As Soroptimists we value the three E’s – Educate, Empower and Enable. The VIP project encapsulates all three, both for the young woman who is lucky enough to be chosen as the intern and the women and children who will benefit from this SISE initiative.
Throughout South Africa, Soroptimist Club Members are supporting projects as diverse as rape crisis centres to penguin sanctuaries. It is this hands-on involvement of volunteers that enables so many initiatives to make a positive difference in the local community. However, in the country as a whole, support for the *3.7 million aids orphans is urgent and vital. Soroptimists in Southern England have very close links with clubs in South Africa, especially SI Pretoria and SI Tshwane and it is women from these groups who are inviting involvement from an intern to help them deliver carer-support services to orphans in that area.
That is why the first and longest placement for the new VIP intern will be with the Tateni Home Care Nursing Service. Tateni is a not-for-profit organisation that provides home-based support and after-school activities for HIV/AIDS orphans. These sessions are a vital extension to the core work of the project – supporting HIV/AIDS affected child or granny-headed households in Mamelodi and the surrounding area.
Jane Tsharane is the principal of Makgatho Primary School and a keen Soroptimist. Her school in a suburb of Pretoria is highly respected. Jane has experience of supporting volunteers and is delighted that her school will be receiving help from another intern. Volunteers are able to enjoy the unique opportunity of living with local host families whilst working at the school.
Moving on to the Winterveldt after a month at the school, the intern will find life with The Sisters of Mercy much quieter than the bustle of Saulsville, Pretoria. There are many townships and ‘informal settlements’ spread widely across the region and there is evidence that some 40,000 people have recently moved into the area. The nuns run Diabetes and HIV/AIDS clinics and work hard to improve living standards for families in the area. An important part of their successful empowerment work with local women is the internationally known Mapula Embroidery Project.
Barbara Watts (SI Epsom & District) has just returned from a flying visit to Pretoria. The trip was to make final arrangements for the internship and revisit the host organisations. She came back more enthusiastic than ever, with a very clear insight of how this opportunity will benefit both the volunteer and projects alike. A large part of the input from the volunteer will involve reading support – Tateni has a new children’s library and the school library at Makgatho is a busy hub of learning. However, the VIP intern will need to be willing to turn her hand to anything. Maybe she will be peeling spuds to help the food programme at Tateni or helping with a little DIY for the Sisters in the Winterveldt. Good IT skills will be needed, but above all she will need to be very patient – a ‘people person’ with excellent interpersonal skills and a non-judgmental attitude.
Local Soroptimists in South Africa will be on hand to offer support and advice. They want to make sure that the intern has many meaningful experiences and are looking forward to providing some sightseeing and free-time activities.
It is our hope that as many young women as possible hear about this opportunity, so please spread the word.
The application pack can be downloaded (below) and should be returned online to infovipsise@gmail.com by December 12th 2015. Shortlisting will take place in January with Interviews in February
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*UNICEF estimate of the number of children in South Africa who have lost one or both parents through HIV/AIDS
Application Pack can be downloaded here: