SALEM Baby Care Centre celebrates its 25th year this year and will have a charity ball which will be held at The Venue at Hemingways on September 3.
Mrs Africa 2016 finalist Tarryn Ogle, an East Londoner now residing in Johannesburg, will be the special guest.
The centre’s vision is to provide an integrated programme towards self-sufficiency, ministering both God’s love and practical support to destitute mothers and their children.
The programme includes primary health and nutritional care for babies and children, educare for older siblings, literacy and skills training, HlV/Aids education and support programmes for mothers.
“This has been a bittersweet year for us in that we get to celebrate this amazing milestone, but financially it has been very tough. We do not receive monthly donations like in the past and also this is our third year without Lotto support,” Salem director Lereen Naidoo said.
She said: “We would really like to appeal to the East London community to once again support this event, as the funds raised here will hopefully see us through another month or two, where we are able to help the destitute mothers and their babies.”
Naidoo, however, acknowledged that they have been truly blessed to still be going strong and being able to care for their beneficiaries. The annual high tea was Salem’s first event in celebration of their 25 years, and with thanks to the East London community it was a huge success with 400 women attending.
“People wanting to assist or know more about the centre are welcome to visit. Beside financial assistance, other needs include: toys (old or new), clothing and shoes (old or new), non-perishable food items, nappies, baby blankets and bottles.
“Due to lack of space for one of our projects, the educare, one of our goals is to start building our new creche on our current premises. We are therefore also working towards this achievement, which requires about R300000 to start. We currently have R150000 which has been donated by the Airports Company SA,” Naidoo said.
To get tickets or more information, you can contact Lereen Naidoo on 073-102- 0399 or the Workshop coordinator Tania Daniels on 084-707-9958.
Tickets are R350 or R3500 a table and include a three course meal. The dress code is formal. Tickets are available from Salem.
