One brick at a time

2020 is off to a great start and I have to pinch myself to be sure it really is the end of February already.

Uncovering and understanding both the needs and the current priorities within the Bergnek Community

We are preparing for a next community survey coming up during the second quarter of this year. We use an outside third party to conduct the surveys and this time around, Engineers Without Borders ('EWB') Houston will be conducting the survey as they hand off to Engineers Without South Africa. We've partnered with EWB over the years to ensure we've had the right technical skills in the community to get things done right and be able to transfer real skills and expertise into the community.

Previous Survey Results

In the first week of December we will be getting our podcasts underway and we are really excited to be sharing those with. Although our resources are limited, we really have accomplished a lot over the past year.

In the previous survey we had completed by Universal Alliance in 2017 we learned that community was still focused on the water issues in the community as well as the high rate of unemployment among working age community members.

What have we achieved so far?

The projects that the community initiated, supported by My Arms Wide Open, have focused in those two areas over the past 3 years. The water issue has been reasonably addressed and at least increased the amount of water that is now consistently available to the community. However, we believe we can still do better and improve upon the current state. On the unemployment side we have a tremendous amount of work to do and we’re expecting to hear that this is still a big priority for the community. The survey results will certainly make it clear for us and give us the direction the community expects us to take over the next 2-3 years.

We’re looking to the community to understand how needs may have shifted since the last survey and how priorities have shifted since then.

During the survey trip Engineers Without Borders plan to do a maintenance training for our water distribution system so that we can take care of broken taps and pipes ourselves going forward.
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#TakeAction

There are many ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we count on you and the people you know to help us, help girls in many communities in south Africa.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.org.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuffPeriod project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 
We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!

This is such a key project for us and the planning for almost all of our other projects comes out of this one. Getting our water supply to a point where we could start the brick-making business and in turn build our clinic and workspace for GirlStuffPeriod.org has proven to be a challenge. A challenge we have accepted and are chipping away at, one little but at a time.

There are SO many children, young girls and women who need our collective help and we are grateful you see that and continue to support the programs.

The holidays are approaching 

Out in Bergnek, we're all getting ready for the holidays. Yes, even when we don't have much, we still spread joy and laughter in our families and communities.

Starting our Podcasts

In the first week of December we will be getting our podcasts underway and we are really excited to be sharing those with. Although our resources are limited, we really have accomplished a lot over the past year.  

Everything we do in the community is connected and each of our undertaking supports the others and of course the community as a whole. You’ll hear about them in the podcasts as well as what we are doing next. 

As an example, last week we met with Engineers Without Borders to plan a trip for April; 2020 to come into the community and do a maintenance training for our water distribution system so that we can take care of broken taps and pipes ourselves going forward. 

Water is life for all of us

This is really important for us. Up to 2011 we had water maybe once a week and sometimes no water for many weeks. My Arms Wide Open came and installed a water pump and well for us and then helped us to get Engineers Without Borders to come and do another one. The past two years we have been so lucky, because we now have water every week, twice a week. This helps us to focus on our other projects and businesses to help our community. 

We wish you love and happiness these holidays.

Keith Mosumane, Bergnek Community Foundation

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#TakeAction

There are many ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we count on you and the people you know to help us, help girls in many communities in south Africa.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuffPeriod project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 

We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!

Spring is in the air! 

Spring in in the air and it's time to get growing. The spring brings new life and the desperately needed spring rains. As we move into the spring season, the team in South Africa is getting ready to start a new program to increase awareness of the projects and initiatives in the Bergnek community and support the expansion of the GirlStuffPeriod.org business.

Starting in October Keith is working with Citizen’s Media (“CM”) to do a series of interviews with the residents of Bergnek as well as the women on the GirlStuffPeriod team. The interviews and the recordings resulting from them will be published on the CM site with the intent of raising funds to support the ongoing projects as well as increase awareness of the business.

We’re excited because we always learn something new when a third party comes in and does the interviewing and asks the questions the community feels are important to answer. We will be bringing these interviews to you as well, in the form of additional reports, as they are made available to us, so look out for them.

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#DontTalkTakeAction

There are multiple ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we are counting on you and the people you know to take action.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuffPeriod project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 

We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!

There are multiple ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we are counting on you and the people you know to take action.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuffPeriod project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 

We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!

Basic needs aren't being met for girls

Each of the projects we undertake, revolves around a common theme. Women and Girls. The biggest challenge we face in our experience is not just striving for and attaining equality, it is more importantly equity in how equal opportunities and changes are applied.

GirlStuffPeriod.org and Pads against Bullying support girls getting back into school, by providing menstrual supplies they don’t have and can’t afford. Think about it this way; If you can't afford food every day, why would you be able to afford menstrual supplies?

My World in a Garden helps keep them in school by providing some of the food they need and otherwise would have to go out and find. The health clinic provides support for girls, expectant mothers, mothers, children and other community members. One Brick at a Time helps to create employment, focused on women in the community.

It's Fall in the Southern Hemisphere

It's fall in the southern hemisphere and as our children in North America are really excited that summer holidays are about to begin, in Southern Africa our children are into the swing of the new school year, that runs from late January through early December.

Why is the fall, or autumn, as it is known down south, such an important time? Well, with school only having just started up for the year, we want to keep as many girls as we can, that are working on grade 8 and above, in school so that they don't miss any opportunities that are sure to be presented at schools across South Africa during the school year.

What does that mean?

What Rainet, Queen, Suzie, and Anna will tell you is that they have personally experienced what happens when you are not at school as a girl in South Africa because you couldn’t afford food every day, let alone the cost of menstrual supplies. Here are some of their thoughts on from a recent call we did. Here’s what Suzie had to say:

“When I was at school If fell so far behind because we are poor, and I had to miss school when my period came because we had no money for tampons or pads. I fell so far behind because I couldn’t understand what the others had learned when I was away. Eventually, I stopped going to school because I felt I was not smart enough.

I learned now, that it wasn’t my fault, but it was still my life and what happened. I’m happy now, I am one of the people in GirlStuffPeriod because I can help other girls and I feel good about my work.”

- Suzie, GirlStuffPeriod.org-

People living on other continents in developed countries don’t understand what girls go through in developing countries, because their privileged circumstance gets them or gives them all the basic things they need and take for granted. 

Queen added to the conversation: 

“A lot of people look at us and say we are not so good because we didn't get our school. Really, we are good, and we work hard too. I have three little children and I love them so much; I will do anything and everything to help them. I wish I had a chance to learn more. More about me, but I did what others said was a way to have a little bit of money and I got pregnant so I could get the money from the government. I want my children to have a better chance.” 

-Queen, GirlStuffPeriod.org -

These are talented and very smart young women, who haven’t had the opportunities they deserve and that is what the My Arms Wide Open team, strives to do. Give girls more opportunities to learn, thrive and grow. 

Take a look at Rainet, Queen, Suzie, and Anna’s site at GirlStuffPeriod[dot]org and see their work. 

Each of the Bergnek ladies wants a chance to be successful, they have the potential. Help us to help them, please.

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#DontTalkTakeAction

There are multiple ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we are counting on you and the people you know to take action.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuffPeriod project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 

We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!

Each of our projects revolves around a common theme. Women. GirlStuffPeriod.org and Pads against Bullying support girls getting back into school, by providing menstrual supplies they don’t have or can’t afford. My World in a Garden helps keep them in school by providing the food they need. The health clinic provides support for girls, expectant mothers, mothers, children and other community members. One Brick at a Time helps to create employment, focused on women.  

In this report we are sharing Rainet's story with you.

I can be successful. I am a woman

Rainet has been living in Bergnek since it was established by the ANC government in 1996, when the government moved farm workers off the farms into their own towns and villages.

Rainet wanted to share why she lives in Bergnek and has remained there.

We can be successful

My name is Rainet Katjedi, and I was born in Bergnek. I still live in Bergnek, with all the challenges and hard times we have, because this is where my family is. We are a big family, with my Grandfather, my mom, brothers and sisters and my aunts. We all live together so that we can support each other, to survive. 

Our life is hard and sometimes very harsh, but we keep working. In 2011 I was lucky to meet My Arms Wide Open, and Mr. Warren. He is like a dad for me. I remember we all did the course together, to learn how to think about our problems and how to help ourselves. I was really lucky because me and my friends got the idea to make the menstruation supplies for the girls to come back to school. Not all of us had a chance, but us 8 did. We are working hard to make this business profit and grow. While we do it we make the pads for girls and it helps them stay in the school and learn maths and science. We have learned we can do it and we can be successful. 

Come to our site at GirlStuffPeriod[dot]org and see our work. Each time we work, we get more professional. Remember $1 = R13. You can help for just $15.

Each of us Bergnek ladies want a chance to be successful, we learned we have lots of potential. Help us to help some more girls, please.

Rainet K.

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#DontTalkTakeAction #GirlPower

There are multiple ways for you to help and support girls in the program and we are counting on you and the people you know to take action.

Share your Excitement

We ask that you forward this project report to 2 friends or begin your own fundraising page for the cause here on GlobalGiving.

We are grateful for your ongoing support and for all you, as a donor, have already done to create positive change in the Bergnek community, and are always grateful for you our supporters, and especially for those of you who give to the GirlStuff.Period project every month. Thank you for your contributions, your messages and for sharing the work we do with the wonderful people of Bergnek. We appreciate you and the people of Bergnek most certainly do too. 

We won't give up on the communities we serve, and we know you won't either!