Hot Cares and Silverstar Pay it Forward with Important Help for Forest Farm Centre

Hot Cares continues to come across some incredible people doing great work for those less fortunate.

Muriel Brand School is a school in Brakpan that offers specialised schooling for children with learning disabilities, as well as some children with physical disabilities. They have English and Afrikaans classes and assist with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.  They have a wonderful team of dedicated, selfless staff going out of their way to improve the lives of the children in their care.

Hot Cares was approached by Gail, a speech therapist at the school, and Jolande, who specialises in helping children who are hearing-impaired, to share the story of two wonderful children in their care.

Gail and Jolande told us about 11-year-old Kwanele, who is in Grade 3, and 15-year-old Shaylee, who is in Grade 6. They both have hearing disabilities and have a standard government supplied hearing aid which helps them hear but the aid cannot be fitted effectively resulting in damages which takes a minimum of three months to be repaired and returned.  Neither Kwanele or Shaylee are candidates for cochlear implants.

So, Gail and Jolande have been looking for a solution and have come across a new piece of technology called the Contact Star Evo1, where the hearing aid is on a pair of glasses supplied by HearTronix. 

These hearing aids come with a two-year warranty and if the kids grow too quickly, all they need to change are the extension tips. So, these hearing aids would potentially last throughout their school careers.

Kwanele actually got to try a pair and his face just lit up, saying “it’s so loud!” but sadly could not keep them due to affordability.  These hearing aids really would be life-changing for both Shaylee and Kwanele however, they don’t come cheap, retailing at just under R28 000 each.

Knowing that there is a solution to Kwanele and Shaylee’s hearing difficulties, Hot Cares were happy to step in and help cover the cost of the hearing aids for them.  In addition, Hot Cares together with their partner, the Dis-Chem Foundation, will provide the school with a monthly Dis-Chem store account for the school clinic to the value of R5000 per month for one year.

Hot Cares will also help the school out with 50 blankets to keep their hostel students warm this winter,– a need that was identified once we started discussions with them.

Similarly, if you are a prospective partner of Hot Cares, or if you are in a position to donate towards making a meaningful difference, or have a story to alert us to, or a programme you’d like to partner with Hot Cares on, please get in touch with us by emailing [email protected].