VVOCF PROGRESS UPDATES

The pen pal program remains strong. On a trip to South Africa in November of 2007, Jeanne delivered over 100 letters and brought back about 75.

Work at VVOCG is ongoing.

1. The uniform fund continues to grow.
2. The feeding program provides children three meals a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
3. The center now has a computer - although no internet access still makes communication a challenge.
4. Jeanne and the children planted gardens together and created many art projects to decorate the center.

But the best news at VVOCF is the love that is shared between the children and their penpals and how the center has come to mean something very special to the children. Than you to all who have helped support the steady growth of this partnership.

VVOCF PROGRESS OUTLINE

In the summer of 2006, Dr. Jeanne Gazel and Paul Brown, former student leader, traveled to South Africa to research the prospects of a collaborative relationship with a South African Non-Profit Organization called Vumundzukubya Vana - Our C hildren's F uture (VVOCF). VVOCF is located in Zonkezizwe, a township on the East Rand, 40ks outside Johannesburg. It is an informal settlement that is quite remote and has seen little development over its 18 year life span. The HIV-AIDS rates are very high. Some figures say 65% although surveillance is somewhat sporadic. Orphans and children made vulnerable by AIDS (OVC) abound in this area. Dr. Gazel studied the situation as a case study for a paper she gave at the International Sociology Association in Durban, July 25, 2006. Together, Gazel and Brown worked on ideas that could bring MRULE at MSU closer to Zonkizizwe and made plans to develop pen-pal relationships between the children in Zonkizizwe and interested MRULE participants, as well as an community center to provide the children and youth with physical and psychosocial support.

STAGE ONE:

The MRULE student leader teams introduce their participants to the children in Zonkizizwe. The partipants form small groups that meet to write letters and put together small gift packages for Jeanne to deviler to South Africa in March, 2007.

STAGE TWO:

Jeanne delivers letters and gift packages to children of VVOCF and returns with thank you letters. She also returns with the blueprint for opening the center when Study Abroad class arrives in May. MRULE and Study Abroad students work together and raise $12,000.00 to assist VBVOCF in constructing and opening a viable community center.

STAGE THREE:

In June, 2007, 26 students and 4 staff visit Zonkizizwe to assist in the building of the community center. They ordered pre-fabricated buildings to serve as the center's main buildings, which arrived in need of paint. In addition, the group plastered and painted the existing homes on the property, landscaped the area, and built sidewalks. Together, the group and the children of Zonkizizwe designed murals for the inside and outside of the main building, giving VVOCF a vibrant presence in the community.

STAGE FOUR:

Immediately following the construction of the center, an internship program is established with Rachel Frank as the first intern. Rachel stayed on an additional 5 weeks to assist the staff in operating activities and building capacity. The internship program is an ongoing program to facilitate consistent connections between MSU and VVOCF.