Lebogang Crèche near Johannesburg South Africa
Lebogang is a crèche in an informal settlement near Johannesburg
that caters for 60 or so pre-school children aged six months to six years.
It was started by a couple of settlement women who saw the need for child-care
so that mothers could go out to look for work.
Lebogang is a crèche in an informal settlement near Johannesburg South Africa that caters for 60 or so pre-school children aged six months up to six years.
It was started by a couple of settlement women who saw the need for child-care so that mothers could go out to look for work. A disused house was given for them to use and a nearby church began to support the crèche by buying in basic groceries so that the kids get a midday meal every day.
River Writer Hilary Kite's sister Renee, who volunteers at the crèche, asked her friends to give money towards a picnic for the kids, as her 60th birthday present. When the River Writers heard about the idea, the members wanted to do something constructive. Towards the end of 2013 an Australia/ Africa evening was organised to raise money for a Christmas party and presents for the children and their teachers. In fact the money has stretched to two parties so far with some left over still to be used.
This crèche provides a caring environment for children aged 6 months to 6 years from very poor backgrounds. The crèche employs four dedicated teachers and a cook to provide the children with well balanced meals each day.
Sponsorship of three baby elephants through the Sheldrick Trust Kenya.
Elephants, like humans babies are totally dependent on their mothers until at least three years old.
The River Writers have sponsored Kamok who was found when only one day old. Zongoloni was eighteen months old when she was found standing guard over the body of her collapsed and dying mother.
While their start in life is tragic, their new family gives them hope and love. These two elephants like those before them will go on to join wild herds and be totally integrated back into the wild elephant world.
Early
morning on Sunday the 8th September 2013 Angela Sheldrick received a call
about a new born calf that had apparently walked into
Kiparo Boma on Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia. The calf was new
born, very unstable on her legs, and in search of food and comfort.
The mystery was that no elephants remained in the area.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust immediately mobilized a rescue team and flew to Ol Pejeta, a 40 minute flight from Nairobi. The calf was already waiting for the rescue team on the Ol Pejeta airfield having been transported there by Ol Pejeta Scouts. The DSWT Keepers immediately gave the hungry baby a bottle of milk and then prepared her for the journey home, ensuring that she was placed on a drip for the duration of the flight to boost her strength further.
On arrival at the Nursery it was clear that her limbs were compromised, with her joints not as strong as they should be, and we think this is the reason her mother and herd had abandoned her as she simply would not have been able to keep up with the herd. These difficult decisions have to be made in the wild and a herd cannot be encumbered by anything that may compromise the safety of the family as a whole. New born elephant calves need to be capable of traveling over 20 km just 24 hours after birth. This has been seen graphically illustrated with ex-orphans now living wild; it is surprising just what is expected from a newborn infant while observing their wild born babies. This little one day old girl was called Kamok.
KEEPERS DIARY 29 March 2015 - All the elephants have their role to play within the orphan herd. Kithaka is especially naughty but he has his own special role to play. He is very playful and perhaps this helps to keep the very relaxed elephants a little more active. Balguda, a very polite and quiet boy, is not usually very playful but today Kithaka enticed him into some long and fun filled games. They played mounting and wrestling games together from the time they left their stockades until morning milk at 9am.
Mwashoti finally got his chance to go out into the park with his peers. This was a big decision given how bad his wound it is, but a healthy happy mind is just as important to ensure the healing process continues. At 2pm Kamok, Ashaka, Dupotto, Mbegu and Murit returned to the stockades to collect the wounded limping boy. He was very happy to be going out with them, and loved being out but remained close to his Keepers. He fed well and was clearly very happy with this development. Mbegu and Dupotto took great care of him although Kamok, Ashaka and Murit did not show much interest. Mwashoti behaved very well out in the park and was escorted back by the same group of orphans in the evening.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust immediately mobilized a rescue team and flew to Ol Pejeta, a 40 minute flight from Nairobi. The calf was already waiting for the rescue team on the Ol Pejeta airfield having been transported there by Ol Pejeta Scouts. The DSWT Keepers immediately gave the hungry baby a bottle of milk and then prepared her for the journey home, ensuring that she was placed on a drip for the duration of the flight to boost her strength further.
On arrival at the Nursery it was clear that her limbs were compromised, with her joints not as strong as they should be, and we think this is the reason her mother and herd had abandoned her as she simply would not have been able to keep up with the herd. These difficult decisions have to be made in the wild and a herd cannot be encumbered by anything that may compromise the safety of the family as a whole. New born elephant calves need to be capable of traveling over 20 km just 24 hours after birth. This has been seen graphically illustrated with ex-orphans now living wild; it is surprising just what is expected from a newborn infant while observing their wild born babies. This little one day old girl was called Kamok.
KEEPERS DIARY 29 March 2015 - All the elephants have their role to play within the orphan herd. Kithaka is especially naughty but he has his own special role to play. He is very playful and perhaps this helps to keep the very relaxed elephants a little more active. Balguda, a very polite and quiet boy, is not usually very playful but today Kithaka enticed him into some long and fun filled games. They played mounting and wrestling games together from the time they left their stockades until morning milk at 9am.
Mwashoti finally got his chance to go out into the park with his peers. This was a big decision given how bad his wound it is, but a healthy happy mind is just as important to ensure the healing process continues. At 2pm Kamok, Ashaka, Dupotto, Mbegu and Murit returned to the stockades to collect the wounded limping boy. He was very happy to be going out with them, and loved being out but remained close to his Keepers. He fed well and was clearly very happy with this development. Mbegu and Dupotto took great care of him although Kamok, Ashaka and Murit did not show much interest. Mwashoti behaved very well out in the park and was escorted back by the same group of orphans in the evening.
The mother of Zongoloni had been injured by poachers, The Sheldrick Trust was told of the plight of the mother and calf and went to the rescue. The Mobile Veterinary Unit was immediately deployed to treat the mother and in order to do so her young calf was also anesthetized. A victim of poaching, a bullet wound had penetrated deep and shattered bone on the right front leg of her mother. Dr. Poghon cleaned the wound and treated her with painkillers, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs, but with a bullet possibly still embedded within the bone and bone fragments evident the prognosis for a successful recovery was guarded. Everybody there hoped that this story would end happily.
A week later the injured mother and calf were again sighted and it was noted that her shoulder remained very swollen but it appeared that she could put more weight on the leg. Fortunately her condition did not appear to have deteriorated, it seemed at this point that the outcome would be ultimately positive. Very tragically after a week passed the collapsed mother and her calf were located by patrolling scouts. She had obviously collapsed a couple of days before as evidence of her desperate struggle to get back to her feet was evident all around where she lay. She was in a distressed condition from the injury, but also because the pair had clearly been without water or food for some time. Her young calf remained by her side at all times, chasing off any intruders, extremely protective of her mother, but her condition was deteriorating too without milk or water. Those that first located the collapsed mother with her dependent young calf waiting helplessly by her side, observed her drinking her dying mother’s urine she was so desperate for fluids. Under the scorching sun, this heartbreaking scene played out, the agony of a single bullet wound and the pain and suffering it wrought as the weeks past.
It was at this point that Angela Sheldrick was contacted. It was clear that the baby was in desperate need of rescuing if she was to live, and sadly her beautiful mother needed to be euthanized and put out of her misery. When the Anti-Poaching team arrived on the scene what they witnessed was so heartbreaking that some were moved to tears. Watching on as this young milk dependent calf stood bravely protecting her dying mother, frightened and confused, robbed of her family.
That was September 2013. Now Zongoloni has a new family, her sister and brother orphans and their keepers. The elephant orphans form very strong bonds, years after leaving the orphanage and joining wild herds, the females will bring back their babies to show the keepers. Zongoloni is now a happy girl and shows the others how to pick up their own milk bottles!
January 16 2015, three boys from the Nairobi Orphanage joined the four orphan girls at Umani Springs. There was much joy as the youngsters were reunited. The Nairobi Keepers were pleased to see the girls and how well they were doing. During the day the Zongoloni and her friends stayed close to the keepers from Nairobi.
A week later the injured mother and calf were again sighted and it was noted that her shoulder remained very swollen but it appeared that she could put more weight on the leg. Fortunately her condition did not appear to have deteriorated, it seemed at this point that the outcome would be ultimately positive. Very tragically after a week passed the collapsed mother and her calf were located by patrolling scouts. She had obviously collapsed a couple of days before as evidence of her desperate struggle to get back to her feet was evident all around where she lay. She was in a distressed condition from the injury, but also because the pair had clearly been without water or food for some time. Her young calf remained by her side at all times, chasing off any intruders, extremely protective of her mother, but her condition was deteriorating too without milk or water. Those that first located the collapsed mother with her dependent young calf waiting helplessly by her side, observed her drinking her dying mother’s urine she was so desperate for fluids. Under the scorching sun, this heartbreaking scene played out, the agony of a single bullet wound and the pain and suffering it wrought as the weeks past.
It was at this point that Angela Sheldrick was contacted. It was clear that the baby was in desperate need of rescuing if she was to live, and sadly her beautiful mother needed to be euthanized and put out of her misery. When the Anti-Poaching team arrived on the scene what they witnessed was so heartbreaking that some were moved to tears. Watching on as this young milk dependent calf stood bravely protecting her dying mother, frightened and confused, robbed of her family.
That was September 2013. Now Zongoloni has a new family, her sister and brother orphans and their keepers. The elephant orphans form very strong bonds, years after leaving the orphanage and joining wild herds, the females will bring back their babies to show the keepers. Zongoloni is now a happy girl and shows the others how to pick up their own milk bottles!
January 16 2015, three boys from the Nairobi Orphanage joined the four orphan girls at Umani Springs. There was much joy as the youngsters were reunited. The Nairobi Keepers were pleased to see the girls and how well they were doing. During the day the Zongoloni and her friends stayed close to the keepers from Nairobi.