Goedgedacht

Goedgedacht has three clusters of projects.
 
The first cluster centres around rural poverty alleviation and it aims to give children of farm workers a better future.

This cluster is collectively called  “The Path Out of Poverty Programme”  or
OP POP for short, and is made up a series of interlocking projects.
OP POP has been running since 1998.

We start with parenting skills training and support during pregnancy . Once the child is born we offer a  whole range of different opportunities until he or she enters adulthood. The secret lies in the three golden threads that bind the programme ; education, health and personal development each one of these being woven into the fabric of the projects which make up the programme.
By making every effort to keep children in school we have slashed school drop out rates  - of the 297 children in our programme, only 15 have so far dropped out of school.  By the end of last year we had eight children who had reached matric, five in agricultural learnerships and one of our young achievers admitted to a degree programme in agriculture at Elsenburg. 
Lives of rural children are being transformed. Children are now able to dream of a future, one in which they can make a difference.

● Parenting Skills Training.
Regular courses help parents and young adults to understand the role they have to play as parents. They learn about child development, nurturing, appropriate disciplining and how to release the full potential of their children.
● Crèche for 3-5 year olds.
This unit provides a safe and happy space for small children at this very critical time in their lives. The days are  filled with stimulating activities, good food, games, rest and lots of cuddles.
● Pre-school and Grade R.
Children of farm workers often start off with a range of learning difficulties. We try to give each child at least three years in which to make up any deficit so that they are totally ready for Grade 1.
● Youth work. The “Little Stars”  ..
a life skills project for children aged 6-13.
We place a lot of emphasis on life skills. With this in mind Goedgedacht runs after school, week-end and holiday programmes, to broaden the horizons of our children. We have seen a growing confidence, more curiosity, a deepening sense of compassion for each other and a surge of energy in youngsters exposed to these programmes  
● Youth Work : Tiener Aksie …
 life skills and personal development or youngsters aged 13-16.
This is, as everyone knows a period of great vulnerability, growing awareness of one’s own sexuality, a time for experimentation and being influenced by one’s peer group. Special care  and attention is given to this group and we have seen a marked drop in teenage pregnancies and anti-social behaviour.
These strong and self confident youngsters are now volunteering in their own communities.
● School support – school fees, warm clothes, stationery, school books, outings.
Staying in school as long as possible is absolutely critical. The last thing we want is for our children to drop out of school. So, we make every effort to supply children with what they need to keep them going through the school years.  School clothes, shoes, rainwear, stationery …we want all our children to get the very best out of their school years. It’s the only way to a brighter future.
● After school educational support ..a hot meal each afternoon, a place to shower, homework supervision from highly qualified teachers, computer access and library.
Our youth centre is bursting at the seams. Seventy two children walk the two kilometres up the Goedgedacht drive five afternoons a week to do their homework and get a overdose of affection and support. Very important if you want to find the energy to keep going.

● Sports programme ..the valley eagles, rugby and netball.
We are enthusiastic supporters of sport as an aid to development for a number of good reasons, it’s healthy, it’s character forming, it teaches team work and it’s fun to win occasionally too!.

● e-Pap distribution to 520 hungry preschoolers in the area each day.
Good nutrition is essential for little minds. So many rural children go to school hungry each day.  We provide a nutritious meal a day for all these children at eight different school sites in the area.

● Valley Deli … a project of Tiener Aksie … youth helping youth by making sandwiches each day before school.
Yes for two years now  a group of our older girls from our youth project have been getting up a five o’clock each morning  to make sandwiches for forty other younger children. This level of compassion and discipline is very commendable and a good example of children caring for each other.

● Safe houses for orphans and vulnerable children on farms.
There is alcohol-induced violence on farms over the week-ends. Children , especially the smaller ones, get in the way and can come to harm. Goedgedacht is setting up Safe Houses on farms where children know they can go to for food and safety when their parents are drinking. These houses have proved to be extremely valuable in times of crisis. 

● Home based care and DOTs training for Carers.
HBC training is undertaken by our resident nursing sister. T.B is rampant and people living on farms often need a lot of support to take their medication. Goedgedacht has trained farm worker women as Carers and in the DOTS system so that they can help those suffering from TB and other related illnesses.

● FAS and FAE education to rural communities.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and Foetal Alcohol Effect are at unacceptably high levels in the Western Cape. We make special efforts to train mothers-to-be that drinking during pregnancy is to be avoided at all costs.
 
● HIV/AIDs peer training workshops.
HIV/AIDS prevention and care is one of the core skills embedded in all our projects. Trainers from our youth group run peer HIV/AIDs training for others on a regular basis.
● LOOP – rural comic picture book to bring important
issues to farm workers.
In an attempt to increase literacy and get useful information on a wide range of health and civic issues out to rural people the popular “Weltevreden se Doen en Late” photo-story is published monthly and distributed to 15 000 people.

● Savings and Enumeration project.
Setting up Savings Groups is a great way to build community capacity, promote independence from loan-sharks and Hp salesmen. Our field workers help set up groups and are teaching rural people members ways of gathering information about their communities which are helpful in identifying needs for the future.