The Vredendal Solar Project has been funding the indispensable services of an independent social worker for a number of years, touching the lives of learners and parents. The social worker, Marietjie Engelbrecht, provides counselling to learners including programmes aimed at assisting parents, and deals with social problems such as drug abuse, sexual abuse and teenage pregnancies. The solar project also provides funding for food parcels, which benefit households identified by the social worker.

Early prevention services are rendered towards the people in Vredendal North, mostly living in Mangahung and Polla Park, as well as the farms nearby Kleinrivier Primary.

A more detailed list of the services available is as follows:

CASE WORK

• Trauma debriefing.
• Forensic social work services:
  • Maintenance court
  • Custody and divorce cases (family court proceedings)
  • Parenting plans
  • Protection orders
  • Provide expert witnessing in court
  • Evaluate mental health, towards individuals accused of crime
• Alcohol-and substance abuse
• Referrals for treatment at rehabilitation centres
• Implications of child and spousal abuse (gender-based violence)
• Child neglect
• Primary needs of families
• Supportive services towards xenophobic attacks.

GROUP WORK

• Peer-group pressure
• Prevention programme:
  • Alcohol-and substance abuse

COMMUNITY WORK

• Primary needs
  • 3 soup kitchens
  • Hampers
• Eye care
• Handing out of clothes, school clothing, school shoes, stationary and
• educational material
• Female health care. Supportive services towards:
  • Cancer
  • Unplanned pregnancies and pregnancies at young age
  • Postpartum depression
  • Providing of female products
• Prevention programmes at churches
• Networking with companies, providing them info about the needs of the community.

Marietjie Engelbrecht is available on 084 511 6102