General

New bus for Thabang Children’s Project

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Right to left: Ms Beauty Maguga, Mr Radikwega Selomo (Community Leader Smash Block), Ms Sarah Morrison, Ward Councilor Annah Makola, Ms Priscilla Pholoto (Head of Sustainable Development, Kumba), Ms Lerato Thobejani (Communications Officer, Kumba) with Home Base Carers (in red shirts) and kids
Right to left: Ms Beauty Maguga, Mr Radikwega Selomo (Community Leader Smash Block), Ms Sarah Morrison, Ward Councilor Annah Makola, Ms Priscilla Pholoto (Head of Sustainable Development, Kumba), Ms Lerato Thobejani (Communications Officer, Kumba) with Home Base Carers (in red shirts) and kids

THABAZIMBI – A brand new 22-seater Iveco bus has been handed over to the Thabang Children’s Project by the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund and Kumba Iron Ore. The ceremony, on Thursday 27 August 2009, took place at the Thabang Youth Centre. Kumba Iron Ore is a major contributor to the AAC Fund and is represented on its board. The bus will be used to transport patients to the wellness clinic as well as for the Thabang children. Thabang’s home-based care program in the informal settlement Smash Block co-ordinates a Support Group of people living with HIV and transports these patients on a weekly basis to the nearest ARV roll out hospital in Thabazimbi, which is 35 km away from their community. Presently Thabang runs about 100 patients to the hospital and back every month. Furthermore the bus will carry Thabang’s soccer team to trainings and matches. And it will be useful for outings of the children like to the Bela Bela Forever Resort or the Pretoria Zoo. In her speech Ms Sarah Morrison, manager of the AAC Fund, underlined that “the bus that we hand over today is symbolic of something much bigger – of the initiative of the people of greater Thabazimbi in realising that proper development means working across different things, and drawing them together. And so the wheels of life go ‘round and ‘round.” Ms Morrison stressed that the AAC Fund will continue working directly with projects such as Thabang that are able to deliver. “The best that corporate social investors can hope for”, she went on saying, “is to increase opportunity or to expand possibilities. The real victories come afterwards and always and only through remarkable and dedicated individuals.” Mr Derek Torlage, Trustee of the Thabang Children’s Home Trust and Child Commissioner of Thabazimbi, reminded the audience of the small beginnings of the Thabang Project which now has become a household name in the Thabazimbi region. In very warm words he thanked all players – Thabang staff and management, the members of the Community Committee and the Trustees as well as the donors – for their role and good work in bringing this about.