Go 25 February 2021

6 GOT A NEWS STORY? Call our news desk on (043) 702 2125 or (043) 702 2046. Find us on Facebook 25 February 2021 GO & EXPRESS
Respected farmer
celebrates century
World War II vet Van de Vyver still tends to his vegetable patch
Group aims to
assist families
experiencing
troubles, trauma
SIPHOSIHLE DYONASE
Butler Van de Vyver
achieved a significant
milestone by c e l e b ra t i n g
his 100th birthday.
Van de Vyver is known as a
hardworking and respected
farmer in the Kei Road district.
“We had a wonderful and
happy life growing up on the
farm, with my dad teaching us
many things including horse
riding as he loved horses and
riding around the farm,” said
daughter Roslyn Allen.
“My brothers were involved
in farming from a young age.
“My dad joined the
Mounted Regiment in
Ladysmith at 19 years. He then
joined the Signals in Pretoria
and went to Egypt,” she said.
Van de Vyver was captured
at Tobruk on June 20 1942
and spent 15 months as a
prisoner of war in Italy. He was
eventually released by British
troops on September 24 1943.
“We grew up hearing
interesting war stories . Dad
never missed Moths
(Memorable Order of Tin
Hats), Rememberance Day or
Tobruk Night as these sre
important days for him.
“He wrote a diary for each of
us children which we treasure,”
said Allen.
Van de Vyver returned from
active military service in 1945
and went on to join the Kei
Road Farmers Association
(KRFA). He played rugby, cricket
and tennis for the Kei Road
Sports Club and also
represented Border at rugby.
Van de Vyver resides in
Gonubie and has an impressive
vegetable garden, from which
he supplies his family and
CENTENARY: Butler Van de
Vyver has done a lot in his 100
years Picture: SUPPLIED
❝We grew up hearing
interesting war
stories. Dad never
missed Moths,
Rememberance Day
or Tobruk Night as
these have always
been important
days for him
friends with fresh produce.
He is blessed with
eight grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren with
an eighth due “any day in
England”.
“He loves them all dearly
and nothing makes his day
more than seeing his family,”
Allen said.
MATTHEW FIELD
A new group has sprung up in
East London that is looking to
provide comfort and support to
families and parents going
through tough times.
These include but are
certainly not limited to: divorce,
single-parent homes, parents
who are battling the legal
system or family court, or those
looking for help caring for
special needs children.
Comm(on)Unity was started
late last year by a group of
parents who needed extra help
and encouragement with their
families.
“The name tells the tale. It’sa
play on the words ‘community’
and ‘common unity’,” said
Cristin Flynn, one of the
founders.
“The idea is to create a
supportive space where families
can help each other practically
and where new families going
through hard times can learn
from those who have already
experienced trauma or struggled
their way to the other side.”
Every month,
Comm(on)Unity holds a
meeting where family-related
experts present talks on a
number of different topics.
They have hosted other
social events, as well as daily
online meetings and small
group-events at home.
“If you are battling with
family matters, legal struggles
related to the same, vulnerable
children or adults with learning
or mental challenges, then
Comm(on)Unity is a haven for
yo u ,” Flynn said.
“Come as you are and share
your life with a group of nonjudgemental
parents who have
been through great challenges
and await on the other side to
give you a big hug (because they
need it too!).”
Comm(on)Unity is hosting
an event at Pinecreek at 10am
on Saturday February 27, with
family attorney Roxanne Vickers
as the guest speaker.
- Contact 074-827-6131
(WhatsApp only) or email
info@common-unity.co.za for
more information.
GIVING BACK:
From left,
Sinethemba
Mdutshana,
Yolanda Mhlungu
and Nasiphi
Nkwelo from
Exhibition for a
Child delivering
the goods at
Mdantsane
Dalukhanyo
senior primary
Picture: MICHAEL
P I N YA N A
NPO donates shoes, socks and
sanitary towels to Mdantsane pupils
SIVENATHI GOSA
Non-profit organisation
Exhibition for a Child held the
first day of a weeklong Walk a
Child to School campaign
yesterday, donating shoes, socks
and sanitary towels to 20 pupils
at Dalukukhanya Senior Primary
School in Mdantsane.
Founding member Nasiphi
Nkwelo said the organisation
focused on community-based
educational initiatives for the
development of underprivileged
pupils in rural areas.
“We want to empower our
rural communities by assisting
them in the education sector.
“We work with various
schools across the province and
support them in different
areas,,” Nkwelo said.
She said the three areas
Exhibition for a Child focused
on were health and wellness,
training and development and
career exhibition. The NPO
works with schools in remote
areas that are in quintiles 1 to 3.
It has donated sanitary
towels to more than 500 girls
with enough supplies to last
them for three months, and
more than 100 hygiene care
packages for boys and girls.
“This week, we are focusing
on the health and wellness
factor where we distribute
school shoes and shirts and
sanitary towels,” Nkwelo said.
“We hold boot camps and
self-defence classes, as children
need to know how to protect
themselves from tragic events
like gender-based violence and
human trafficking.”
The NPO is partnering with
Vodacom Business and Nkwelo
said the products were all
sponsored by Vodacom.
“In order for us to achieve
whatever goal we want to reach,
we approach big companies, as
they are the ones with the funds
to help reach that goal.”
Exhibition for a Child has
collected 178 pairs of school
shoes, which will be distributed
to needy pupils at eight schools
across the province.
“We did not want to focus
only on the girl child, but on
boys too. Bullying is rife in
schools. Some learners are
being bullied because they
cannot afford hygiene products.
A child’s confidence gets
diminished when they are
teased by their peers. These
children are brilliant and are
passionate about their
education, but they are pulled
back by their situation at home,”
Nkwelo said.
Addressing the beneficiaries
and teachers at Dalukukhanya
Senior Primary, she urged
parents and teachers not to
deprive children of their right to
education because they lacked
personal hygiene products.
“Please reassure them so
they are not embarrassed if their
menstrual cycle has arrived, or
they do not have any deodorant
or body lotion.”
The principal, Skhumbuzo
Wilson, expressed gratitude for
the donation of basic essentials.
“We are a no fee-school, as
some of the pupils’ parents are
unemployed. This initiative is
going to make a huge difference
in [the pupils’] lives, as they
come from difficult
backgrounds. We have been
longing for this, as the pupils’
academic progress is affected
by these things.”
Wilson said Exhibition for a
Child had promised to assist the
school in starting a gardening
project, where pupils would
benefit by gaining a skill in
agriculture, as well as by being
able to take the vegetables
home. - DispatchLIVE