trading as HANDS & HEART



newsletter





04..2021



April was yet another month where we experienced God’s love for us in what we are doing here at HopeHQ. All our students at Hands & Heart are back (in full force) getting to know the basics of carpentry. Our new students at iThemba excitedly started their various courses with us as well.





Almost 450 learners were attending the KILT afterschool study club sessions in 23 clubs around Knysna – almost back to ‘normal’ before Covid came to change our lives last year.

As you can see from the above, we had a busy but rewarding month. You can read more detailed news below.

Again, I can just say ‘God is faithful’. I personally have seen God work miracles when I‘ve asked a couple of individuals to be involved financially as we needed a couple of sewing machines and a laptop. We had no funds, but we had a vision. Our desire was to bless our old students just finishing their sewing course with our old machines and bring hope to our April 2021 students by purchasing new machines. A few people caught the vision and they became part of the financial solution to our needs. An order was placed and the new machines were delivered during the last week in April. We even had some funds left over for smaller equipment (scissors, etc) and fabric which was also required.

Simultaneously, God provided in our need for soccer balls even before I widely shared the need. Get excited with us as you read about how we are picking up a sport ministry of many years ago, this time in Witlokasie. If not already involved and you want to become involved with what we believe is a ‘worthy cause’, please do not hesitate to contact us. God said clearly to me…

“You don't have to be a soccer player to do it, just have to have a heart for ministry, and a love for people"


I was again reminded that Psalm 147:10-11 says:

"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man. The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put his hope in His unfailing love."


That is why I keep on praising Him for what He is doing whilst praying for God’s provision for the work we are doing.


Thank you again to everyone who are involved in so many ways! We appreciate you and are proud to call you our partners!


Philip Schröder

Director: HopeHQ



Why we do what we do .....





A lack of post school facilities for school leavers or other out-of-school youth where they can advance their lives through technical and creative skill set development was the reason we created a social, economic and skills development project called “HopeHQ” and registered the organisation as a NPC (Reg No 2016/368160/08 / NPO No 179-853 / PBO No 930054327).


The primary aim is to provide technical and creative skills training for the region’s youth and their families and also to support other NGO’s financially who shares the same vision.


In summary: HopeHQ addresses poverty in our community, giving young people the opportunity to develop and learn skills so they can become responsible citizens in life.





KICK-OFF to HOPE



Someone once said … Roll out a soccer ball almost anywhere in the world and you will attract a crowd of children.

Our KICK-OFF to Hope initiative ‘kicked off’ by meeting with Justice and handing him a few soccer balls for his under 13 and 15 junior soccer teams. In Justice’s own words … “If they are not at home with their parents or at school, I keep them busy”.


Witloksaie is one of the township areas right on our doorstep and, as being the case all over the country, is sadly riddled with neglect, surrounded by drugs, alcohol abuse, gang activity and others. The absence of fathers is a huge problem and in many of the cases the kids we will be working with have been abandoned by one or both parents whilst living in poverty.


Apart from soccer as a platform to share the gospel, after a level of trust and relationships has been build, these boys will be mentored by KICK-OFF to Hope's young adults (high school boys under the leadership of Jerome from YFC) who, as role models will become involved in their lives, teaching them life and other social skills. The programme focusses on the individual and personal growth and their holistic development. Our hope is to see them growing up becoming responsible, God-fearing leaders in their communities.


There are daily practices 5 afternoons a week (about 60-70 young boys), where coaching, friendly matches as well as league tournaments are played.


Our desire, as funds are being raised, is to provide them with a snack/sandwich on a daily basis. Our dream is also, God willing, a dads-and-lads camp, combined with a soccer clinic or camp before the end of the year.

Please pray about becoming involved. Your donation will help us to teach these young lads about Jesus Christ through the sport of soccer.



Hands & hEART



We are proud to announce that HOPE HQ is now an CETA accredited training centre and we thank our LORD and SAVIOUR for opening these new doors for the community of Knysna. As we have known from the start, we will need more manpower in the sense of facilitators. These facilitators would need to commit for an hour a week in the classroom for a few consecutive weeks which varies from 6 to 10 weeks per module.


Garald is very blessed with the current support team: Daan Ludik, Chris Wilkins, Merwyn and Maddy Crous, Jerome Soldaat and Mike Mitchley. These awesome people spend many hours assisting in their skillset and make life easier for the whole team. He wishes to have more such great people.


Students are settling in and quite a few received written warnings for being late or absent - just our way of teaching them responsibility and punctuality. Their skill in the use of hand and power tools are increasing daily.


Garald is glad to have a student that would like to do Bible study after class ends. These sessions will start as from May 2021 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 15:00 – 16:00. Your prayers for these guys and sessions are much appreciated. You are also welcome to come and spend time with the guys in this time slot.


We had some great feedback from the students and one thing is for sure, they love the provision of food, and therefore we would like to thank the teams that are working together and making it possible. We are also grateful to those that contribute financially in this regard and thanks to Elize for buying coffee, tea, sugar and milk and sometimes cooldrink for those hot days.


Mike is as always going the extra mile with some students who will write matric exams on 4 and 7 June 2021. Offering up his Friday mornings and some afternoons to have them prepared for it.


Maddy is proudly developing English reading skills with some of our learners and it is starting to pay off. GOD does not call the able but the willing he enables.



The first group of students that will attend the new CETA accredited course.
Thank you again to all who made this possible. A new exciting year lies ahead of these young men and the future looks much brighter and full of hope -
"Hope, a confident expectation of good"





iTHEMBA SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CENTRE



The 2020 sewing students graduated after a very difficult year with a lot of challenges. To help them, it was decided in faith, to give them the sewing machines that they trained on. We believe that this will encourage them to keep on sewing and give them a better opportunity to earn an income for them and their families.


We did this because we believed and trusted God that He would again provide funds for new sewing machines - our faith was rewarded and, thanks to everyone who partnered in this venture



Some of our new computer students! We are incredibly excited and thankful that we can again present computer classes.

Thank you again Hugh for your time and willingness to serve the community!





Our new 2021 sewing class started mid-April and we welcomed 12 new students who are eagerly absorbing all the knowledge and technical jargon that we teach them.
It has been wonderful to get to know the students, hear about their dreams and how they plan to put their new skills to use.
We even have one gent who sparked his passion for sewing by stitching scraps of fabrics together to make himself a pair of trousers.



We are blessed and God is Good.

We have so much to celebrate and be thankful for. After an appeal for sewing machine donations we were able to purchase 12 brand new Brother sewing machines. We took receipt of them during the last week of April and will start using them shortly.

Thank you for your generosity and prayers. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to make a difference in people’s lives.

Not only have we started a sewing and computer course but also a craft course with 4 "students". Thank you Josie for taking on this course and for inspiring the students and passing on your knowledge.



KILT After School Study Clubs



The first quarter of the school term has come to an end with all schools that was on a week's holiday. It has been a very busy term indeed for principals, teachers, learners and Study club supervisors alike– each having their own set of specific outcomes and goals to achieve within the term timeframe.


The Study clubs introduced 2 new initiatives into their existing program, the ASC badge incentive and the Grade 7 Champion program. All 23 Study clubs embarked on their own independent voting process to determine the top 5 learners in their club who consistently display the desired behaviours at the ASC. For most learners this was a process never experienced before! Every registered learner will have the opportunity again at term end to be part of the voting process and possibly be a badge winner.



At a train–the–trainer workshop the grade 7 Study club supervisors were equipped by the project lead to deliver the first Champion workshop at a session, which is an addition to their existing program.

The session has a strong focus on Champions, self-awareness and self–leadership. Three clubs managed to do their workshop before term end and shared video clips and photos of learners participating in an engaged way, stimulated by the new material and having fun.

The rest of the clubs will follow suit early next term.



All registered learners received a set of coloured pencil crayons to complete homework and project tasks and each club received reading books and Smart games (these are colourful 3D shapes designed to stimulate brain function and thinking flexibility).

Supervisors reported that learners were delighted and grateful for the resources received this term.

And this is why we do what we do......





HOPE HQ



First National bank (FNB) | Knysna | ACB Code 250 655 | Account # 6263 5259 973
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Paypall : philip@yfc.co.za