A non-profit organisation that does community upliftment work in Ocean View and Masiphumelele is getting some much-needed upgrades to its outdoor facilities at the Open Door building in Ocean View.
These improvements at Valley Development Projects (VDP) have been made possible by a joint initiative between the Rotary Club of Cape of Good Hope and the Rotary Club of Wateringen in the Netherlands.
The first phase of the upgrade started on Tuesday January 16. Plans include extending existing artificial grass around the building, installing a basketball hoop, adding seating and building a jungle gym.
VDP, which gets funding from the provincial government, is involved with early learning and social work projects and more than 200 children from poverty-stricken homes get a meal every weekday through its feeding scheme. The organisation also runs an after-school programme.
Marcel van den Berg, who is a member of the Rotary Club in Wateringen, was instrumental in getting the partnership off the ground.
He contacted the Rotary Club of Cape of Good Hope in September 2022 and then attended one of their meetings before visiting some of the projects the club is involved with in Masiphumelele and Ocean View.
“We noticed the outdoor playground at the Open Door building needed improvement, so we decided to make it our project,“ he said.
Mr Van den Berg came up with the idea of selling South African wine in the Netherlands to raise funds for the project.
“Back in the Netherlands, I proposed this plan to the Rotary Club, and they agreed. In January 2023, I returned to Cape Town for three months to decide which wines to sell.”
The subsequent wine sales raised R200 000 for the Rotary Club Cape of Good Hope, and some of the money has already been spent on putting up a new wall at the VDP premises.
“The upgrades spearheaded by Mr Van den Berg, aim to create a safer and more enjoyable outdoor space,” said VDP social worker supervisor Sue Berger. “I’ve always wanted to create a friendlier environment in this area because there aren’t many safe spots for kids to play in Ocean View. Every Friday, we have youth gatherings, and having an outdoor space where kids can sit and engage in activities is important.”
Rotary Club Cape of Good Hope secretary Bev Frieslich said the Open Door building was a haven for children and the upgrades were meant to make it even more secure, comfortable and homelike.
