The Sabrina Love-a-Bedroom idea was born during one of our Sabrina Love Mancom meetings at the end of last year as we went through our children’s wish list. So many had asked for a pink “Sabrina Bedroom”. The dream was then to set out and make this a reality for each and every one of our children. Now, 8 months into the project, we have managed to complete several bedrooms with the help and support which has come in from far and wide. We have been endlessly touched and embraced by all and everyone who have shared this incredible journey that we are on to change the sleeping and living lives of our Sabrina Love children as we do their room make overs.
The process begins by going into the townships for our home site visits, accompanied by our Sabrina Love caregiver responsible for that area, where we can individually assess the needs of each of our children. We then set out the plan to paint, put down flooring, purchase everything needed from bed bases, mattresses, linen, duvet inners and pillows, curtains, blankets, clothes hooks and pretty obje to decorate their rooms, with the final touch being our Sabrina Love girl or boy to hang on their walls as a token of our love and support that we want our children to know that they have as they wake each day and go to sleep each night. We have yet to address the lighting for some homes and our next phase will be to obtain a solar lamp for each of them where they do not have access to electricity or the correct wiring to their rooms for a little light.
The delight and gratitude which has filtered down from our children and their parents has been completely overwhelming. The anticipation and then the reality of their own warm and precious space they have received has touched our hearts and taken our Interior Design work to a humble and gentle place. To see them snuggled into their bed for the first time, particularly on these very cold nights we have had, is completely heartwarming and a privilege to have the opportunity to make this difference. We have seen a visible up-liftment and compassion come out in the families, neighbours, friends who help and get involved in making a difference as they can to the rest of their homes. For Claudine, Jess and myself, working alongside each of our dedicated caregivers Aunt Mary in Kranshoek, Nella in Kurland, the Crags, Greenvalley and New Horizon and then Amanda in New Horizon, Qolweni, Pinetrees, Bossiesgif and Kwanokothula, what a time we have had in the rain and shine, being followed by rainbows and “s’s” and so many hearts as we know Sabrina flies beside us adding her magical touch wherever we go. So much can be done with the beautiful energy that has surrounded this project and we give our enormous thanks to you all for helping to make it happen.
Chantel Nienaber recently came second at the SA Ultra Trail Challenge on the 23rd of July. A Grueling 68km with 4500m ascent helping us to raise much needed funds for the Sabrina Love a Bedroom project through her Support-A-Star campaign. Congratulations Chantel! Chantel has been selected to represent SA at the Ultra Trail Champs in Portugal on the 29th of October 2016!
In June this year Suzy and her beloved Foxy participated in the dressage, cross country and show jumping events over 3 days at the magnificent Kurland Winter Classic Eventing, the aim to raise funds through their Support-A-Star campaign for the Sabrina Love-a-Bedroom project.
A note from Suzy (Sabrina’s mom) after Foxy handled the eventing tracks at Kurland dressed in pink!
“Thank you to my Support-A-Star friends who helped to contribute towards doing a bedroom for Yolanda, one of our Sterreweg teenagers who always mentions “ehash” to me having taken her to try her hand at horse riding with us a long while back – we could not encourage her to ride but ever since then she has talked about horses when she sees me … I decided to use Foxy’s funds to do her room as she always associates me with horses.
The needs of the kids vary from home to home…RDP houses to shacks…you can imagine, so for some it is everything – we have had a blank canvas where we have painted, put down new flooring, bought the bed base, supplied a mattress, night frill, fitted sheet, duvet inner and cover, pillow inner and pillow case, cosy blanket, curtains, bath towel, face cloth and then wall hangings to decorate the walls and then robe hooks where there are sturdy walls to hang items. Then there has been a bed and we just needed to paint and decorate…each one bespoke for each child…little girls and boys to teenagers…”
