What if between changing the diapers, the laundry and the dishes a community of mothers around the world could change the future for a community of kids and their mamas, grandmas, dads and aunties in South Africa?

What if 1 blog community could build 1 South African community a safe place for sustainable food, child care, economic empowerment, job skills trainings, a gathering place for church, classrooms for HIV/Aids education, and a playground for their kids?

This is the human blue print:



The goal is to raise $150,000 to fund the entire project between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day – because love is more than a date on the calendar, and it never leaves anyone out. And Mother's Day is a 365 days a year adventure, always worth celebrating.

{Click here to read the full back story about this project.}

Phase 1: Community Vegetable Garden $5,000 FULLY FUNDED

Phase 2: Community Kitchen and Welcome Center

Phase 3: Community Outreach Hall

Phase 4: 12 Classrooms

Phase 5: Playground $3,000 FULLY FUNDED

This is Phase 3 - The Community Outreach Hall

There's a community just north of Pretoria, South Africa, called Maubane. Home to about 150 adults and 250 orphans and vulnerable children.

For three years every Sunday they've been gathering for church on this vacant piece of land. For church and holidays, trainings, workshops and community celebrations.

For a while they gathered under a tent. Until the wind and the weather destroyed it.

Out here in the dust and the dirt is where they gather.

Where they meet for trainings. 

Where they sing and celebrate at church, receive gifts at Christmas, and congregate for meetings, trainings and workshops.

The community has received permission from the local tribal council and government to build a community center on this land. 

Imagine a big community hall with a stage and space for rows and rows of chairs, microphones, bands and teachers.

Imagine a place that would provide shelter from the sun, the dirt and the dust to learn about HIV/AIDS, receive employment training, skills workshops and free clinics for a community whose gatherings and services usually look like this:

Instead the new hall (at 1,125 Square Meters big) would offer space for:

Young adult skills development training, even before the classrooms are constructed, including:

• Employment/entrepreneurial skills training
• Vegetable Garden trainings on sustainable farming by Foundations for Farming
  
• Early childhood development training
  
• Bead work
• Sewing
• Art lessons

Health Education for the community

• Talks on HIV/Aids
• Maternity care
• Nutrition workshops
  

Aftercare for school children

Providing a safe place for kids who would otherwise be on the streets after school. Helping with homework and studies, providing a stimulating and safe environment.

Church Services

For 250 kids and their relatives and/or caretakers.


So won't you be brave and give as big as these grins?

And then invite your family, your kids, your friends to join our virtual Valentine's Day celebration  --

Click to tweet this or copy and paste it into Facebook below:

There is NOTHING ORDINARY about being a mom, especially to hundreds of kids who don't have one. #SurprisedByMotherhood →  click to tweet

Won't you be brave and give as big as these grins? #SurprisedByMotherhood → click to tweet

Sometimes you change the world 1 carrot, 1 kid, 1 brick, 1 classroom, 1 mom at a time. #SurprisedByMotherhood → click to tweet

Love: is shelter, education, training & church services for 250 children & their caretakers. #SurprisedByMotherhood → click to tweet

________________________________________
Phase 1: Community Vegetable Garden $5,000 FULLY FUNDED

Phase 2: Community Kitchen and Welcome Center

Phase 3: Community Outreach Hall

Phase 4: 12 Classrooms

Phase 5: Playground $3,000 FULLY FUNDED

Made possible by a collaboration with Help One Now and local South African organizations Take Action and the James 1:27 Trust.

All photos by Patrick Black and Yorke Rodda.