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WHAT children say about Christmas: "Christmas is when everybody gets presents and Father Christmas comes down the chimney sometimes he gets stuck. "
"Maybe I will get a family for Christmas, because I don't have one... "
"It's Jesus's birthday and you have to have a party and give lots of presents."
As adults, we sometimes stop dreaming. But we should never stop listening to their dreams. In the spirit of this festive season, the KWV Wine Emporium have decided to donate a percentage of their December sales and some of their time to help organise a real Christmas party for children living with and orphaned by Aids.
They have decided to do this by looking at their immediate environment and they selected the Bowy House HIV/Aids Children Care Programme in Main Street, Paarl, where toddlers receive not only treatment and nutrition, but love as well.
In South Africa, Aids is not just a batch of statistics, it's something we deal with on a daily basis. As always, the children are the innocent victims.
By 2008, 1,6 million children will have been orphaned by Aids in this country - and around half of them will also be HIV positive.
The Emporium are asking their visitors, foreigners or locals, to help them.
They can do it by giving some money, or donating toys, disposable nappies, baby bottles, clothing - anything that is needed to raise children between 0 and 6 years old and to bring some joy to their lives.
The team at the Emporium also made the pledge to spend some time at the Bowy House on a regular basis to help feed the children, play with them, read them stories, or take them for a walk.
Take donations to the KWV Wine Emporium in Kohler Street, Paarl or phone Maya or Christel on 807-3007/8. |
COMFORT TEDDIES. Jeanette Adshade of Franschhoek spends much of her spare time knitting teddybears. Why? She is one of many who bring a smile to the face of an abused child. When injured little tots arrive at the Tygerberg Children's Trauma Unit, they are greeted by the smiling faces of teddybears, of which they are allowed to choose one. Some of the children spend the night at the hospital and after sleeping with their comfortable teddy its easier for them to tell their horrific story to the teddy. They can then start on the road to recovery. Pic: Paddy Howes