10 Questions for Annemi Brand
- What place (in SA) do you call home, and why?
Cape Town. This wonderful city with its scenic beaches and mountains is where I was born, and where I will live for the rest of my life. The opportunities in Cape Town are amazing in terms of job opportunities, quality of life, arts and activities. The wonderful vibrant cultures you find in Cape Town are so unique!
- Favourite place to have breakfast near(ish) where you live?
Our favourite breakfast location would be at Rhodes Memorial. The food is always of the highest quality and the view from the mountain is breathtaking - you can never get enough of the view over Cape Town with the ocean as a backdrop. Another favourite is Zorgvliet Farm between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, where the herb butter always makes a breakfast to remember.
- You are the founder of Helping Angels. What does your organization do?
Our NPO (non profit organization) assists children’s homes, safe houses, soup kitchens and old age homes by hosting fun events for the children and residents, and by collection and distribution of much needed supplies. Our dream is to better the lives of all the little angels out there who can’t fend for themselves, and to expose them to the beautiful things in life!
Our main projects are:
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Community Project:
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Bottelary Farm Project, Kraaifontein
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Children’s Home:
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Colleen’s Place of Hope, Mitchell’s Plain
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Pensioners & Elderly:
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Pensioners Project, Brooklyn
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Feeding Scheme:
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House of Hope soup kitchen, Brackenfell
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Disabled
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House El Roi, Alexandra Mental hospital
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Abused children Safe house:
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Mamawethu House of Safety, Bellville
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Christmas:
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Christmas Shoebox project
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- What inspired you to start Helping Angels?
It was a matter of wanting to help and not knowing whatto do and where to volunteer, that resulted in Helping Angels being started. I asked a few girls that worked with me to join me by going to Red Cross Children’s Hospital (our first event!) and we handed out snacks and spent time with the cancer patients and burn victims. When I saw the smiles that a small bit of attention brought to their faces, I knew this was my passion in life, and understood that to make a difference Helping Angels would have to grow from a group of friends to a real NPO that could try to make a bigger impact in Cape Town.
We have been blessed in so many ways - by volunteers, donated goods, etc and although it’s a constant struggle to get the resources together (we have such a huge need for a combi/bakkie!) that some days are so very hard, we will keep going and we will keep bringing smiles to these wonderful angels out there that needs our help!
- Tell us about a day in the life of Annemi Brand:
A typical day starts at 5:30 getting up to go to work; I have a full time job at Irvin & Johnson in Woodstock. So until 4:30 my head and heart is at I&J being an assistant management accountant in the processing division, and after work and weekends is when I live my passion…Helping Angels!
So after work is when we (my daughter is 12 years old and she and my fiancée help with all our activities) would make visits and drop off goods, get in donations, answer mails, do the arrangements of our volunteers, send out requests for donations and plan our events. Usually night times are very hectic, so we appreciate the nights off even more having special family time watching movies or playing board games together. On Saturdays and Sundays we have our Helping Angels events (about 2 per month).
- What are the hardest, and what are the most rewarding, aspects of your work at Helping Angels?
The hardest is that you can not help everyone! There is a huge need out there in terms of safe houses for abused children, and for feeding schemes, so putting it all in perspective the biggest need is food. No child can learn on an empty stomach and seeing children go hungry is the saddest thing you will ever experience.
The most rewarding is seeing results when we do have enough food and funds to help! The thank you’s and hugs we get and the appreciation that these children have for the smallest thing, and to see the children growing towards a better future is the most rewarding feeling in the world. Seeing a child offer their friend the last sandwich because they know that child is hungrier than they are, that is rewarding.
- What inspires you? (In your work, every day, in life)
My inspiration comes from so many places…
- my fiancée Gerrit who makes me believe (when I am worried that we wont get enough goods in) that Helping Angels can accomplish all our dreams for these children
- my management team Nicole, Sharon and Joan who I can call upon any time night or day and they will be there to support, help, guide and solve problems
- my faith in God keeps me strong and inspires me to do my part to make South Africa a better place for everyone
- the angels that surround me every day working in soup kitchens, running safe houses and children’s homes, without a thought to their own comfort just focusing on the needy
- this quote is my inspiration:
Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away…
- Tell us, briefly, about your best ever South African holiday or travelling experience
My best ever South African holiday was at Langezandt Fisherman’s village, just outside of Cape Agulhas (see pic below). This is a unique village of white fisherman’s cottages with a white beach that is peaceful and tranquil and is perfect for a quiet family holiday. Our fondest memory is playing with our Jack Russell on the beach for hours each day without anyone passing by, pure bliss!
Another experience that is always wonderful is going up Table Mountain or taking a drive via Devils Peak to enjoy the scenic view from the top of the mountain. And the best part is you don’t have to wait till holiday time to experience this!
- Who is / are your South African hero/es, and why?
Again here I have so many because I work with them on a regular basis. One of my unsung heroes is Colleen Naidoo who looks after 30 children from abusive homes where they were severely neglected and abandoned. She takes care of them as if they were her own with so much love and care that shines through every day.
- How can members of the public help or contribute towards the work at Helping Angels?
Our biggest need is food products, and we also desperately need a minibus or bakkie to transport the children, to collect donations and to do handouts. We also welcome volunteers to assist us on handout dates and to play with the children at our events. Our detailed needs list is as follows:
- Non perishable food products (tinned foods, beans, maize, flour, rice, pasta, etc)
- Fresh Meat & Vegetables (any meat products and all vegetables)
- Bread, rolls & condiments (marmite, butter, peanut butter, cheese, jam, spreads)
- Toiletries (soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, facecloths, deodorant, shampoos, lotions, wet wipes)
- Long life milk, purity, cereal, fruit juice
- Nappies (all sizes)
- Formula milk (Isomil 1 and 2)
- Blankets & bedding
- Clothes & underwear (adult and children clothes & shoes, all sizes)
- Appliances for soup kitchen (pots, stove, microwave, etc)
- Cleaning products (washing powder, dishwashing liquid, etc)
- Sponsor for Gas for soup kitchen
- Books and magazines
- Containers to serve food, plastic spoons & cups
- Catering cooking pots
- School supplies and stationery
- Minibus or bakkie
Contact Helping Angels:
