Member of SI Cannock &
District Trish Smith spends part of each year in her home in South Africa where she is very
involved with helping women and children in the townships. The Cannock Soroptimist club supports the
work she does by raising funds for women to be trained as nurses, for buildings
to be renovated and equipment provided at so that crèches can operate and for
her latest project – a Marching Band. Trish keeps in touch with the club,
updating members on progress. She has
recently returned to Cannock and at the Club’s
last meeting she showed films and photos of the children she’s been involved
with over the last twelve months.
The Marching Band is proving a
real success. Trish started this herself after attending a meeting when
professionals were discussing ways of helping children in the townships prepare
for the time when their parents would die from AIDS. Trish felt that no counseling could ever
prepare for the loss of a parent, but maybe there was an activity which would
give them pleasure, security and continuity. With the help of individuals and
groups – including SI Cannock & District – Trish formed a Marching
Band. After 12 months, the Band is
flourishing. They wear a uniform, play
kazoos, have a dance troupe and recently led the procession through the local
villages which made them all very proud.
The children meet weekly and the
Band is so important to them all – one boy walks 5 miles there and 5 miles back
to attend; another child, a girl, attending one day and was very quiet – her
mother had died the previous day but she needed to be with her friends at Band
practice.
Soroptimist members were moved
to think that this activity, started and run by Trish Smith, is so successful
and is providing these children in the townships with exactly what they need in
their lives – support, love and security.
Photo attached: the
Marching Band in a township near Cape Town