Children of Fire opened their hearts and gave beautiful hand-knitted sweaters for infants and toddlers to an underprivileged community in the Joe Slovo informal settlement.
The jerseys were made by British pensioners who support the 100-year-old Lions Club in Northwood, London.
Children of Fire founder Bronwen Jones said she travels to the United Kingdom with children who need surgery, which South Africa can no longer provide.
“When I was there, I liaised with other charities and churches who sometimes want to assist in our work. There are 1,4 million members who belong to the organisation across the world. However, there is a local club which is found in most cities and towns,” said Jones.
She explained this organisation has been donating pullovers to babies from Auckland Park for some time. The pullovers do not only keep the babies warm but when the elderly citizens open their hearts to knit them they also warm the hearts of many mothers. The club members also collect textbooks and story books for children.
“Some of the books go to our sister charity, the Johannesburg School for Blind, Low Vision, and Multiple Disability Children. The donation also supports our weekly literacy scheme in Joe Slovo,” said Jones.
Burn-survivor Sizwe Jones also volunteers for the club every week by selling bric-a-brac in order to assist various charities. Volunteer Franklin Mochadibane said he feels there is so much racism in South Africa at the moment, but they have found white people to be endlessly kind to disadvantaged children.
“The fact that people in their seventies with arthritis can be bothered about babies living thousands of kilometers away, is amazing. I hope they [somehow] get to read our thanks online because they really inspire me. Locally our biggest need is reliable volunteers; the elderly are the most consistent. I wish my generation would step up and do a bit more,” said Mochadibane.
People who wish to teach children how to read in the local squatter camps on Sunday mornings can contact Children of Fire.
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Details: firechildren@icon.co.za
