. . . I digress

 rest into cash or other goods: this has been keeping a whole lot of people  in Bulawayo above water during the civil unrest, cholera  and HIV epidemic, and economic meltdown.  

 

The plan  has always been to set up and support largely women-led, very small service businesses which deal directly with the problems to hand: few adults able to work, the majority of the local population either old, school age or widowed  and / or HIV positive. Many of the children too are HIV positive. This plan is now finally happening; good news indeed. Kettie has been busting her ass doing everything one could possibly do in London for ten years as a cleaner and housekeeper and with help from her friends we are helping to ensure she  can support the current situation to the point where the next generation can step in.

 

Friends and colleagues in London have been supporting this push for a couple of years now and I thought  people in Leeds might like to hear about it.

 

I am in Leeds every week at some point and if you are interested in helping, please bring whatever stuff you can to

Temple Works. We have another shipment going out mid October and the needs of the moment are listed in the following email. Kettie’s brother lives in Wakefield and will bring a van around to go back down south to the shippers.

 

It’s simple, but it works.  

 

All the best

 

Susan

 

Susan Williamson

Project Director

Temple.Works.Leeds

 

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Hello all

Zimbabwe calling once again! This time with lots of good news, updates, and some further requests. Kettie Mangena’s next shipment goes out mid October. As usual she is happy to come and collect whatever you can spare, be it goods or cash – or just good advice! I attach  her contact and bank details once again (see details at the end of message:  “KETTIE MANGENA”.)

But first, a letter from Kettie herself:

“Dear friends

As usual I write this letter to convey my sincere gratitude for your continued support.

The items you donated last time have since been received in Zimbabwe and I can confirm that  over 100 people are benefiting  over and above the small businesses  you are supporting. We have opened the Precious Angels Pre School in temporary premises, as well as a stationery business, a dressmaking and knitting cooperative,  a hairdresser’s and a funeral service.

Here are  photos of some of them!

Recently we have been able to acquire a ground for the construction of  the pre-school which you will remember is earmarked to benefit many young children who have been orphaned by the dreadful HIV pandemic in the country: some of the orphans too are HIV positive. As  ever, with so many people of working age dead of AIDS, more recently of cholera  or gone abroad to the Diaspora it is the very young and the old who suffer the most.

The Precious Angels Pre School is run on the rented premises of St Johns Apostolic Mission Church. We are waiting to build our own centre as soon as we recover with the help from best friends and well wishers. At the moment we are using  old and broken furniture which needs to be replaced and the building renovated  which is why we are once again asking for help: in cash or goods. I am attaching a list of items and repair needed to give you some idea of the scope of what we face. (see details at the end of this message: “SCHOOL”)

The sewing and knitting cooperative works in my own house, where they now live full time: the ladies all have HIV/AIDS and are on ARV tablets of which they do not have enough. They are looking for donors  for these drugs and also CONTRIMOXAZOLE. They are part of the group FAGAABZ (Family Action Group Against Aids Bulawayo Zimbabwe). On a very positive note they have managed to attract business sewing school uniforms, and are now looking for used industrial sewing machines which can cope with this heavier commercial work. 

In the same house are three men carrying out carpentry and welding jobs, also looking for any equipment you might have to donate to them!

The people with HIV /AIDS are all working hard to support themselves no matter how ill they are – they are doing as much sport as much possible to try to stay healthy, and are looking for team sports equipment ( e.g. netball or football) to help get the games going. They also make peanut butter in industrial quantities to help the HIV orphans – do you have any food processing machines you could spare?

I am so very grateful for all the help we continue to get from you all. I have been blessed in my life with having people help me and my three very small children when I was widowed young. Thanks to everyone’s help, for myself I can report that my eldest daughter is about to graduate from university in Malaysia in business studies! It is a long story, my life, especially the last ten years here in the UK: one day soon I hope to see my children again and start writing my book. So if anyone out there is a writer – because I’m not – give me a hand!

I consider myself and my friends and family very lucky to have you all as our supporters. Remember you are ALL welcome to come home with me when I go back to Bulawayo and see my children and grandchildren.

Yours sincerely

Kettie Mangena, London, September 2010”

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Kettie Mangena: Contact details

 

·         Mobile: 07909952224

·         Email: Kettie Ngwenya [catesiziba@yahoo.co.uk]

·         Facebook: Kettiengwenyamangena

·         Post: 287 Corporation Street, London E15 3DJ

·         Bank:

·         Kettie Mangena

·         Halifax

·         Account: 05291846

·         Sort 11 00 01

SCHOOL:

PRECIOUS ANGELS PRE-SCHOOL :

List of items and the price of repairs is as follows

·         to supply and erect fence complete with the gate and swings US $1700.00

·         cement  : 40 bags  US$500

·         doors     : 4 x  $100

·         door frames 4 : $180

·         paint 100litres ; $150

·         air vents  20 pairs : $50

·         river sand : $145

·         concrete stones : $145

·         pit sand : $145

·         10kg asbestos nails : $18

·         80 asbestos sheets : $1760

·         tiles : $240

·         flooring : $300

·         fitted units : $1600

·         basins : $80

·         window panes: $174

·         security door : $84

 

BATH ROOMS

·         towel rails

·         scale

·         soap dishes and dispensers

·         mirrors

·         tissue holders

·         waste bins

·         mats and rugs

·         step up toilet seat /potty training steps and kids toilet seats

·         cleaning products, toilet brushes,

 

KITCHEN

·         stove : $350

·         deep freezer: $380-500

·         fridge : $250 -400

·         dish drainers

·         kitchen towels

·         kids plates and cups : $40

·         4-5 high chairs

·         utensils

·         pots 6 : $90

·         serving dishes

·         food storage containers

·         food covers

·         food warmers

·         food mixer

·         microwave

·         food mixer

·         garbage bins

·         washing machines/dryer

·         hoover, buckets, mops, rugs, brushes and pans

 

 

CLASSES

·         60 chairs   (have already bought  48 on EBay),

·         office furnishes,

·         20 tables (have already bought 13 on eBay)

·         60 foam rubbers : $300-350

·         pillows : $50

·         carpets

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