25 October 2014 : Christmas in October

This year, several organisations benefited from the B&V Christmas in October day:-

Tshepo y Bana Orphanage 

Makhulong Child Centre, Mamalodi

SOS Children's Village, Mamalodi

Soccer pitch for Edendale School

Much hard work was involved, but many people volunteered and as  you can see from the pictures below - we made a difference.

(More pictures are available here.)

Makhulong Children's Centre, Edendale, Mamelodi

Planting a grass field at the Edendale School, Mamelodi

14 September 2014 : Black & Veatch Golf Day

Much work and effort went into our major fund raising event of the year.  Many B&V spouses are now involved with several charities and they all need cash.  A fantastic amount was raised with many generous B&V families contributing generously to the auction items.  We will be diverting these funds over the next few months.

More pictures are available here.

20 May 2014 : Reaching out to an Informal Settlement, Mamelodi

The friends of SOS visited this informal settlement in Mamelodi and delivered some much needed blankets and food items.  These families are part of the SOS Village outreach program and we hope these blankets will help them get through the winter. 

It was a rewarding afternoon for all involved.

Some of the children we helped today

16 May 2014 : SOS Accessories and Scientists of the Future

We ran three classes again this month:  Science, sewing and painting for the smaller children.  News of the previous classes had spread throughout the village and this month around 50 children attended the Friday afternoon activities.

The sewing classes saw the children making purses with a snapper.  Many of the 7 girls who attended last month also bought along the bags they'd made previously.

Children show off the purses they made this week

The science class this month combined practical scientific facts, food and fun! The group made their own ice cream, learning that salt drops the temperature of ice below 0 degrees C, making it cold enough to freeze cream and numb your fingers! They also conducted a density experiment where they created a colorful column of seven distinct liquids. The big finish was walking on eggs. The children were the stars of the show as they walked across five dozen eggs!

Scientists in the making

  

Making ice-cream (noisily!)

Some of the artwork made by the smaller children: 

Painting

11 April 2014 : Workshops Fun Day!

The BV SOS Friends started a series of educational and social activities for the children at the SOS Village. 

In April, three workshops were introduced:

1. Science Fun Club- a class for middle school children that taught the fun of science. Children learned to to make an exploding baking soda volcano. Another activity consisted of creating a vacuum in a bottle and magically inserting an egg through the narrow neck!

Making a volcano in the SOS Village!

2. Sewing Class- a class for fashionable girls that were willing to make their own purses from scratch! During this class, the girls learned how to use fabric patterns, use a sewing machine and embellish the fabulous purses they made for themselves!

The finished bags!

3. Arts and Crafts Workshop- specially for the little ones! Our future artists put their imagination and work and developed all sorts of figures out of home-made play dough.

Having fun with play dough

11 February 2014 : Happy Valentines Day!

The SOS Friends introduced the children of House 4 to this very warm tradition: Valentine card making and cookie decorating.

The children not only developed beautiful creations but they also had a blast enjoying the cookies.

Making cookies and cards for Valentines Day

5 December 2013 : Merry African Christmas to the Children of House 4!

Christmas at the Farm Inn

19 November 2013 : Thanksgiving Day

Roberta and Sheila led this activity at House No. 4 and gave the children some help and experience in trying cookery.  A delicious pie was made and whilst it was cooking, we all considered what makes us 'thankful' for what we have in our life.

The children were frank and we got an emotional insight of what our trips to the SOS Village mean to them.

Thanksgiving at House 4

13 November 2013 : Supply Drive

When the children of another orphanage were tragically poisoned, SOS was called on to help provide for the care of these children.

Our SOS Committee sprang into action and with the help of the amazing BV Community here, we packed a large vehicle to the brim with many much needed supplies for the infants and children that would find a safe place to be cared for at SOS. 

Emergency supplies collected by the BV Community in 24 hours

12 October 2013 : Volunteer Week - Christmas in October

During volunteer week in October 2013, over 100 BV professionals and family members volunteered to remodel and update 7 of the houses as well as the green space in the SOS Village. Some of the work included painting, tiling, electrical work, plumbing, gardening, and redecorating.

As a result of this effort the quality of  life of the children and staff living in the SOS Village was significantly improved!

Christmas in October!