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With Christmas only a few weeks away, as part of their annual “Tree of Joy” initiative, Fountains Mall in Jeffreys Bay is teaming up with the JBay Recycling Project to collect 200 gifts for the children who have worked hardest throughout the year to collect recyclable goods which they drop off weekly at the Sunshine Service Centre in Pellsrus.
As previously reported by Kouga Express, non-profit organisation, JBay Recycling Project, was initially established in 2011 to alleviate poverty and pollution by providing access to basic essentials for children, while simultaneously cleaning up the environment and educating the youth about the importance of a healthy environment.
Tanja Lategan, JBay Recycling Project co-ordinator, said that each of these children has collected over 80kg of recyclable material throughout the year, and exchanged their points, which they refer to as “mula”, for essentials like toiletries and food.
“By recycling they have contributed to a cleaner environment and learned to be self-sufficient, to count, save, and share with their friends and families,” said Lategan.
At the recycling project, once the children hand over the recyclable materials to the volunteers each Monday after school, all items are weighed, and earnings are recorded on each child’s specific card as mula.
The children then enter the shop, where a volunteer ascertains how much mula they have, and each child is guided by their own personal shop assistant who shows them around the shop and helps them to choose wisely from the variety items available, donated or bought with donated funds. The children and volunteers both thoroughly enjoy the personal interaction.
Before they leave the shop they also receive a nutritious snack, fruit and milk to enjoy, which has been sponsored by First Choice/Woodlands Dairy, Infood, Food Lover’s Market and Nina’s.
Lategan said that the JBay Recycling Project has received over 4 000 visits by children thus far in 2023, with more than 62 tonnes in total weight collected.
To acknowledge the most dedicated participants, she said that the 200 top contributors to the project will receive a special gift.
“The 200 special gift recipients will be the children who have contributed most, and attended most regularly throughout the year,” said Lategan.
JBay Recycling Project chairperson, Kerry Smith, said that those who are interested in donating a gift can choose a gift card from the Tree of Joy outside the Pick ’n Pay entrance.
She further said that on December 11 every child who takes part will receive a gift in the form of a food parcel filled with staples, a few treats, and a pre-loved gift donated by the learners of Jeffreys Bay Primary School.
Smith said that fundraising towards these food parcels will run concurrently, and details are on the JBay Recycling Project website on www.jbayrecyclingproject.org.
“The aim is for food to the value of R130, for 300 children,” said Smith.
In addition to purchasing a present or donating towards the food parcels this Christmas season, Lategan is encouraging people to get involved in their organisation throughout the year.
She said that people can get involved by volunteering on Mondays from 11:00 to 13:00 to help set up the swop shop, to assist the children to spend their mula in the swop shop between 13:00 and 16:00, or count stock and pack it away from 16:00.
“People can also donate stock such as toiletries, food, stationery, toys and clothing that are pre-loved or in good condition,” said Lategan.
She further said that people can also help by following the JBay Recycling Project on Facebook or sharing information about their organisation.
For more information about the Tree of Joy initiative, contact Tanja Lategan at 084 684 6771 or Fountains Mall at 042 200 2900.
