I KAYA LOTHANDO

Minutes of meeting 4.12.2007 (18:30 – 21:00)

Henry, Angelika, Lydia, Olaf

Present: Lydia Makombe, Henry McCombi, Olaf and Angelika Freiwald
Apologies: Zoe Harrison

The focus of this meeting was to see how the project had progressed and what the intentions of both parties are to become involved in Smutsville/Sizamile, especially the interest in Lydia Makombe’s soup kitchen.

Henry McCombi expressed his gratitude for our involvement and the love we give to the children of their community and he is proud to have us as friends. He summarised how we got to know each other and what has happened since 2004. The soup kitchen has been in operational for 18 years and we were able to improve the facilities. The idea of a play school for street children came to being early 2006, decided in a meeting, carried out and handed over in April 2007.

The stockpiling of furniture e.g. mattresses, tables and chairs to improve the facilities, was to be undertaken before the end of November 2007.

In addition, Henry declared that the donations be unconditional, that Lydia Makombe is the Director of the play school and that no information regarding the play school be released to the press without their prior consent. Furthermore he stated that the church has the right to allow or refuse access to the premises.

We responded by informing Henry that the donations are definitely conditional. The donations are exclusively for the poor, street children and Aids orphans. We stressed the fact that we are a group of individuals with the intention of assisting the poor and that the collecting of funds from Europe is based upon these requirements being met.

We are pleased to see that the 40 children of the play school do not need any more support as these children have parents who work and are able to pay the play school fees. The children are not infected with the HIV virus and the school is now self-supporting. Under these circumstances, the need for further financial assistance is no longer required.

We are, however, gladly prepared to assist Lydia with courses in hygiene, nutrition, health and creative thinking.

It was decided to arrange the presents, e.g. school satchels, etc. for the graduation party and to organise the annual Christmas party. The financial support and donations in kind would thus end on 20 December 2007.