Hope restored after 5 years of struggle

Five-year-old Minnie (not her real name) has been a part of the Abraham Kriel Bambanani (AKB) Community Care programme since age one. Like many children in our care, Minnie, is not from a nuclear family. Minnie lives with eight other family members in a four-room house in Zola, Soweto. The family depends on social grants (older person and child support grants) to make ends meet. At the time of her birth, her mother was a drug addict and left Minnie with her grandmother. Minnie’s mother did not register her birth, and this prevented her grandmother from applying for a child support grant to help feed and clothe her. It has been a strenuous five years for Minnie and her grandmother. The staff and donors of AKB is the family’s “anchor of hope.” The Soweto Family Care program provides the family with psychosocial services such as counseling, nutritional support through home-cooked meals, and essential material support. AKB assisted the family with registering Minnie’s birth, and she finally received a birth certificate. Minnie can now enroll in a preschool, and her grandmother can apply for a child support grant. With the help and guidance from the staff at AKB, Minnie’s mother was admitted to a rehabilitation facility and received help for her drug addiction. We are always grateful to share these stories. They give us hope and assurance that we are making a difference and impacting the lives of the people we serve. Minnie and her family are blessed to have donors who are able and willing to lend a helping hand. Thank you for supporting little Minnie and her family for five years and contributing to Minnie’s brighter future. With YOU in our corner, we know Minnie and others like her have an “anchor of hope”.