We knew that we had set ourselves something of a challenge when Region decided to launch the VIP (Volunteering in Pretoria) project. Finding the most suitable candidate to support women and children in the Gauteng Province of South Africa in a voluntary capacity was never going to be easy.
Firstly, we had to overcome the obstacle of Soroptimist International being a ‘very well kept secret’! You can imagine the puzzled expressions and the comments – “Who are these people who want to send our daughter to foreign parts?” Also, VIP is a new initiative with no history and no available feedback from previous volunteers. How do you attract enthusiastic applicants to such a scheme? How do you persuade colleges and universities to promote the project, instead of pressing the ‘delete’ button?
But then Mia came along. She is a student at Godalming College and will be 18 in July. Alexis Neville, Sue Dyer and I interviewed her in March and were of one mind. We had found the right candidate.
Mia has a sunny nature, wonderful people skills, is a good communicator and above all she is really keen to roll up her sleeves and get involved in the three VIP placements. She has her feet firmly on the ground and understands the need to listen to every bit of advice about personal safety. She is not fazed by the prospect of living with a host family in the township of Saulsville or with the Sisters of Mercy in the Winterveldt. The thought of moving from the busy of the township to the quiet life with the Sisters, does not appear to worry Mia at all. We believe that she is the kind of girl who will adjust and enjoy the challenges of each new environment.
Spending nine months in South Africa will enable Mia to make the most of her interest in photography and we can all look forward to seeing her monthly blog with pictures. The creativity of the Mapula project will really appeal to her and all three placements* will allow her caring nature to flourish.
It has been suggested that Mia should arrive in Pretoria on Oct 15th. Further dates have yet to be decided, but the longest stay will be with Tateni Home Care Services.
Soroptimists in Pretoria and Tshwane are waiting to welcome Mia and will make sure that she is well looked after during her stay.
Whilst SISE Clubs will be sponsoring the project, Mia will be raising £1,000 towards the overall costs of the initiative and pay for her insurance and any medical expenses that are incurred before she can travel.
The group of SISE members that went out to South Africa in 2013 on a study tour hoped that there would be some positive outcomes from their trip. VIP is that outcome. It is really exciting to think that something so meaningful has come out of the two weeks that we spent visiting Soroptimist led community projects across the country – from Cape Town to Pretoria. SISE has strong friendship links with South Africa and this initiative will strengthen those links even more. It is good to know that together we are able to make a difference – educate, enable and empower. It’s partnership working at its very best.
Barbara Watts
April 2016
* Placements
- Tateni Home Care Services in Mamelodi. Mia will live with and travel with Soroptimist Regina Mogkogong, the Director of Tateni whilst she’s there. She will help with administration in the mornings and support staff in the afterschool club and library in the afternoons. She will also be able to help with home visits.
- Makgatho Primary School. Soroptimist Jane Tsharane is Prinicipal. Mia will join other volunteers helping with students’ reading in the library and with IT.
- Sisters of Mercy in the Winterveldt. There are all kinds of opportunities here – working in the diabetes or HIV clinics, on the bread run that takes food parcels to the poorest of the local families and with the Mapula embroidery project, which is part of the joint SI and Sisters’ social enterprise initiative .