A major community project that ACS-Embrace supports on an on-going basis is the Ikhwezilokusa ("bright morning star") Home and School, located in the Vaal Triangle, in De Deur, Meyerton. The home cares for psychologically disabled children, youths and adults, as well as children with learning problems and comprises a children’s home, adults home, special care centre and two schools. Approximately 200 individuals are assisted on a daily basis. Most of these people have been dumped or abandoned here. With a hands-on approach, ACS-Embrace continues to contribute significantly towards improving the Home on many levels.
The ACS-Embrace social responsibility team has over the past few weeks been busy sewing pillow cases and personalising pillows for all at the Ikhwezilokusa Home. One of the meeting rooms at ACS House was transformed into a sewing centre as team members’ setup sewing machines and overlock machines. The fabric was laid out, measured and cut to size, needles were threaded and the huge task of making 200 pillow cases began. The fabric easily glided in and out of the machine as the needles jumped up and down, stitching the pieces into place. A production line was formed and as pillow cases were completed, they were folded and stacked in preparation for delivery.
On the other side of the room, a personalised pillow was being allocated to each patient and care-giver. Their name and the meaning of their name were etched onto these good quality and comfortable pillows.
Meanwhile other team members were out buying Chelsea buns, juices and other treats. These, along with the pillows and pillow cases were loaded into staff cars and the team set out to visit the Home.
As always, they received a warm welcome and were met with much excitement. Those who were able assisted in unpacking the cars and taking everything inside. All the other patients were brought into the main hall where the team were able to address them and hand over the pillows. After that – it was party time and everybody was thrilled to receive a fruit juice and snack. To show their appreciation, they started clapping and broke into song. For the team – this was an incredible and heart-warming experience!
This was followed by a tour of the home and school. Everything was clean, tidy and well looked after. The small classrooms were a hive of activity as therapists and care-givers took on the challenge of working with their profoundly disabled patients – a thankless task but “just one smile makes it all worthwhile”!
Having witnessed many smiles we were able to embrace and share some of the joy we had delivered.