GEORGE NEWS - A lovely, colourful creative centre was opened in Qhawa Street in Thembalethu on Friday 23 February where classes in crafts and handwork for the community will soon start.
The centre is the brainchild of Dutch citizen and benefactor Marieke Bunnik, director of the Angels4Angels Foundation in the Netherlands, that has funded this centre as well as the bigger project of which it forms a part.
It all started when the makeshift gym of Daniel Sithole, a resident of Qhawa Street, was razed to the ground in a fire in 2019. As a service to the community, he teaches children martial arts at his gym, as it is a constructive activity to keep them busy and off the streets.
It is a sport that changed his life at a young age. He also works as a security guard at Ballot's Bay.
Through a number of generous donors as well as sales of the jewellery and angels manufactured and sold by her foundation, Bunnik was able to build Sithole a new, fully equipped gym and also replace his shack with a new house.
A donation of close to R1m from Tasneem Ally from Thailand covered the biggest share of the building costs.
The creative centre, which was erected next to the gym, will also offer educational activities for children in the afternoons after school.
Toddlers playing in the creative centre. Photo supplied
Bunnik has been a familiar face in Thembalethu for many years because of her community work there through the Angels4Angels Foundation.
George Herald last year reported how the Qhawa Street project came to fruition over a period of several years during which Bunnik has had to persevere through various obstacles, at times desperately wanting to throw in the towel.
"I was close to giving up last year when the builder that was supposed to put up the creative centre was paid without finishing the work he had promised.
"It was thanks to the amazing generosity of donors, such as my compatriots Stefan Ebben and Annemieke Heinst, that this centre is standing here today."
On Friday, Marieke, Annemieke and Stefan were still applying the final touches before the opening, which was held with a bunch of children in attendance to celebrate the big moment.
The property has a large piece of ground where a vegetable garden with some fruit trees is also to be established.
People wishing to know more about the Angels4Angels Foundation and Bunnik's project, may contact her via e-mail at mariekebunnik@hotmail.nl.
Daniel Sithole with children who attended the opening of the creative centre. Photo supplied
Annemique and Marieke with children in the neighbourhood where the creative centre is located.
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