SERVE A VILLAGE

In May 2009, representatives of Serve a Village (SAV) met with the Director and Parents' Association representative for Restweletse Day Care Center in Magareng, South Africa to assess and prioritize the needs of the center. The structure used for this preschool is an old deserted railroad warehouse. Many of the walls no longer existed, almost all of the windows were broken, there were serious cracks in the walls and ceilings and the latrines were unusable. The labor department was threatening to close the preschool down, leaving the children, many of whom are HIV/AIDS orphans, nowhere to go during the day.

With the funding available from SAV, it was decided that new windows, the repair of a portion of the roof that was threatening to collapse, and sealing of wall cracks were the top priorities. More than 100 window panes were replaced, the roof was bolstered and cracks were filled, making the structure much safer and warmer for the children during the chilly winter months. SAV representatives also delivered a shipment of wooden toys and balls to the children of the Retsweletse Day Care, as well as t-shirts and book bags for the daycare staff members.

SAV's goal is now to raise funds to paint the walls, provide new latrines and outdoor playground equipment. Eventually we hope to build a new, asbestos free structure for the children of Magareng.

The Northern Virginia Diaper Bank is a project of Serve a Village. The goal of this project is to provide a reliable and adequate supply of free diapers to families in need living in Fairfax County, Virginia. We provide diapers to social service organizations that are already helping low-income families through active comprehensive programs and services.