Blitzboks team brings joy to kids at Athlone’s Christine Revell Home during literacy month
Quewin Nortje and Mfundo Ndlovu amuse two of the babies at the home, while Zain Davids listens attentively to the history of the home.
- The Blitzboks made a heartwarming visit to the Christine Revell Home in Athlone, where they spent time with foster children and donated books in honor of literacy month.
- The home, which has been providing care for nearly 50 years, houses children aged zero to five and faces ongoing challenges with funding.
- The visit brought joy to the children and reinforced the home’s need for community support, including donations of essential items.
We are all familiar with the prowess of the Blitzboks on the HSBC Sevens Series, when they sidestep, tackle, accelerate and score tries, and keep sports lovers nailed to their television sets.
To coincide with the tickets going on sale for the Cape Town leg of the series on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December, Zain Davids, Quewin Nortje and Mfundo Ndlovu visited the Christine Revell Home in Athlone to spend the day with the children there.
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According to Cindy-Lee van Andel, social worker at the home, the Blitzboks were a hit with the children and are welcome to visit anytime when they were free.
“The home was previously known as the Nannie Home and has been operational for about 48 years as the Christine Revell Home,” she said. “We can accommodate 50 children aged zero to five years. The children in our care are placed in foster care at the home for a period of two years. In this time, we try to reunify the children with their biological families. In cases where this is not possible, we look for alternative care placements within foster families, related or unrelated to the child. We also consider adoption both locally and internationally.
“Children can remain in our care until five years old or until suitable placement is found for them.”
As an NPO funding will always remain one of the home’s biggest challenges.
“We receive 60% of our funding from the Department of Social Development,” Van Andel said, “while we rely on fundraising and donations for the remaining 40%. Our biggest needs are disposable nappies, formula, groceries, toiletries, meat and clothing. We welcome any form of donation. The visit from the Blitzboks also coincided with literacy month (September), when they came to donate books for our children. Our contact details are 021 697 1748 or gen.man@crchsa.co.za.”