Recent & Ongoing Projects
Laptop donations to Ashbury Primary
31 July 2017 - This has got to be the best moment & day in the life of RAM!! See also our 2nd soup kitchen, Dolls all the way from New York handed over to an ECD and our First Pilot Home Project.
Reaching fruition of a burning heartache RAM felt when we were told the rural high school in Ashton had shut its Technology classes for 2017 as a result of the lack of students at the rural primary school in Montagu ... having no functional computers for more than 4 years for over 1000 children. No Technology = not much hope of a grand future....but not so anylonger!!
Thank you to Imagine Cruising UK, Imagine Cruising SA Imagine Holidays who donated 10 brand new Laptops and a 2.5m x 1.4m Gold Embossed Picture Frame with a vision of ..."now the world can be your oyster" and local Montagu business man Johan Marais Financial Services who shared our heartache when he read about our "Long Walk for Technology"
We are well on the road to where we want to be. So far donations from:-
1. Imagine Cruising - 10 Laptops plus smart bags with all software.
2. Johan Marais Financial Services - 1 new Laptop & software loaded from SANGOTeCH in Jhb. Thank you too Arnold for this wonderful gift.
3. GovChat - 2 new Tablets.
4. Brownie Points & Pascale & Mrs Henke - Cash donation towards 1 Laptop.
5. Louwtjie Jacobs - His own Laptop.
Already committed to the school with our Walk for Technology function:
UWC - 1 new Laptop
GovChat - another new Tablet.
How do we say thank you effectively other than our kids have a future! Priceless.
Our hearts are beating, our pulse moving. We just need another 11 laptops or PC's to conclude our event.
For the month of #mandeladay - we could not have asked for more! Blessings abundantly. Thank you dear Lord Jesus for these gifts. You know our hearts.
Mandela Day Soup Kitchen 14 July 2017
We recently served bread, milk, clothing, blankets & toiletry packs and approximately 500 folk/children with soup on 14 July 2017. Thank you to all the volunteers who made it possible to serve approx 500 folk last Friday in Montagu, Western Cape. We had 350lts of soup and the folk just kept coming!
Thank you must go to Carol Muller, Jonathan Muller, Dorisca & Olin Kiewietz, Piet de Jager, Lionel Thebus, Steve Bruton, Spasina and the whole Change Agents South Africa team. As with these things challenges are inevitable but all went down smoothly in the end. Olin and Dorisca had their hands full with some stuff as well as gearing up to a weekend camp yet still came to support us. Piet is medically not the best but still kept stirring the pots, handing out bread, milk or wherever he saw a need for, when he should just have relaxed! Jonathan came through for the people even though he runs his own business. Lionel was also a strong support everywhere. The CASA team took control of the names and signatures, photographer, helping hand out correct size clothing. Spasina was in charge of the shoes and her tiny home was our cloakroom.
Setting up on an uneven street area is also difficult. Carol fell and we had plenty of towbar knee knocks... however sickness and knocks did not stop the wonderful spirit. We all pulled through.
RAM have done this for years but never with so many hands! What a blessing. And this time we had enough soup for all plus a bit extra for some of the kids later.
Note:
We need your help please..
We are gearing up to doing another soup kitchen for Ashton with a larger amount of folk who are in need of some care. We are hoping to look at making 400lts of soup. Our 2nd #mandeladay celebrations this month.
We still have some soup mix, some split peas & samp from Shereen & Leslie Brown.
We require more split peas, beans, soup meat, quite a bit of veg, onions, potatoes to add to our pots. We also looking for a 100 lt pot. Blankets & warm jackets/jerseys. Any donation in cash or kind towards these would be most appreciated. TIA
Please we also need your empty margarine/butter containers, or ice cream & yogurt containers with lids to serve the soup in. These folk do not have containers at all.
Please let us know if you can help on info@ram1.co.za
RAM to take over the Rubi's Rainbow of Hope Shoe initiative
We are very blessed to announce that RAM will be taking over the Rubi's Rainbow of Hope shoe initiative! Thank you Rubi and Janene for the hard work you put into the foundation of this great initiative. We are so honored and pleased to be continuing your work.
Thank you Barksole branches and all staff for your generosity of being collection points on our behalf.
We have spoken to Rod of Barksole and he agreed to continue as before. Kindly hand in any pre-loved shoes to Barksole Branches. (see list of branches bottom of the page)
We are excited to hand out shoes towards our less privileged folk where the area is huge and the need great. We work in the rural Breederiver area where support is not so forthcoming.
We are very happy and thank Rubi's Rainbow Trust for the hard work laying the foundation for the shoe project. We wish you great strides with your new project - collecting good quality books should anyone on our site have any.
Like Rubi, we would like to continue this project with a young representative. Teaching our children the value of giving to the needy and the difference we can make. Please see below our new Shoe Project Mascots. They will be helping with the collection of preloved shoes for our less privileged folk.
Thanks to the singing sensation Jinelle Louw, Mila (the little Biker) Salmon and Smiley Riley Hennessey for agreeing to be our mascots.
Please find a list of Barksole branches in Cape Town where you may hand in your pre-loved shoes. Rod will ensure that the shoes get to his warehouse and we will collect from him. Thank you Rod, with our most grateful appreciation.
Barksole Branches:
Bothasig
Brackenfell
Claremont
Century City
Cape Gate
Constantia
De Ville
Edgemead
Houtbay
Kenilworth
N1 City
Observatory
Ottery
Pinelands
Paarl Mall
Paarl 1
Riverside (Rondebosch)
Stellenbosch
Sea Point
Somerset West
Somerset Mall
Tygervalley
Tokai
Table View
West Coast
Woodstock
Waterfront
Riebeeck St CBD
Picbel Strand st CBD
Grand Central CBD
Sanlam HO Bellville
Who said small charities can’t fly to make a difference... with your help and blessings, we may just be able to do that. We are blessed.
Launch Event 20 May: Long Walk for Technology
RAM & IPA (International Police Association) launched the Long Walk for Technology with an event on 20 May 2017 at N1 Shopping Mall Upper Food Court in Goodwood, Cape Town. The public enjoyed performances from the wonderful artists that donated their time, as well as some fun contests on the day, prior to the send-off the Sunday morning 21 May.
The walkers started walking from N1 City Cape Town, all the way to the birthplace of RAM, The Montagu Country Hotel. Serving participating police officers from the International Police Association are using their annual leave to complete this epic pilgrimage.
The walk is in aide of the Ashbury Primary Computer Project. The bright young primary school learners going to this rural school near Montagu are not provided with computer equipment to prepare them for high school. The snowball effect is that their high school has stopped computer classes for 2017 as the learners coming from Ashbury Primary are not computer literate. This snowball effect will limit these children’s chances for entering the economic world so their only choice in life might be farm work or no work at all as the area is small.
Some of the ARTISTS that performed on 20 May at N1 City Mall, we thank you all:
- Pedro Kruger (aka Boytjie van Brackenfell)
- Llandi Beeslaar (Speel Mielie in Karen Zoid se program – Zoid Afrika)
- Minnelie Minnaar (Sangeres wat groot was by die jaar se US Woordfees)
- Michelle & Jinelle Louw (Ma en dogter. 11 jarige Jinelle is gekies vir die SA span wat in Junie in Los Angeles gaan deelneem)
- Charmaine en Mienke (Ma en dogter sangsensasie)
- KayCee (2016 nominasie as beste nuweling by Bokradio musiektoekennings)
- Louisa – Lt Col SAPS
- Granville Michaels (sangsensasie van Johannesburg wat nou in die Kaap bly. Sy Noot vir Noot optrede sal op 25 Mei op SABC 2 wees)
This long walk fundraiser aims to help the children of Montagu not to slip backwards due to lack of resources. Sponsorship of the long walk for technology will be a step in the right direction of closing the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
RAM works on closing this gap all year round and will be present during the walk, distributing material needs and serving as a role model for all. RAM meaning – Rescue Among Many.You can still support our walk to make a difference. Contact Carol Bruton 082 469 3041 for all donation details or email info@ram1.co.za.
All donations of any amount most welcome. With winter on hand, we are also collecting blankets/non-perishables for our elderly, a firm passion of WO Jacobs. Boxes will also be available at N1 City Mall or any cash donations welcome.We are a PBO so will also issue 18a receipts for donations of a reasonable amount or you may choose to have your logo featured on our banner.
Please make any monetary donations via any of these easy methods here.
After donating please send an email to info@ram1.co.za with ref: Walk + Name or Company Name. Thank you.
IPA: International Police Association
Jakkie Van Litsenborgh – Vice President – IPA South Africa and Chairperson – IPA West Coast Region Email: jvlits@telkomsa.net
Alfie Van Litsenborgh – alfievlits@gmail.com
Thanks to all our event Partners, Sponsors and Donators.
Big or small, we thank you for your support.
Long Walk for Technology – forward, not backwards
Secluded and protected by the mountains surrounding Montagu, is a dynamic rural school where dreams are big and funds are low. The bright young primary school learners are not provided with computer equipment to prepare them for high school. The snowball effect is that their high school has stopped computer classes for 2017 as the learners coming from Ashbury Primary are not computer literate. This snowball effect will limit these children’s chances for entering the economic world so their only choice in life might be farm work or no work at all as the area is small.
Nestled too in the mountains of this popular tourist town, is the Montagu Country Hotel where proprietor Gert Lubbe and his co-owner PJ are humanitarians as well as famous hosts to tourists on the Route62, which runs through the Cape Winelands and Overberg Districts.
Capetonian Carol Bruton is a philanthropist who was moved by the humbleness and gratitude of the underprivileged people of Montagu she encountered when she visited. It was at Gert & PJ’s Art Deco Hotel that her vision of a strong infrastructure to support the rural poor resulted in the formation of RAM Charity Projects. RAM now is a constant benefactor to schools, old age homes, ECD’s and Breede River Hospice in the towns of Robertson, Ashton and Montagu.
The International Police Association (IPA) is a body that concerns itself with universal human rights. Carol highlighted the plight of the Ashbury Primary School, and shared her heartache for the children with friends, who then told some active and retired police officers (who are also members of the IPA) about the lack of computers for Montagu children.
Stirred by the story, The International Police Association decided to reverse the situation by organizing a walk to assist in raising funds for the Ashbury Primary Computer Project. With winter just around the corner, Warrant Officer Jan Jacobs, the initiator of the walk, along with Warrant Officer Herman Burger from the Goodwood Police Station and 2 members of IPA who responded to this story, decided to broaden the purpose of the walk by incorporating his passion for providing non-perishables and blankets to the elderly and children. So touched by this story, the vice-president of the International Police Association, Jakkie Van Litsenborgh is one of the 4 men walking. They are walking from N1 City Mall to Montagu over a period of 10 days. These men are not professional walkers but have huge hearts of gold.
The creation of RAM in Montagu in 2011 has thus snowballed into an extraordinary collaboration between a Country Hotel; a Philanthropist; a Rural School and the International Police Association.
RAM & IPA launched the event on 20 May 2017 at N1 Shopping Mall in Goodwood, Cape Town. The public enjoyed wonderful performances from the likes of Pedro Kruger (aka Boytjie van Brackenfell), Llandi Beeslaar, Minnelie Minnaar, Michelle & Jinelle Louw, Charmaine and Mienke, KayCee, Louisa (Lt Col SAPS) and Granville Michaels. You can read more on our artists and the launch event here. Thank you to all the artists who gave of their free time to help the cause.
The official send-off was the next morning at 9.00 from N1 City, Goodwood. The walkers started walking from Cape Town, all the way to the birthplace of RAM, The Montagu Country Hotel. Serving participating police officers are using their annual leave to complete this epic pilgrimage.
This long walk fundraiser aims to help the children of Montagu not to slip backwards due to lack of resources. Sponsorship of the long walk for technology will be a step in the right direction of closing the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
RAM works on closing this gap all year round and will be present during the walk, distributing material needs and serving as a role model for all. RAM meaning – Rescue Among Many.
Please support us with our walk to make a difference. Contact Carol Bruton 082 469 3041 for all donation details or email info@ram1.co.za.
All donations of any amount most welcome. With winter on hand, we are also collecting blankets/non-perishables for our elderly, a firm passion of WO Jacobs. Boxes will also be available at N1 City Mall or any cash donations welcome.We are a PBO so will also issue 18a receipts for donations of a reasonable amount or you may choose to have your logo featured on our banner.
Please make any monetary donations via any of these easy methods here.
After donating please send an email to info@ram1.co.za with ref: Walk + Name or Company Name. Thank you.
IPA: International Police Association
Jakkie Van Litsenborgh – Vice President – IPA South Africa and Chairperson – IPA West Coast Region Email: jvlits@telkomsa.net
Alfie Van Litsenborgh – alfievlits@gmail.com
Thanks to all our event Partners, Sponsors and Donators.
Big or small, we thank you for your support.
January Outreach 2017
What a fruitful day we had delivering food, shoes, clothing, school shoes, socks, undies and toiletries to folk in need in Montagu.
Thanks to Peninsula Beverages Worcester for spending the day with RAM handing out Coca Cola. We were spoilt with something cold on a day that was 42 degrees! Johnny and staff were awesome keeping glasses filled.
We thank so many folk who helped with this delivery. We cannot do this work without your help. Thanks to each and everyone who contributed in some way or another.
We also want to thank Imagine Cruising SA for the funding and support to purchase the items we may still have needed to ensure a comprehensive food parcel. We are truly most appreciative of your assistance and care.
To Jannie Moses and staff who gave the hall and their time freely to assist RAM, thank you so much. Without you we could not have done so well. Jannie also went out to pick up the elderly who can’t walk and returned them home. He worked at it the whole day. WOW we are blessed to have this pastor work so closely with us and always so happy to assist.
Huge thanks to Sal's Shoes UK for donating shoes to our rural kids. At the end of last year www.littlekickers.co.za hosted an in-country collection. This week the shoes collected in and around Cape Town found their new feet amongst young attendees from rural areas at an outreach event hosted by RAM. Most of the children who received a pair of Sal's Shoes were either barefoot or wearing a pair of shoes at least two sizes too small.
Thanks to Community Chest of the Western Cape for the School Shoes, socks, & toiletries we were able to hand out at a farm school.
The school sent some of the kiddies over with a teacher. Visibly they had no shoes...the other were still in class which the teacher took back to the school for hand out at the end of school day. We also gave them each socks plus the excess to the school who will distribute to the most pressing. This is normal for these kiddies not to have shoes so we are eternally grateful to present them with your wonderful gifts.
A few more photos of our event plus food parcels that we delivered to Spasina, who gives her home to run a Sunday School soup kitchen for kiddies who would otherwise not receive the Word as there are no funding for a building, according to the pastor who serves there. We have worked with Spasie for over 5 years and appreciate what she does for the community.
Thanks goes to:
Imagine Cruising SA
Caring Daisies - Kaapstad
Community Chest of the Western Cape
Sal's Shoes UK
Viking Fishing Waterfront staff
Selecta Phippi staff
Gehardt & Alicia
Andriesa & Conrad
Karin Murphy
Irene & Marianne van Dyk
Leslie Brown from Seeff Pinelands
Luis Embalo
Errol Solomon
Alvin Oldale
Samayya Davenhill
Carol Muller
Dawn Apsey
Blessings on this wonderful day was had by us all. Xxx
Matric Dance Clothing Bank – Vredenburg
We are collecting matric dresses, matric farewell attire/ shoes / costume jewelry/ evening bags etc. to build a stock for underprivileged girls who would otherwise not be able to attend a matric farewell. The same for wedding dresses, bridesmaids & flower girl type dresses. Evening dresses needed.
Any facial make up / nail polish etc also most welcome. We do this in conjunction with Jenny Moors & Weskus Helpers, a registered NPO located in Vredenburg, West Coast. Working together to make a difference.
We assist this NPO who does a wonderful job of kitting out the girls who would otherwise not be able to attend their matric ball. And the same with wedding/bridesmaid/flower girl dresses giving the ladies an opportunity to get married in church and feeling special on their big day.
Our ongoing aim is from the angle of a clothing bank where clothes are drawn and returned for use by the next.
We love collaborating with other NPO's to evenly distribute what we receive as and when we can.
First lot of beautiful gowns were donated by Lauren Lee Baatjes. Wow thank you so much. They are stunning! The Green two-piece gown, jewelry and nail kits were donated by Catherine Ann who had donated items of clothing before. Catherine saw Lauren's post and responded via Whatspp. Thank you Catherine for always thinking of us. The nail kit will go to a lady who will assist with nails in the future. Your dress is sooo beautiful. Ladies these are magnificent gifts. Many thanks.
If you are able to donate any dresses/ shoes / jewelry/ evening bags or make up / nail polish for this cause please contact us via info@ram1.co.za or Whatsapp Carol on 082 469 3041.
Talana Farm School delivery Sept 2016
Talana Farm School in Montagu farm surrounds was blessed once again each with a rain jacket and gumboots. It gets very cold in the mountains and awaited rain is on the cards.
What a surprise for these kiddies...they had no idea we were coming as the Telkom lines have been down for months now.
Thanks to #Communitychest for the grand donation.
And #SonnendalDairies for the yogurts.
We are super proud!
Thanks to Sharon & teachers for handing it out.
Fundraiser: Williston Festival Sept 2016
We were so blessed to have been given this fundraising opportunity at the Williston Winter Festival this year. This could equate to many bowls of soup and food parcels for our elderly and children.
Photographed with us at the festival:
The one and only Williston Stoftrappers Band! Great friends and luckily they have a lot of love for Ram. They helped us out with music in Montagu 2 years ago when we had a Christmas function for 3 old age homes. AND taught us all how to play instruments. Thanks guys and gal.. You are awesome.
Williston Stoftrappers! These kids are such a feast for the eye. Love them.
Mita their training "mum" gets them to go into the fields to collect the porcupine spears for their outfits & headgear. She is an awesome trainer of 3 groups which brings home the awards.
What a fantastic 3 days of awesomeness!
The Coke truck is our opportunity as a business venture to raise funds given by Williston Winter Festival. Thank you Pieter Naude.
Sharon Hunlun - Ram's Montagu arm, thank you so much for working alongside me during the 3 days.
To Hendrik from #PenBev Vredendal, you went beyond the extra mile to assist Ram. Thank you. What a fantastic young man.
Dictionaries & Stationery
Look at those faces looking through the dictionaries. 2 delivered to Baden Primary in Montagu (farm school) together with 72 pencils, 36 colour pencils and a mixed bag of colour pencils thanks to Carol Muller.
Then 2 more books at Talana Primary (rural school) plus 2 computer desks plus 2 chairs. Heart rendering stuff for Ram. The computer literacy has begun.
We have been busy and cannot thank each and every person/institution enough for chipping away at making a difference. We are extremely grateful and blessed.
PS. We are collecting second hand/new books for various schools and old age homes, as we are busy creating libraries for them. If you can assist in any way, please let us know.
