Singatha School Uniform Fund

The CINDI SINGATHA School Uniform Fund (Poster, PDF, 126kb)		If you make a donation to Singatha, please email us to let us know...

"In January 2005 the CINDI Network Members worked with Oprah's Angel Network and distributed 9 500 school uniforms to individual children known to the Members whose attendance at school was jeopardised by their inability to buy school uniforms. This project was known as the CINDI Singatha School Uniform Project (Singatha means "to support or embrace one who is vulnerable and sad" in isiZulu).

As a result of the huge impact the Singatha Project had on children (see the quotes in the attached poster) CINDI decided to build on the initiative by creating a special Singatha School Uniform Fund, which has been kickstarted this year through seed funding from Oprah's Angel Network. In order to raise awareness about the Fund and encourage donations by businesses (especially as CINDI has Section 18a Tax Exemption), service clubs, churches, schools and individuals; we are selling CINDI/Singatha lanyards during the run-up to Valentine's Day with the slogan "Put your money where your heart is" for R20 ea - and Min Ina Cronje has graciously agreed to assist us by promoting the lanyards and the Fund.

Please note that CINDI is only able to take referrals in respect of vulnerable children from CINDI Members. Subject to sufficient funding, we will help the Member buy the uniforms for specific children known to the Member - there is however a caveat for the CINDI Member ie the CINDI Member will have to ensure that where appropriate, they have helped the child to secure her/his right to school fee exemption and/or a Child Support Grant as per the attached form. The Member will thereafter have to report to CINDI accordingly.

To secure publicity for the Fund, we will be selling CINDI Singatha lanyards at 3 outlets of Jonathan's SPAR and Keith Wimble's SPAR at Hayfields prior, during and after Valentine's Day.

If any school, business or individual would like to 'put their money where their hearts are" and buy a quantity of lanyards for resale, Siya Ngubane at the CINDI Network Office would be happy to facilitate their order. Contact Siya on 345 7994 or Siya Ngubane
E-mail Address(es):reception@cindi.org.za

Oprah's Angels make sure KZN kids get school clothes

Deputy Mayor Zanele Hlatswayo (left) became an 'angel' for the day when she joined a team of volunteers at the Royal Showgrounds picking and packing school uniforms donated by Oprah's Angel Network. She is pictured here with Siya Ngubane (centre) of the Children in Distress (Cindi) Network, a co-ordinator on the project that will see over 8 500 children in KwaZulu-Natal get uniforms, and Cindi director Yvonne Spain (right). Oprah's Angel Network had contacted Cindi asking if they were able to identify individual children who were affected by HIV/Aids and poverty and who could not afford uniforms. According to Spain, the children were identified by 17 Cindi member organisations, including the Msunduzi Municipality and the Regional Office of the KwaZulu-Natal Welfare Department.

"Thanks to the generosity of Oprah and her Angels, individual children in over 220 schools in the province will be receiving a personalised gift of a pair of trousers or tunic or skirt, two shirts, a jersey, three pairs of socks and brand new shoes," said Spain. Hlatswayo praised the local 'angels' & volunteers from churches, schools and organisations, who have been hard at work during the past two weeks packing uniforms at the PMB Tourism Hall at the Showgrounds. "This project shows that there is a lot of goodwill in our city and that the spirit of volunteerism lives on," said the deputy mayor who arrived dressed in jeans, T-shirt and comfy shoes ready to do her share of packing.

The Witness 12 Jan 2005