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Women and children benefit from donations in celebration of Women’s Month

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A charity drive by Port Elizabeth’s Jaco Rademeyer Estates (JRE) has seen several local charities receive a much-needed cash injection in a donation aimed primarily at the upliftment of women and children in the community.

Jaco Rademeyer, owner of JRE, has distributed a R20,000 donation between four local charities, including MTR Children’s Home, Walmer Angels, Thandusana Safe Haven and the Children’s Feeding Trust.

Also benefiting from the charity drive is Yokhuselo Haven, to which Rademeyer has pledged R250 for each transaction JRE has completed between November last year and November this year, as part of his involvement in the Greyvenstein’s Givers Gain initiative.

Rademeyer said the charity drive meant a lot to him and his team at JRE.

“We have had a very successful year and celebrated record sales in July,” he said. “Because of this, I felt it was important to give something back to our community, especially as most of the charities in this region rely solely on private donations in order to operate.”

Rademeyer visited MTR Smit to assess the needs of the organisation, which is headed by Dr Crystal Watson.

“Visiting organisations such as MTR Smit makes one realise how much of a need there is for Good Samaritans in the city,” said Rademeyer. “Dr Watson and her team are doing amazing work with very little, as are the teams at Walmer Angles, Thandusana and the Children’s Feeding Trust. These charities and others need support urgently.”

Watson said the home, which cares for more than 100 children, had a R3-million deficit annually. Just 30% of the budget was government-funded, but because funds were so tight, there was zero budget for necessities such as medical care for the children.

“Children arrive here with dire needs, and aside from trauma counselling, they also require medication to help them recover from the environments they have come from,” said Watson.

Despite this, children who were cared for by the home went on to excel at school and in business. A former MTR Smit resident is now doing his Master’s degree music, while another is a youth parliamentarian, Watson said.

Rademeyer said JRE would be continuing with the charity drive, which also extended to organisations caring for stray and neglected animals.

Charity Drive August 2014
Jaco Rademeyer (left) and MTR Smit Children’s Haven head, Dr Crystal Watson (right), chat to some of the children at the haven. The haven is heavily reliant on donations from the public to be able to operate and care for its more than 100 residents.
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.