ENTERPRISE & SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SOUTHERN REGION LAUNCHES WECARE PROJECT
The weCAre project was launched by the South African Institute of chartered accountants (SAICA) in 2007 and is spearheaded by female chartered accountants. The mission of this project is making a significant difference in the lives of South African children.
Noah’s Ark in Yeoville, Johannesburg, is the first initiative under the weCAre banner and was selected with the aim of helping the staggering number of orphaned and/or vulnerable children impacted by HIV/AIDS into emotionally mature and psychologically stable adults capable of forming lasting and loving relationships.
In SAICA’s first weCAre newsletter, Hester Hickey, SAICA Board Chairman, extended an invitation to all women in the profession, in SAICA’s four regions, to identify projects where weCAre could be rolled out, with the aim of creating an opportunity for all to get actively involved within various regions. Michelle Cupido CA(SA) based in the Western Cape identified two such projects in the Boland area. The selected projects are The Island of Hope and Rock Crisis Pregnancy Centre. Michelle has taken the initiative to drive the project in the Western Cape with the help of fellow colleagues.
The following are the Project profiles:
The Island of Hope is a centre for abused, abandoned and neglected children as well as mothers in similar predicaments. Mothers are accommodated for at least three months while social workers try to relocate them to a safer environment. The services rendered by the Island of Hope include emergency care for children and mothers, one-on-one counselling and group debriefing sessions. The centre also offers nourishing meals, psycho-social support, on-going spiritual guidance, life skills and educational arts and crafts workshops.
Rock Crisis Pregnancy Centre gives women critical advice and support that empowers them to make informed decisions about unwanted pregnancies. Once the women are informed enough and have made a decision, the care centre helps them in the following ways: provides clothing and toiletries for the baby over a two year period, keeps in contact with them and, together will Procare’s assistance, with adoption options.
Rock Crisis Pregnancy Centre also runs a school programme consisting of seven lessons that cover topics such as relationships, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. In addition, the centre provides counselling twice a week to women/girls who are abortion minded.
SAICA encourages its members and the community at large to help us support The Island of Hope and Rock Crisis Pregnancy Centre by:
- providing financial support;
- donating food, toiletries, clothes, stationery, office equipment and any educational items;
- volunteering to spend time with the mothers and children, offer different skills like bookkeeping, driving, handyman, and people who are prepared to work at night, and caregivers who can help with the children;
- sponsoring birthday gifts;
- supporting the feeding scheme project; and
- sharing the weCAre project with friends and other valuable contacts.
For further information on the Southern Region weCAre initiatives, please contact Michelle Cupido on: 0845813787 or 0218705047 or michelle.cupido@tigerbrands.com.
