Building Programmes

Accommodation for Volunteers

Building of two volunteer houses funded by Medway Towns Soroptimists in UK is now complete. (below)

   

Zisize Centre KwaQatha

Building the KwaQatha centre was a marathon achievement. There is still room for improvement, but it is a happy place for children to come to learn, play and bring their problems and for staff to work in. It is Zisize's administrative home.

It has a crèche / day care facility for 52 children (above);

sports facilities - football, netball, volleyball and assault course including a zip slide (right & below). The assault course was built and funded by UK volunteers.

The building (below) is divided into three wings:-

A library / training venue is on the left with offices to front and rear; the creche, youth and life skills centre are located in the right hand wing and main reception area, kitchen, toilet and proposed computer space are centrally located.

2008 saw the building of an outdoor toilet block funded by The Jephcott Trust. It has composting toilets.(Right - view from rear)

Schools

Zisize has assisted several schools with funds to build additional classrooms. Contributions from Zisize - The Heaton Lee Memorial Trust, Operation Jumpstart, Goldfields and the Jephcott Trust have increased Mpontshini’s 1998 facilities from one concrete classroom for 92 children (right of photo below) and the hut, which housed 50 children (left of photo below) to 12 classrooms, 8 toilets, 4 water tanks, a piped supply of water, an admin block/store, a community/school hall and gardens by 2005.

Zisize also gave materials to Mbalekelwa to build an additional classroom in 2002. A group of supporters in UK raised money which has enabled us to install water tanks and repair a borehole at Ingwavuma High School (Below left)in 20008. Building has commenced of a large classroom at Mgedula, financed by the Jephcott Trust (below right) which will house a preschool class, and provide space for additional functions.

The Jephcott Trust also funded extending Zisize's Manyiseni Centre (below right) into a previously open space (below left).The original building was funded by graduates of the Diamond Trading Company in London and part-built by them in 2004.

Ekukhanyeni

Funds from Ingwavuma Orphan Care enabled us to build two of the first three rooms of Ekukhanyeni Children's refuge (below left) in 2002/2003. Zisize - The Heaton Lee Memorial Trust funded the third and a subsequent addition of two bedrooms (below right), a large living room and roofing in passageway during 2003 to 2006.

The finished building can be seen below right. However Government regulations prohibit more than six children living in a home, so we plan to build a series of cluster foster homes. When built, we will then be able to convert two current bedrooms into a kitchen and bathroom at Ekukhanyeni.

 

Child headed household building programme

Many children in child headed households live in conditions like these right and below, which have no windows, gaps in walls and roofs and in the case of the house on the right, the whole house is leaning and at the point of collapse.

Zisize has begun a programme of building one or two roomed cottages for the most needy. We provide the materials and engage the services of a local builder. Where there is a boy (late teens or twenties) in the household, he helps. Sibusiso was the first to receive this help. He and his four younger siblings had been squatting in a derelict government house but were about to be evicted. He and his younger brother Mpendulo made the blocks (below). Zisize had paid for Sbu to have driving lessons. His driving licence and matric made him eligible for a job at the hospital so with his wages he has extended the original two rooms to create this home (below right) for himself and his siblings.

Zisize has built 2 one-roomed houses for 4 teenage boys who had been living at Ekukhanyeni (below left and right). They are in close proximity to Ekukhanyeni and to another house for a large child headed family, shown here under construction (below right).
 
We have built a two roomed house with a small porch and kitchen for the Mdluli family on land where once their mother had lived. Two sisters were able to move out of Ekukhanyeni and join a third sister there. Below right is one of the bedrooms and the girls with their children, aunt and Zisize's Director, below left.

We have identified several others in dire need who will receive similar help, as funds allow. Funds for house building have come from Downe House School, ACTSA South Wales, George & Jeff of DTC and the families of the late Josephine Coffey and Tim Robinson, given in their memory.

   
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