Cape Town - Two women from vastly different walks of life sat side-by-side on a weathered chest in a rough structure built in an informal settlement, known as Die Sloot, above Hangberg on the slopes of the Sentinel, Hout Bay.
The only thing that connected them was their shared humanity.
The paths of Liesl Hamel and Theresa Abrahams crossed in Theresa’s home on Sunday, when Liesl popped in to hand over a trailer-load of goods for the children in Theresa’s care.
Hamel is a buyer for a cosmetics company and lives in the lush, leafy northern suburbs. Abrahams lives in a home built by her husband, Colin, among what most people would call shacks.
Abrahams runs an organisation called “A Place Called Home”, where, along with a group of 14 other women, she cares for more than 72 children, teaching them arts and crafts, life skills, and providing them with meals, clothing and toiletries. She does this with the help of donations from the community, but since protests flared up in the area, handouts have been hard to come by.
“How can I go and ask for donations for the children, when people say it’s the same children who throw stones and damage property?”
Hamel read about Abrahams’s work in the Cape Argus series #PeopleOfHangberg and decided to lend a hand.
“I read about the story online and thought I had to do something. I enlisted the help of a group in the area, the Kenridge Angels, and we did a collection.
“We have stationery, clothing, shoes, bedding, toiletries, sanitary towels... and, of course, some toys,” Hamel said.
When Abrahams saw the trailer-load of goodies, she was overwhelmed.
“I was so excited, I nearly cried. These kids... their parents don’t work, so they can’t give their kids what they need. During the protests, the market burnt, their places of work burnt down, or their businesses packed up, so things are really tough here now.
“It’s frustrating. We do good work here, but when we ask people for donations, all they think about is the rioting and then they don’t want to help.”
Abrahams is planning to take some of the children on an outing for Heritage Day, and needs help to make this a reality.
“Some of these children have never even been out of Hout Bay.”
Marcellino Slingers, 11, said Abrahams was a shining light in the community. “She looks after us and shows us exciting things.”
Carla Davids, 14, said the donation meant everything.
“A Place Called Home is like my family. I’ve been with them for four months and everyone here is family. I love it here and all the good work they do.”