Due to the dramatic increase in demand for our services as a result of the many people in Mpumalanga and the rest of South Africa who have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the deteriorating economy in general, we receive many more calls for medical assistance and baby food.
Our donation income has shrunk markedly since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, while the demand for our services skyrocketed.
Our traditional methods of fund-raising – such as golf days, gala dinners with auctions, etc – are no longer allowed under lockdown regulations, forcing us to rethink and restructure our fund-raising methodology.
Paediatric care Africa does not receive any financial assistance or grants from the South African government and we have to fully generate our own income and funds.
We have an annual 7036km charity motorbike ride around South Africa every February to collect funds for children’s medical treatment, but that generates only a fraction of the funds required by us to ensure that we can help the defenceless children we promised to help.
The promise to help children who are sick, hungry and defenceless was made by Dr Andre Hattingh almost 30 years ago, during a period he spend as a volunteer doctor in Rwanda during the genocide, and he is absolutely resolute to keep that promise to help our children, even if it means himself riding on a tractor for 2500km to be able to do so.
Our children need help and it may be your child or your neighbour’s child in desperate need next.
We received a very welcome and generous sponsorship from John Deere South Africa and MASCOR in Rockies Drift White River, who sponsored us with a brand new 6095B John Deere tractor, enabling us to ride through five provinces for an estimated distance of 2500km on a John Deere tractor with a trailer as part of our first “Track–Tor” charity campaign.
We start at White River Square in White River on Sunday, May 2, at 9am and end at White River Square in White River on Saturday , May 15, at about 1pm.
The purpose of this ride is threefold:
1. To create awareness and collect funds for children in South Africa who require medical treatment and baby food. We facilitated over 320 children last year to see a private medical doctor or specialist at an average cost of R1400 per visit for consultation, medicine and lab tests. We furthermore arrange surgeries for children; respond to disasters such as Cyclone Idai / Cyclone Eloise in Limpopo, the fires in the Free State in Hertzogville and surrounding areas, and the Covid-19 pandemic (which we view as a natural disaster); and we supply baby food to babies whose parents have lost their jobs due to Covid, parents who are poor, or babies who live in care centres. We have hand-delivered 133 tons of food parcels to persons in food distress during the recent lockdowns.
2. To create awareness of the 1014 children being killed in SA every year and 1184 children who are subjected to attempted murder every year. 24,387 sexual offences were committed against children last year, 7815 children were assaulted with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, and 10,829 cases of common assault were reported against children last year – 2019/2020 SAPS statistics
3. To draw International attention to farm murders, as farm murders in South Africa is a major problem that affects all of us and that must absolutely be stopped. Children of farmers are often traumatised by these events. (we support TJ Marais and the 911 riders on their quest to reduce farm murders in South Africa). We need to raise at least R250,000 to be able to let the children who requires urgent medical care receive the medical and surgical treatment they so desperately need and deserve.
We cannot do this alone, and we ask for your help to enable us to help the children and people who rely on us for help.
How can you get involved:
The children in our communities need your help and plead for your assistance!
• Sponsor our tractor rider, Dr Andre Hattingh, per kilometre he travels by tractor.
• Make a once-off or monthly donation to help us to help defenceless children.
• We call on all farmer unions and organisations along our tractor route to support our efforts.
We also welcome donations in the form of livestock such as sheep or cattle to us, that we can sell off.
• Donate baby food (all types).
• Donate baby milk (all types), as many mothers are not able to breastfeed their children due to medical reasons.
• Donate diesel for this “On Track-Tor” charity tractor ride.
• Become a volunteer with Paediatric care Africa.
• Hospitals and doctors can assist us with pro bona treatment or surgery for children, as part of their CSR programmes and initiatives.
Our intended route:
2nd May 2021: White River / Nelspruit to Burgersfort via Sabie and Lydenburg
3rd May 2021: Burgersfort to Mokopane (Potgietersrus)
4th May 2021: Potgietersrus (Mokopane) to Thabazimbi
5th May 2021: Thabazimbi to Koster
6th May 2021: Koster to Wolmaransstad
7th May 2021: Wolmaransstad to Boshof
8th May 2021: Boshof (stay over x 2 nights)
9th May 2021: Boshof to Winburg
10th May 2021: Winburg to Clarens
11th May 2021: Clarens to Colenso
12th May 2021: Colenso to Kingsley via Dundee
13th May 2021: Kingsley to Piet Retief
14th May 2021: Piet Retief to Badplaas
15th May 2020: Badplaas to White river via R33 & R38
Please visit www.pediatriccareafrica.org for full information or please phone our office on 0762295663
