Laura volunteered to organise a Christmas party for a Childrens Home for Johannesburg Child Welfare a few months ago, and since then has organised donations of gifts, food and money to get the party off the ground.  She also asked me to take photos on the day… and was thrilled to say yes as the date corresponded beautifully with the Help-Portrait initiative where photographers across the world were taking photos for free for people who would not be able to afford a photographer.

A whole group of us descended on the Othandweni Childrens Home in Mofolo, Soweto yesterday with cars full of gifts and food (and cameras) for the party.  The home caters for 90 children between the ages of 4 weeks (there was a tiny 4 week old baby that was prem) and 18, in cottages and dorms on the premises.

Here is our group of volunteers that helped with the party including David, Sally, Wenchy and Sir Noid, Laura, Fiona, Tanya (a few people including Rebecca, Cheryl, and my mom are missing from the shot though and Donovan of Babytees fame took the photo)

Gerry Rantseli is the patron of the home, and she apparently tries to visit it every week.  It was very clear that the children knew her very well, and she is clearly very involved with all of them.  I was very impressed with her hula-hooping .  On a fashion note, the girls in the home weren’t too impressed with her pants and ragged her a bit about them

Rebecca holding the 4 week old prem baby

And lastly, I can’t resist showing you this boy, who after a little Christmas Carol show, said that when he grew up, he was going to become the president

And those are my Weekly Winners