Ambassador lights up homes

THE DUTCH ambassador to South Africa yesterday brought light and hope to the remote town of Ritchie, about 30 kilometres outside Kimberley, when she installed the first of 500 solar-powered light bulbs donated to families living in shacks.

Ambassador Marisa Gerards also attended the launch of a project to upgrade to Twee Rivieren Primary School, undertaken by a group of volunteers from the Netherlands as part of the Ritchie Rainbow Project, identified and supported by Eye for Others.

The group of 50 volunteers, all dressed in the Netherland’s national colour – orange, arrived in Ritchie this weekend and will be involved in the project for the next two weeks.

The Ritchie Rainbow Project will in future host the Kagisho Centre for Children with Disabilities. Courses in different skills will also be presented to the residents of Ritchie. Various activities for the children of Ritchie are planned for the next two weeks.

Eye for Others is a NGO based in the Netherlands which spends a lot of time in South Africa, helping to uplift communities who struggle.

Ton van der Smit, the project leader of Eye for Others, said the volunteers had one year to raise funds for this project. Each person had to collect R30 000. The Ritchie Rainbow Project will be operating from the old Twee Rivieren School in town. The school had not been in use for quite some time.

The volunteers this week started cleaning the schoolyard, taking away heaps of rubbish, fixing window panes, laying tiles and painting.

Pastor Louis Farland of the Late Harvest Church in Ritchie and chairman of Moth (Miracle of the Heart), said the community of Ritchie was very excited about this project to uplift and better the living conditions of the local residents.

“This small town suffers tremendous social and economical problems and especially alcohol abuse plays a big role. Too many crimes take place where people have bad living conditions. However, this centre will enable residents to better themselves and alleviate poverty,” Farland said.

This was also the sentiment of the ambassador, who urged community members to stay away from drugs and alcohol, in order for them to ensure a better future for their children.

“While I am in no position to judge people who abuse drugs and alcohol, as one never knows the circumstances that drives them to this abuse, I urge people to rather stay away, as abuse only provides short-term comfort and leads to even bigger problems,” Gerards said.

She also installed the first of 500 solar-powered light bulbs, sponsored by SolarWorx.