Place of Mercy and Hope

Education, Nutrition, Health Care

Our Impact

Our beginnings to present in numbers

Children Educated

20,230

Meals

789,250

Home Based Care Patients

435

COVID-19 Response

107,500 meals

Who We Are

A Distinct Identity

The Place of Mercy and Hope is a collaborative effort between the Marist Brothers, Sisters of Mercy and Lay Person's in the Sundays River Valley, Addo, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The program assists families who are from incredibly disadvantaged communities, with a specific focus toward children.

Our program cares for a Baby and Toddler Centre, Creche and Pre-School, Clinic, Soup Kitchens and Adult Learning programs.

The Place of Mercy and Hope work extensively with children who have been abused and those that have HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Cancer and other common South African illnesses.

COVID-19 Response

OUR IMPACT IN NUMBERS

(26 March 2020 - Present)

18,800 BENEFICIARIES

107,500 MEALS

R160,00 COST PER PARCEL

SPECIAL APPEAL COVID-19

Marist Mercy Care’s Place of Mercy and Hope is continuing its mission during the COVID-19 lockdown by alleviating the poverty of the disadvantaged communities of the Sundays River Valley by providing essential items such as food parcels and sanitary items utilising structures, support bases and community involvement we have built and have had in place for over 14 years.

We have hand delivered hundreds of parcels equating to helping thousands of children and adults whilst ensuring safety and social distancing for all involved.

There are hundreds of families living with HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malnourishment in these areas who are often forgotten.

A sewing group we started involving local ladies continue making cotton masks for the communities and farm workers as our added effort to combat the spread of the virus.

Our impact on the communities is welcomed as we are the only Organisation whose footprint has been able to reach such vast areas of the Valley and support such significant numbers.

Please see below Donation platforms and contact details should you be able to assist.

Activities

Making A Difference

Education

Marist Brothers Jason Grieve Place of Mercy and Hope Addo Marist Mercy

Toddler, Crèche & Pre School

We care for over two hundred children with a staff of 11 dedicated educators in the Valencia Formal Settlement in Addo. Our education program prepares our children to flourish in a Primary School environment.

Food Parcels

Helping The Community

We are dedicated to stepping up our efforts to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in
this area. We run Soup Kitchens in a number of Formal and Informal Settlements
feeding hundreds of children and adults weekly.

Adult Learning Courses

It always seems impossible until it's done.

Computer lessons are taught throughout the Valley, offering children and adults
the chance to learn and understand the importance of the Computer. These
lessons were developed by Sister Breda.

Youth Empowerment

Jason Grieve, Summer Camp, Marist, Place

One Step at a Time

A Summer Camp is held annually in December in the Langbos Informal Settlement. Our Youth Empowerment program develops every year. We welcome just under 500 disadvantaged children, 20 special needs children, welcome 10 newly appointed South African Marist Student Leaders (Head Boys and Head Girls) of the five Marist Schools, Marist Alumni from the five South African Marist, two German Marist Alumni and local volunteers who are mentored by the Marists.

Addo Township Designs

Entrepreneurship

Our goal is to empower local women of the Valencia Formal Settlement by
providing them with the skills necessary for sewing and embroidery. Raymond Nel
(a St Henry's Alumnus) donated sewing machines, a Wendy House and funded the
education of local ladies in business management. Addo Township Designs supplies school uniforms to local schools, creates handbags and can embroider anything customers require.

Health Care

Reinforcing our Commitment

Our mission is to assist those incredibly sick and dying by providing Health Care to the Valencia Formal Settlement.

We have three dedicated
Home Based Carers who walk Valencia Formal Settlement daily attending to those
who have HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Cancer and other common South African illnesses.

We also have a resident Medical Doctor.

Key People

Committed to the Cause

Martha O'Connor Place of Mercy and Hope Addo Marist Mercy

Sr Martha O'Connor

Director of Place of Mercy and Hope

Sister Martha is a Sister of Mercy and has been involved in Education since 1970 teaching children from ages 4 to 16. She was principal of a St. Ursula's Junior School for three years. Prior to coming to South Africa, Sr. Martha was Head of Religious Education at St. Bede's Catholic College in Bristol. She also worked on the Pastoral Care team with vulnerable young students and school phobics. Sr. Martha accepted the challenge from her Mercy Congregation to come to South Africa in 2006.