Qaqambani: Great challenges, greater hope

One of the most inspiring aspects of the projects we support is the extreme generosity and community spirit of the “Mamas” who have dedicated their lives to taking in and caring for children who have nowhere else to go. Mrs. Mankayi of Qaqambani Safe Home in Khayelitsha is no exception. She and her husband have [...]

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Mandela Park and QQ Section Community Creches: Learning new skills!

As any educator knows, constant learning is the key to effective teaching. In order to help the teachers at Mandela Park Community Creche (Pre-School) and QQ Section Community Creche best respond to the needs of their children, CHOSA helped them connect with an Early Childhood Development (ECD) training program. The course will run for the [...]

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Abaphumeleli: Exciting steps toward further growth and stability

For the past two years, CHOSA has been working in the township of Khayelitsha with Abaphumeleli Safe Home. Abaphumeleli is home to 26 children who have been orphaned, abused, neglected, or who otherwise have no secure place to live. Mrs. Evelyn Makazi began to support these children out of her own home in 2004, and [...]

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Welcome to Elena, our new CHOSA Fellow!

CHOSA is excited to welcome our new CHOSA Fellow, Elena Echevarria, to Cape Town! After a wonderful year with our first Fellow, Abbie Heffelfinger, Elena joined our Project Coordinator, Solitude Dasie, and Community Coordinators Jared Sacks and Zukie Mabuya to contribute to CHOSA’s important work. Elena is a human rights advocate from Mexico City. She [...]

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Introducing CHOSA’s Newest Family Members!

As CHOSA Regional Director Rob Rosenbaum progresses toward the date of his departure, part of his handover process includes training and transitioning two new CHOSA team members to take up his role. Abbie Heffelfinger and Solitude Dasie officially began work on January 24, 2011 and have spent the past few weeks soaking up all they [...]

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QQ Section: Struggle to rebuild shacks

Jan 20, 2011 | Michael Nkalane | Sowetan A Cape Town community is struggling to pick up the pieces after a raging fire destroyed 134 shacks and their community creche last month The shacks of QQ Section informal settlement in Khayelitsha are built directly under enormous electricity pylons – a health hazard to residents. Community [...]

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CHOSA-Supported Day-Care Center Destroyed by Fire: 500 People Left Homeless!

A terrible tragedy struck the community of QQ Section, Khayelitsha on the night of 7th December, 2010. A fire swept through the settlement in a matter of minutes, wiping out some 100 shacks and completely destroying the QQ Community Creche (Day Care Center) that CHOSA had assisted the community to build and operate. According to [...]

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From the Desk of the Regional Director

Dear CHOSA Friends and Supporters,  As we open the New Year of 2011  – I’d like to look back on our work in 2010 – a historic year for both CHOSA and South Africa – and look ahead to CHOSA in the coming year and beyond. Before I begin, I want to welcome our new [...]

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One More Day to Support the Children in 2010!

Dear CHOSA Supporters & Family Members! Warm Festive Greetings! It’s that time of year again when we are all celebrating important family holidays and working hard to finish whatever the current year still requires of us, while preparing our hopes, dreams and plans for the coming New Year. A few months ago we wrote to [...]

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Weekend Warriors Perform for a Different Kind of Audience

In early October, CHOSA had the exciting opportunity to welcome the Weekend Warriors to Cape Town. WW joined CHOSA’s afterschool program to put on a concert for the kids. We threw a couple of guitars into the van and decided to see what would happen. WW ended up putting on an acoustic concert for the 40 or so kids who were at practice that day. It was a HUGE hit and the kids were singing their songs well into the weekend.

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