Freshstart in Sedgefield has kicked off 2019 with a bang and opened their recycling swop shop to new kids, new volunteers and exciting new stock.

 

Sedgefield, South Africa (29 January 2019)FreshStart Sedgefield is a not-for-profit organisation, that aims to create new possibilities, on the Garden Route by helping children to help themselves and break the cycle of poverty, hopelessness and helplessness. This is primarily done through projects involving the recycling and/or upcycling of waste material.

Smutsville is a township on the outskirts of Sedgefield, this is where the children who visit the organisation come from. Majority of the people living in Smutsville live in shacks, they do not own their land and have minimal access to services.

Sedgefield has no industry, and as a result employment possibilities are limited, especially for those without secondary or tertiary education. So this creates a vicious circle and results in a collective feeling of hopeless-helplessness.

The Smutsville Recycle SwopShop is the first FreshStart Sedgefield empowerment project.

It is based on the successful model of Swop Shops started in Hermanus in 2003. The Smutsville Recycle SwopShop has over 600 children registered as collectors… with children learning practically to help lift themselves out of the poverty cycle.

The children collect recyclables and exchange them for points which they can use to buy toiletries, clothing and household essentials. One of the key factors is that parents are not allowed to go with their children to select items from the swop shop. This gives the children the opportunity to choose their own gifts.

There are at least 8 different ‘stations’ for every child to pass through at each SwopShop! Queueing at the gate with recycling in hand is the first – then the weighing and allocation of ‘mula points’ with a sticker on every little hand! Each child can use their points straight away or save them up for bigger items.

When we shared Freshstart’s story last year, people were inspired by the concept. Now a year later, they have new volunteers, new children and all new stock. They had enough stock that they could even offer 2-for-1 special, much like how many clothing stores opporate.

“Last Wednesday saw 258 children, with many ‘first timers’, 2 wonderful new volunteers who clearly proved that love is a universal language. There were some exciting new stock items on the shelves including a special on panties with 2 for 5 points. There were a few cuts and scrapes to attend to and one broken arm which was doing well.

There were many happy shoppers and 2 children who really knew what they wanted. Jamie spotted a fishing rod, brand new with all accessories for 100 points, and without a second glance said ‘That’s what I really want’ and promptly announced he was going to save and save his points!

Another girl of about 11 spent a long time choosing – and with such a generous heart, she came out with a neon skeleton suit for her brother, crayons for her sister and a blouse for herself. It was a really good SwopShop Wednesday with stunning weather and play dough at Kiddies Corner.”

Take a look at the images from their first few swop days.


Sources: Facebook
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens.
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast, with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *