Mandela Day Project Painting at Sive Nati Licensed Home for Children

Projek BieTjie Liefde @projekbietjieliefde

BieTjie Liefde is ‘n liefdadigheids projek waar ons met die hulp van vriende en familie uitreik na mense in ons gemeenskap. NPO Reg # 2017/122507/07

https://www.facebook.com/projekbietjieliefde/

Daniel and Friends Fund @danielandfriendsfund.

To provide support and assistance to families affected by special needs, thereby creating the platform for a more intimate special needs community.

https://www.facebook.com/danielandfriendsfund/

DANIEL & FRIENDS FUND (DFF) OVERVIEW

TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN

We thank you for the opportunity to share with you some background information about Daniel and Friends Fund and its key projects and initiatives.

Daniel and Friends Fund is a Non-Profit Organisation which was launched in January 2014 in remembrance of Daniel le Roux, who passed away at the tender age of three due to complications related to Leigh’s Disease[1].

The Fund is driven by directors Lianie le Roux and Kate Laurie who, themselves, are mothers to special needs children, as well as Michelle Philips, who has a passion to make a positive difference. They strive to provide an extensive range of support to other families caring for differently-abled children, with the unique insight provided to them through their own personal experiences. The main areas of support include, but are not limited to:
Emotional support for the entire family through a 24hr online group for the moms, social activities for the whole family, sibling appreciation days, etc.

• Education and empowerment tools facilitated through various workshops, for instance CPR Courses, physiotherapy sessions and relationship counselling in order to equip our parents with the necessary knowledge and confidence needed to care for their families and, especially, their special needs children.
• Financial assistance to relieve, where possible, the often unexpected and overwhelming flood of expenses involved with caring for a child with complicated needs.
• Raising awareness in order to advocate on behalf of our families to society the daunting challenges those affected by disability deal with on a daily basis, as well as to provide a platform for building a stronger, more intimate special needs community. 
• Keeping within our awareness objectives, we created the DIFFERENT IS COOL SCHOOL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN which is a program we present to school-going children. We have found that often ignorance and/or, at times, even contempt is born simply from a fear of not knowing enough about the situation, what to expect and how to behave. Because we believe that empathy and understanding needs to be instilled at a young age, we have designed a program which is both informative & fun, as well as easily related to by young children. The 15-30 minute program carries a profound message & consists of:
  • A short play, which is performed with the help of Minki Burger from Lollos (and whois also a Daniel and Friends Fund Ambassador). The play focuses on misperceptions neuro-typical children might have about children with special needs and the sort of challenges they face, the effects this has on their families and, specifically, siblings (who often find themselves victims of bullying) and also touches on the very controversial use of the word “retard”;

• a short presentation about who Daniel and Friends Fund is;
• a pop quiz based on the presentation for which the pupils can win prizes for correct answers;
• a final interactive demonstration which four children are invited to participate in.

Aside from the above, the Fund is currently committed to various projects as well:

1. Touching The Heart Initiative:

A project headed up by the Fund’s founder, Professor Fourie, which provides a window into the lives of families caring for disabled/medically-fragile children, by means of a coffee-table book. The initiative also includes a fundraising gala event.

2. Different Is Cool Fashion Show:

Which gives differently-abled children the opportunity to shine on the red carpet with wheelchairs, walking aides and doting siblings providing a unique assortment of accessories.

3. Painting It Forward:

A joint initiative with cancer-survivor, Chris Lategan, which co-ordinates a group of artists who raise sponsorships and go out and beautify various children’s facilities (to date including Tygerberg Hospital’s Paediatric Ward, Tygerberg Hospital School and Karl Bremer’s Paediatric Ward).

4. Sive Nathi Home:

A home in Blackheath which provides fulltime care to 40 severely disabled children between the ages of 1-18yrs. Sive Nathi is our annual Shoebox and Mandela day beneficiary.

The public can offer support by pledging time and expertise through voluntary services (e.g. therapists, etc.) or through financial contributions, be it through monetary donations, providing daily essentials (nappies, formula, etc.) or sponsoring equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, etc.). By doing so you will become a Daniel’s Hero.

Our banking details are:
Daniel and Friends Fund,
FNB Business Account,
Acc No. 62457695438
(as a registered Section 18(A) NPO we are able to provide tax certificates)

Kind regards,
Lianie le Roux
Daniel and Friends Fund: Director
Cell:076 331 8474
E-mail: lianiewalters@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/danielandfriendsfund

[1] Also referred to as Leigh syndrome is a severe neurological disorder that usually becomes apparent in the first year of life. This condition is characterized by progressive loss of mental and movement abilities (psychomotor regression) and typically results in death within two to three years, usually due to respiratory failure.