a great success. We would like to thank all our guests and sponsors for attending and supporting our work. A special thank you goes to Anja Tambusso-Ferraz for all their time and effort put into the organization of the event.
Christmas Market for HOPE
Because it is currently wintry cold in Cape Town, the Mediterranean Villa will host on 29 July 2012, from 11h00, a Christmas market with homemade treats, charming gift ideas, lovingly designed crafts for the benefit of HOPE Cape Town. We thank Petra Reichwein and Monika Rosenkranz for the excellent idea and the commitment.
2012 HOPE Cape Town internal
HOPE Cape Town internal
BBBEE certificate
In September we could successfully renewed our BBBEE (broad based black economic empowerment) status. This status aims to align the structure of the workforce in companies so that it corresponds with and is representative of the socio-demographic structure of the population.
New Board members
We welcome Mrs Ruth Neudeck-Kraus and Mrs Minka Woermann as new board members of the HOPE town Association and look forward to a successful cooperation.
Interview for the post of "Program Facilitator"
Currently we are interviewing for the recently created position "Program Facilitator". We hope that we can occupy this by early 2013, to expand on the established successes of the project work.
Replacement Mfuleni/Durbanville
Furthermore we are reappointing the positions of the health care workers in Mfuleni and Durbanville, because these employees have found new challenges in public health, based on their education as HOPE Cape Town Community Health worker. Babalwa Lumko is now working as a clerk at the Mfuleni clinic and Nombulelo Kama now works as a health worker for the City of Cape Town.
In addition, we also welcome new team members André Gildenhuys and Silke Ammer. André will be working with the eLearning project and Silke supports the administration of HOPE Cape Town Association and Trust.
Dr. Sadeeka Williams
Dr. Sadeeka Williams sadly left the employment of HOPE Cape Town Association in December 2011 to prepare for her specialization as a paediatrician. We wish her good luck in her professional and private future. Her successor Dr. Sandra Picken was employed in December 2011.
Noëline de Goede who was appointed as Director of HOPE Cape Town left the organization in June 2012. We wish her well with her future ventures.
HOPE Cape Town Association welcomes Michelle Jochems who was appointed as a HOPE Community Health Worker in Manenberg in November 2011. She will be rendering services at the Manenberg clinic, within the broader community of Manenberg as well as at the Holy Family Child and Youth Development Centre.
2012 HOPE Cape Town & Hochschule Neu-Ulm
HOPE Cape Town & Hochschule Neu-Ulm
During a project week in Cape Town the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Neu‐Ulm University of Applied Sciences (HNU) successfully developed an eLearning environment for Community Health Workers (CHW) of the HOPE Cape Town Association.
Senior academicians from both Universities guided students during the week in a process culminating in an “eLearning Framework for HOPE”. From 21‐25 May, a delegation from HNU comprising 14 students and 4 professors, as well as 6 students and 2 professors from UWC Economic and Information Management Sciences Faculty, formed joint project groups to research prerequisites and design a mobile course framework for Community Health Workers. As a scientific basis, they created a six layered model of learning integrating the learning styles and conditions of the target group, as well as the technical and organisational circumstances. In interviews and usability tests the user’s needs, learning circumstances, previous knowledge, as well as ICT skills and interaction with the content and design of the courses, were analysed. The outcome was benchmarked with existing initiatives of other South African and international organizations for similar target groups.
2012 HOPE Cape Town – projects
HOPE Cape Town – projects
HOPE Cape Town has thus far been able to provide much needed HIV Resistance Blood Tests for three deserving children in 2011, and for another three children in 2012. As you may know, these expensive Resistance Tests are not yet available in the government sector and are thus unobtainable without sponsorship by organisations like ourselves.
After the resistance test we also provided for one of these children the much needed third line medication. With great regret, we have to report that this child passed away peacefully. This sort of personal scenario keeps us in touch with the cold reality of HIV and its associated illnesses. And it emphasizes the tremendous need for extra measures, such as resistance testing and advanced drug sponsorships, to be made avialable in order to ultimately combat HIV successfully.
HOPE Cape Town currently evaluates the results of a CD4 study. For this study 50 mothers of our patients on the Ithemba children's ward in the Tygerberg Hospital were tested at the child visit. Even though they are often very ill themselves, the mothers often do not have their regular 6 month check up and are not automatically co-treated once their children have been admitted. As a result, many children are not cared for in a proper way after being discharged due to one or both parents being sick or even dying. Thanks to the company Alere Healthcare who had generously loaned a novel mobile point of care CD4 testing unit to HOPE Cape Town, we were able to perform instant CD4 counts for Ithemba ward parents. All it took was a finger prick and after 20 minutes the results were available. Depending on the result of the rapid test, the patient could then be referred immediately for further testing and treatment. About one third of the mothers qualified for urgent need to start treatment. We hope to lead the way to a comprehensive treatment of the whole family by this holistic approach.
2011
2011 10 years of HOPE Cape Town
10 years of HOPE Cape Town
In October 2011, HOPE Cape Town will be celebrating its first decade of existence. The NGO, which was officially launched at TAHC as HOPE – HIV Outreach Program and Education on the 29th of October 2001, is looking back on 10 years of providing treatment, counseling and training for children and adults infected and affected by HIV & AIDS. What started out as a humble joint venture between the German speaking Catholic Community, the Rotary Club of Signal Hill, University of Stellenbosch (Faculty of Health Sciences) and the Tygerberg Academic Health Complex supported by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, has grown into a successful benchmark organisation with a number of high profile academic and private partners, both local and international.
HOPE Cape Town was instrumental in the foundation of the Ithemba Ward for Infectious Diseases (G7) and started out providing privately funded treatment and tertiary care for HIV positive children as one of the first initiatives in the country and long before the commencement of the national ARV rollout. Subsequently, the organization began training and deploying community health workers in various communities of drainage area of Tygerberg Hospital for patient follow-ups and recalls. Today, a total of 23 HOPE community health workers work in 19 low-income communities and primary health care facilities in the northern metropole.
HOPE Cape Town also pioneered a project involving traditional healers (iSangoma) in an attempt to overcome stigma and prejudices between Western medicine and traditional African healing practices. Grassroot project initiatives for community based income generation are supported by the organization which also conducts awareness workshops and outreaches on request. More recent projects include nutritional support for HIV and TB patients, e-learning, drug interactions of traditional medicines and HIV & sport activities. HOPE Cape Town is proudly partnering with academic institutions such as HS Niederrhein, TU Munich and the Medical Mission Institute Wuerzburg in Germany. A very popular elective rotation for international medical students is offered in partnership with KID-CRU (Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit) at TAHC.
HOPE Cape Town is grateful for the continuous support of its local partners including TAHC, Stellenbosch University (Faculty of Health Sciences as well as the health departments of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town. A big thank you also goes to all international and local sponsors and donors, big and small, without whom the organization’s work of the last decade would not have been possible. We are looking forward to the next 10 years!
2011 HOPE Cape Town Events
HOPE Cape Town Events
For the sixth consecutive year, Viola Klein, Saxonia Systems AG and – for the second time – the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung are organising a charity gala event in Dresden for the benefit of HOPE Cape Town, together with many loyal sponsors and supporters. The HOPE Gala will take place on 29 October 2011 at the Schauspielhaus Dresden. As in previous years, excellent entertainment and performances by a range of popular artists are guaranteed. Please visit the following homepage: http://www.hopegala.de for more information. Tickets are now available under +49 (0) 3 51 / 48 64 20 02 and +49 (0) 18 05 / 74 00 74, via email under This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or online on www.sz-ticketservice.
On 25 September 2011, the Bridgeclub Darmstadt Alert e.V. hosts the 2. HOPE Charity Tournament at Schloss Johannisberg in Geisenheim, Germany. Interested players please rsvp to Mrs. Beatrix Kuzselka (Edelsheimer Straße, 63075 Offenbach, Germany, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone 0049-172-6128306) by no later than 23 September 2011. A big thank you to the club and especially to our long-term supporter Silvia Mikulasch for organising this event.
HOPE Gala Dresden
For the sixth consecutive year, Viola Klein, Saxonia Systems AG and – for the second time – the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung are organising a charity gala event in Dresden for the benefit of HOPE Cape Town, together with many loyal sponsors and supporters. The HOPE Gala will take place on 29 October 2011 at the Schauspielhaus Dresden. As in previous years, excellent entertainment and performances by a range of popular artists are guaranteed. Please visit the following homepage: http://www.hopegala.de for more information. Tickets are now available under +49 (0) 3 51 / 48 64 20 02 and +49 (0) 18 05 / 74 00 74, via email under This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or online on www.sz-ticketservice.de
Bridgeclub hosts Charity Event
On 25 September 2011, the Bridgeclub Darmstadt Alert e.V. hosts the 2. HOPE Charity Tournament at Schloss Johannisberg in Geisenheim, Germany. Interested players please rsvp to Mrs. Beatrix Kuzselka (Edelsheimer Straße, 63075 Offenbach, Germany, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone 0049-172-6128306) by no later than 23 September 2011. A big thank you to the club and especially to our long-term supporter Silvia Mikulasch for organising this event.
Ball of HOPE
On 28 May 2011, the annual Ball of HOPE took place at the Westin Grand Hotel Cape Town. The event under the patronage of the three German-speaking consulates in Cape Town was once again a great success. We would like to thank all our guests and sponsors for attending and supporting our work. A special thank you goes to Anja Tambusso-Ferraz and Petra Reichwein for all their time and effort put into the organisation of the event. Many thanks also need to be given to HOPE Cape Town Board member Prof. Bernd Rosenkranz and his wife Monika for sponsoring beautiful red dresses for the HOPE community health workers and senior staff.
HOPE Golf Day
HOPE Cape Town is proud to announce the first HOPE Golf Day in Cape Town under the patronage of His Excellency, Mr Dieter Haller, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to South Africa.
The Golf Day will take place on 1 April 2011 at the Metropolitan Golf Club in Greenpoint, Cape Town and is open to everybody wanting to make a difference in the lives of children and families living with the HI virus. For more information please contact Kerstin Behlau on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
God, Aids, Africa
On 14 April 2011, Rev. Fr. Stefan Hippler will read out of his book “Gott, AIDS, Afrika” at the Maximilianeum in Munich, Germany. The reading will start at 19h00.
2011 HOPE Cape Town & MySchool
HOPE Cape Town & MySchool
The MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet fundraising programme (www.myschool.co.za) is South Africa’s number one community support programme that raises essential funds for schools, charities and environmental organisations. Funds are used to improve education and social development in South Africa. The MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet programme raises more than R 2.2 million per month for the schools, charities and environmental organisations it supports. Now you can also support HOPE Cape Town through the MySchool programme by signing up for a card with the attached application form. We need 200 supporters to sign up in order to be registered as a beneficiary. As a cardholder, you will not only be supporting our organisation by swiping every time you shop at a MySchool partner (e.g. Woolworths, Engen, kalahari.com etc.) but you will also be eligible for attractive discounts at said partners. Please send your completed application form to our offices, if you would like to support us by signing up for a MySchool card. We appreciate your support!
2011 HOPE Cape Town Donations
HOPE Cape Town Donations
HOPE Cape Town would not be where it is today wasn’t it for the continuous support and donations from numerous individuals, institutions, associations and companies. A very heartfelt thank you goes to all the friends and supporters of our organization. In the past few weeks and months, we have been especially blessed. Many thanks go to Mrs. Rita Vogelsänger for donating bicycles to underprivileged children and youths in Blikkiesdorp and Belhar. A big thank you also goes to the Richard Wagner Society chaired by Mr. Herbert Gloeckner for donating the proceeds from the staging of “The Flying Dutchman” at the Cape Town Opera earlier this year, to HOPE Cape Town. Furthermore, we are very pleased to be this year’s beneficiary of the Roskilde Festival Charity Society grant, which is funded from the proceeds of an annual rock festival in Denmark.
2011 HOPE Cape Town & the World AIDS Awareness Expedition „move the world“
HOPE Cape Town & the World AIDS Awareness Expedition „move the world“
On April 18, the 14-member team began the 110-day expedition through 50 countries in Vancouver, Canada. Thus far, the tour through all five continents has turned out to be rather adventurous, as was to be expected. Various encounters with wild animals, military patrols, corrupt border officials, stagnant ferries and plenty other small and bigger obstacles have been testing the team’s patience and endurance many a time.
As one of the beneficiaries of the expedition, HOPE Cape Town had been preparing for the crew’s welcoming in Cape Town on June 16. Unfortunately, the Angolan authorities quite literally put a spoke in the team’s wheels so that the expedition route had to be changed on short notice, and South Africa was no longer on the map. To honour the team’s initiative and commitment nonetheless, HOPE Cape Town hosted a celebration in the community of Manenberg on 17 June. HOPE Cape Town board member and Catholic priest Fr. Wim Lindeque and Fr. Stefan Hippler said prayers and blessings for the expedition crew.
Children from the after-school programme performed hip hop choreographies and delighted the audience with their musical talent on the flute and trumpets. A slideshow of photos made during the first part of the expedition caused great amazement and admiration among adults and children.
For the further course of the ‘move the world’ expedition, we wish Joachim Franz and all participants the best of success, strength and endurance. We are proud of you and are looking forward to seeing you again in Cape Town soon!
2011 HOPE Cape Town – New Projects
HOPE Cape Town – New Projects
2011 is a year of changes and innovations for HOPE Cape Town, and against this background we are pleased to introduce three new projects to you that will take HOPE Cape Town back to its roots.
Firstly, we will take up third line drug sponsorships for children that have failed HAART on the first and second treatment regimen provided by the South African government. This will happen on an ad hoc basis and only after careful examination of each case according to predefined criteria. Attending physicians have to present the patient for whom they require sponsorship and the approval is subject to a decision made by the HOPE Cape Town board.
Secondly, HOPE Cape Town is now facilitating HIV viral resistance testing for paediatric HIV patients who are no longer responding to conventional HAART. These tests are crucial to be able to direct patients’ further treatment in the right direction, considering that the number of patients resistant to standard ARVs available in the public sector are on the increase.
Thirdly, we are starting to focus increasingly on the parents of our HIV positive patients on the Ithemba Children’s ward for infectious diseases at Tygerberg Hospital. Even though they are often very ill themselves, they are not automatically co-treated once their children have been admitted. As a result, many children are not cared for in a proper way after being discharged due to one or both parents being sick or even dying. Thanks to the company Alere Healthcare who have generously loaned a novel mobile CD4 testing unit to HOPE Cape Town, we will now be able to perform instant CD4 counts for Ithemba parents. All it takes is a finger prick and after 20 minutes the results are there. Depending on the result of the rapid test, the patient can then be referred for further testing and treatment. We hope to lead the way to a comprehensive treatment of the whole family by this holistic approach.
2011 A Car for HOPE Cape Town
A Car for HOPE Cape Town
On 19 February 2011, the handover of a new car for HOPE Cape Town took place at Tygerberg Hospital. The vehicle was kindly sponsored by Be Your Own Hero e.V., Germany. We would like to express our most heartfelt thanks to Joachim Franz and the Be Your Own Hero e.V. team as well as to the Romantik Hotel group for this generous donation.
2011 HOPE Cape Town inside
HOPE Cape Town inside
On 12 September 2011, Noëline de Goede will start as the new Director of HOPE Cape Town Association. A very warm welcome to her on behalf of the whole team! We are happy to welcome three new colleagues to our team. Since 1 April, Avril Toeloe has been working as the community health worker in Wesbank. Nombulelo Kama and Eva Coetzee are the new community health workers at the Durbanville Clinic and its satellite branch in Fisantekraal since 15 April.
As of March 2011, HOPE Cape Town will deploy a community health worker in Wesbank, a community directly adjacent to Delft and severely affected by HIV and TB. A new group of community health workers will commence their studies on “HIV & AIDS Care and Counselling” with UNISA (University of South Africa) shortly.
We currently have three volunteers working with us who donate their precious time helping on the Ithemba Ward and in our different projects. Thank you to Jutta, Kathrin and Ulla for your valued contributions.
The Annual General Meeting of the HOPE Cape Town Association was held on 21 January 2011. The Annual Report 2009/ 2010 was approved. Rev. Fr. Win Lindeque from the community of Manenberg was appointed as a new member to the HOPE Cape Town Board. Once again, HOPE Cape Town has been awarded a BBEEE (Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment) certificate, which can be viewed under “Downloads” on the HOPE Cape Town website.
As of February 2011, HOPE Cape Town has started implementing a restructuring process due to the organisational expansion with now three formal academic partnerships (University of Stellenbosch, Hochschule Niederrhein, TU München) and ever growing scope of work. HOPE Cape Town’s area of operations in the Western Cape Province meanwhile covers a wide variety of initiatives, ranging from grass root projects in the communities to e-learning and high profile academic research. To manage this, full-time employees on a senior management level are required as the volume of work is no longer manageable with a voluntary management committee alone. As part of the restructuring, the posts of the Project Supervisor and Training & Compliance Officer have been discontinued. Yasmin Smith is now Head of Programs and Pauline Jooste’s position has been changed to Outreach Facilitator. The HOPE Cape Town Management Committee has been transferred into a Board with portfolio committees. HOPE Cape Town is currently seeking to appoint a Director, who will be responsible for the overall management of the organisation.
2010
2010 HOPE Community Health Worker Debriefing
HOPE Community Health Worker Debriefing
The 24 HOPE community health workers are confronted with a lot of hardship and suffering each day when counseling their patients at the clinics and doing home visits in their communities. In the long run, this can lead to feelings of stress, depression and compassion fatigue. To reduce any possibility of psychological harm in the health care workers, HOPE Cape Town has arranged for debriefing sessions with Tygerberg Hospital social worker Nocawe Frans. In several group meetings the community health workers were able to share their experiences and express their feelings. The debriefing sessions were very well received and will continue on a regular basis.
2010 HOPE Cape Town Events
HOPE Cape Town Events
HOPE Gala Dresden
For the fifth consecutive year, Viola Klein, Saxonia Systems AG and – for the first time – the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung have organised a charity gala in Dresden for the benefit of HOPE Cape Town together with many loyal sponsors and supporters. The HOPE Gala will take place on 30 October 2010 at the Schauspielhaus Dresden. As in the previous years, excellent entertainment and a range of popular artists are guaranteed. Please visit the following homepage: www.hopegala-dresden.de. Tickets are available under 0049-351-4864 2002 or online on www.sz-ticketservice.de
Ball of HOPE
On 22 May 2010, the annual Ball of HOPE took place at the Westin Grand Hotel Cape Town for the 13th time. The event under the patronage of the three German-speaking consulates in Cape Town was once again a great success. We would like to thank all our guests and sponsors for attending and supporting our work. A special thank you goes out to Anja Tambusso-Ferraz and Petra Reichwein for all their time and effort put into organising the event!
Bavaria meets Western Cape
From 9 until 18 June 2010, the Bavaria meets Western Cape Expo took place at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. Bavaria, Germany and Western Cape Province entered into a formal partnership agreement in 1995. HOPE Cape Town was instrumental in the development of the HIV and AIDS framework in the formal partnership in 2006. On the occasion of the partnership’s 15 year anniversary, the exhibition showcased the co-operation in its various dimensions together with musical performances, films and workshops as well as a public viewing opportunity for the soccer world championship. HOPE Cape Town was represented with several posters, an information stand, e-learning presentations as well as a workshop.
Charity Match for HOPE Cape Town
On April 17, the German football club Dynamo Dresden will play against a team from the city of Jena in a charity match for HOPE Cape Town. On this occasion, a promotional video featuring German singer Udo Lindenberg will premiere, in which he encourages people to donate to HOPE Cape Town via SMS. Our organization will also be the beneficiary of donations collected by the Udo Lindenberg Trust on the occasion of the Panic Music Award during the Herman Hesse Festival in the German town of Tuebingen (http://www.udo-lindenberg-stiftung.de). A warm thank you to Viola Klein and her team! On Saturday 22 May 2010, the annual Ball of HOPE will take place at the Westin Grand Hotel in Cape Town. We are looking forward to see many new and well-known faces there.
2010 HOPE Cape Town Nutrition Project
HOPE Cape Town Nutrition Project
For more than six months now, HOPE Cape Town has been running a nutrition project in cooperation with the local organization Abalimi Bezekhaya ("the planters“ in isiXhosa, http://www.abalimi.org.za). Their programme “Harvest of Hope” (www.harvestofhope.org.za) assists local township farmers with the marketing and sales of their organically produced vegetables. Since the initiation of the cooperation, 20 vegetable bags are delivered to the HOPE community Delft each Tuesday. In cooking demonstrations, we are teaching HIV positive moms how to keep themselves, their babies and their families healthy through a balanced nutrition. The moms take vegetables home each week and exchange recipes and cooking methods in the following session. Meanwhile, the second group of moms has started on the programme. In order to make the project sustainable, the first group received special training in gardening and small-scale vegetable farming before leaving the programme and many mothers are already eagerly planning their own little vegetable garden.
We would like to give special thanks to our volunteer Laura Fiebig, who facilitated the project with lots of passion and commitment during the past six months. We also thank Xenia Trippel and Marie Brockhaus, students of human nutrition from the Hochschule Niederrhein, University of Applied Sciences in Moenchengladbach in Germany, for their input and their valuable assistance in the interim evaluation of the project.
2010 HOPE Cape Town inside
HOPE Cape Town inside
We are proud to announce that all new HOPE Community Health Workers have successfully passed their UNISA (University of South Africa) course in “HIV & AIDS Care and Counselling”. Congratulations!
With pleasure we welcome two new community health workers to our team: Violet Otto in Uitsig and Beverly Bosman in Brackenfell and Northpine, three new facilities HOPE Cape Town is working in.
We welcome two new HOPE community health workers into our team: in April, Karen Madaha started working for us at the Delft Day Hospital and since May, Chumani Hatile has been filling the post in Bloekombos. We are happy to have the two as our new family members and are looking forward to working with them.
HOPE Cape Town has moved offices on the Tygerberg Campus of Stellenbosch University. We have relocated to the Department of Pharmacology on the 7th floor in the clinical building. The new telephone number is 021 938 9930. We are happy to welcome two new staff members to the HOPE Cape Town Team: Sharon Geduld has been placed as the new additional community health worker at Bishop Lavis clinic. From 1 April 2010, Sonia Daniels will complement our team as the new team secretary on the Ithemba Paediatric Ward at Tygerberg Hospital. A warm welcome to the HOPE Cape Town Family.
2010 HOPE Cape Town Shop
HOPE Cape Town Shop
We are proud to announce that all new HOPE Community Health Workers have successfully passed their UNISA (University of South Africa) course in “HIV & AIDS Care and Counselling”. Congratulations!
With lots of charm and creativity, long-term HOPE supporter Petra Reichwein recently renovated and upgraded the HOPE Shop at the Mediterranean Villa in Tamboerskloof (www.medvilla.co.za). Customers are supporting two good causes at a time when shopping there: firstly, all products come from local community projects and are hand-crafted by previously disadvantaged persons. Secondly, all shop proceeds go directly to HOPE Cape Town. So, next time you are looking for original gifts and souvenirs from Cape Town, please pop in at the HOPE Shop.
2010 HOPE Cape Town and HIV & Sports
HOPE Cape Town and HIV & Sports
Against the background of the Soccer World Cup and the ongoing partnership between Bavaria and the Western Cape, HOPE Cape Town is currently conceptualising projects that promote HIV prevention and awareness through sports activities in cooperation with the Technical University Munich, Stellenbosch University (Faculty of Health Sciences) and KID-CRU (Children’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit). On 15 June 2010, representatives of all parties signed a Letter of Intent as a basis for the new co-operation. The signing ceremony was accompanied by music from the traditional Bavarian folklore group “Isargauer Trachtengruppe”. We are looking forward to this new German – South African joint venture and another fruitful collaboration.
2010 HOPE Cape Town & Healthy Nutrition
HOPE Cape Town & Healthy Nutrition
Through our work in our 17 HOPE communities, we see how important a balanced and healthy nutrition is for a stable and well-functioning immune system on a daily basis. Our community health workers see an increasing number of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension at the clinics, often caused or aggravated by incomplete and unbalanced nutrition. A complete diet rich in nutrients and vitamins is particularly important for HIV positive patients so their immune system can be supported in a natural way. Most patients from poorer communities do, however, lack awareness and education about healthy nutrition.
Since the beginning of March, HOPE Cape Town has been running a new nutrition project in cooperation with the local organization Abalimi Bezekhaya („the planters“ in isiXhosa, http://www.abalimi.org.za). Their programme “Harvest of Hope” (www.harvestofhope.org.za) assists local township farmers with the marketing and sales of their organically produced vegetables. Since the initiation of the cooperation, 20 vegetable bags are delivered to the HOPE community Delft each Tuesday. In cooking demonstrations, we are teaching HIV positive moms how to keep themselves, their babies and their families healthy through a balanced nutrition. The moms take vegetables home each week and exchange recipes and cooking methods in the following session.
Students of human nutrition from the Hochschule Niederrhein, University of Applied Sciences in Moenchengladbach, Germany, regularly assist with their expertise as well as the monitoring and evaluation of the project.
We would like to thank our volunteer Bianca Mannewitz for conceptualizing and successfully initiating the project. Thank you also to Annalena Luedtke and Stephanie Gebauer from the HS Niederrhein for conducting various cooking demonstrations and providing a cooking manual. Finally, we thank Hope & Future e.V. from Muenster, Germany for financing this pilot.
2010 HOPE Cape Town Banking Details
2010 HOPE Cape Town Banking Details
As reported in Newsletter 4/ 2009, HOPE Cape Town has now got its own exclusive donation account in Germany. Donors can get a tax deductible donation receipt, recognized by the German Revenue Service.
The bank account with the Office for German language ministry abroad (Katholisches Auslandssekretariat) of the German Bishops Conference will also remain open for donations to HOPE Cape Town.
HOPE Cape Town Trust & Association
P.O. Box 19145
Tygerberg 7505
Cape Town
South Africa
PBO No 18/11/13/4709 - Association
NPO No 031-599-NPO - Association
NPO No 053-417-NPO - Trust
PBO No. 930024843 - Trust