WUCT Newsletter July 2010

The program has included upward soccer, a talk on safety by the SA Police, a treasure hunt, hip hop, danceathon, face painting, more soccer, netball, hoola hooping, movies, more soccer…. The children are fed at lunchtime with soup, sandwiches, fruit, juice, cakes, and lots of prizes have been handed out! A group of 6 English football supporters visited Westlake and played soccer with the children – needless to say, everyone had lots of fun – AND the children won!!!

On Friday 9 April, Mr Stewart van Graan, the CEO of Dell SA officially handed over of 14 brand new computers for our computer room/internet café. Dave Barnes, our Manager, said that the internet café has been a dream for the past 2 years. It’s a very exciting project, a first in Westlake. It’s a gateway to employment for the people living here. Dave also said it will be a joint venture between WUCT, Dell, Silulo IT and Steenberg Estate, who, through a chain of events, introduced him to Dell. The first computer training course will start on Monday April 26 by Silulo IT, a company based in Khayelitsha. They have considerable experience in running computer courses, as well as internet cafes in various areas of Cape Town.

David Gray, Chairman of the board of WUCT, said “it will be interesting to watch the progress of the community now they have the opportunity to search for jobs. I can see this room becoming the most popular in the centre”.

After the handover, all the guests were shown around the building and all the various activities taking place at WUCT. Eleanor, the principal of Emmanuel Educare, then treated them to a scrumptious tea!

We would like to thank Dell for this incredible donation, which will change the lives of many people living in Westlake.

I first met Nozipho in 2002 when Linah Jokazi asked me to go and visit a very sick woman in Westlake, who needed help. She told me her name was Nozipho and that she had TB and she was also HIV positive. She said she had 2 children in the Eastern Cape. They needed clothes and she didn’t have a job and didn’t know what to do, but she did believe in Jesus. We prayed together and she said she had hope. I told my church, St Martin’s, I had met a woman who was HIV positive and she needed our help. The church gave me food and clothes for her and her children.

I didn’t know much about HIV then, and I didn’t know anyone else who was
HIV positive. But it was because of Nozipho that I started finding out about HIV and AIDS. She told me the clinic wanted to start a support group. There were only 6 people in the support group and we decided to call it ITHEMBA for HOPE. Jenny and Alice, Bridget and Mary, all from St Martin’s, came to help in Westlake and because Nozipho wanted to learn to sew, we started a little crafts group in a garage in Westlake. More and more people wanted to come and do sewing and beadwork, and we learnt more about HIV and AIDS. At the time, people in Westlake called her MRS AIDS. But she never lost hope, and she started taking ARV’s in 2004, and her health improved. Her CD 4 count went up to 1000! We now know over 200 people who are HIV positive in Westlake.

Nozipho loved sewing and was always at the hall sewing bags, mats, traditional skirts, and umbacos.

She said to me ‘more and more people are coming to tell me they are HIV positive, and I say they must join the support group’. She loved the support group, and she was always encouraging everyone in the group. She led by example and people looked up to her. Even in the Eastern Cape when she went there, she would come back saying all the people wanted to talk to her about HIV and find out about the support group in Westlake. She was never afraid to openly disclose her status and even in hospital, she would tell people in the ward and they would come and ask her questions. I believe it would have been her wish that more people would talk about their status.

She loved children, always bringing lots of children to church every Sunday. She would bring Nothemba’s children, Kanya and Luve, Nombedesho’s child, Pinky, Rachel’s children, Lebo and Cwenga, and Inga, and all their friends! She wanted the children to know and love Jesus like she did.

She was so proud of her own 2 children, Yamkela and Kamva. She was always so excited to go and see them in the Eastern Cape, and this year they have come to live in Cape Town. We must take care of her children. They now do not have a mother or a father.

Nozipho’s name means ‘gift’, and she was a gift to us all. She was an inspiration to us, a shining light, always smiling, always had hope – in Jesus. She loved coming to church. A lot of people here at St Martin’s prayed for her. She had courage to fight HIV – with faith and trust and always hope in the Lord.

Nozipho, Somdala, sister in Christ and a special friend of mine. A woman of God. We will miss you, Nozipho, here at St Martin’s, and at Westlake.

And to the family, I say Yoxolo Inkosi ibe nawe. (May the peace of Jesus be with you).

This was a tribute read at Nozipho’s memorial service at St Martin’s Church, Bergvliet, on Thursday 25 March 2010 by Di Forrester. Read Nozipho’s story here.

Here’s our latest newsletter, edited by Dave Barnes, our multi-skilled manager, and his capable assistant Andrew Preston (AMP) – what would we do without his invaluable computer skills?!

As you can see, we continue to be frantically busy with various activities, events, parties, etc!

We wish all our friends a wonderful and blessed Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful New Year.

Watch out for all the exciting things about to happen in Westlake in 2010!!! More renovations….