Abbasorg "Kriewelkouse Projek" (Wriggling Socks)
All children are in need of a mother, food and stimulation; however, not all children in South Africa have this privilege. Therefore the ATKV have started a social responsibility programme – Abbasorg – to see to the needs of such children as part of the “Kriewelkouse Projekte”.
Medical students at the University of the Free State identified Abbasorg as part of their service learning project, to give back to the community what they have learned in their community health module in their third year of study.
The "Abbasorg" Crèche in Estoire, Bloemfontein, sees to the basic needs of small children whose parents cannot afford it.
Pieter Odendaal, one of the group members said: "We were surprised how different this was compared to our childhood and we learned not to take it as obvious."
This project was not only meant to supply in the basic needs such as food, but also to focus on the medical needs of the children. Occupational therapy students and dieticians also formed part of the support group who provided some educational stimulalation to the children.
There were no facilities available for the management of sick children. A sick child had to sleep on a couch in the general playing area which was not hygienic or isolated from the other children. As medical students they realised that the incorporation of a medical corner with a bed and medicine cabinet was an essential priority. Money received from the Kovsie Rag donation was used to purchase these items. The crèche already had a first aid kit provided by the previous year's group. This is a sustainable project that also promotes good health.
Safety of the children attending the crèche was one of their main aims. They managed to put up road signs near the crèche, warning motorists to slow down because of the children playing nearby. Furthermore, they organised with the SAPD to host a demonstration on different safety aspects for the children, educating them on how to react in different situations and teaching them more about basic safety precautions. This ensured that the children know how to take responsibility for their own safety.
The students also tried to ensure that all the equipment and apparatus they supplied the crèche with, were of good quality and would last for years. These included plastic tables and chairs, a video machine and two computers. They also supplied them with educational computer programs that can further assist them in educating the children.
