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NB! This 12 day Trek was fully sponsored and no funds from Hopelands was used. The mandate from the sponsors was that Hopelands would carry our mission flag to Base Camp and propagate our mission as we went along. For almost 3 years our Founders, Stephen and Sharon Lamprecht prepared themselves and waited for the right time to do the Everest Base Camp Trek. Much of the delay was due to the Covid pandemic that put major restrictions on people movement. Well, the date was finally agreed upon in October 2022 when their air tickets were booked and paid for. They departed from South Africa on 6 May to Nepal. The Trek was rather gruelling due their age, yet their enthusiasm and ability to face challenges carried them all the way to Base Camp and back with triumph. On 16 May 2023 they achieved the goal and stood on the iconic rock at Everest Base Camp at an altitude of 5364m and raised Hopelands’ flag. Along the way they met people from different countries and were able to spread their story and their mission. People from Brazil, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, Saudi Arabia, India, Australia, New Zealand, as well as a family from Cape Town, South Africa.  

Our vision at Hopelands has always been to inspire “hope” in a hopeless world. In September 2017, 19-hectares of undeveloped agricultural land was donated to us. Since then we have been hard at work trying to get the property re-zoned for the building of the village for orphaned and abandoned babies and children. After spending in the region of R200 000.00 we are still in the starting blocks regarding the re-zoning. Multiple obstacles with various environmental reports from the respective consultants prevented us from moving forward with our vision.  Our vision is still to build a self-sustaining village. Hopelands has also consulted other likeminded groups such as LIV, Door of Hope and The Almond Tree regarding our strategy at a conference hosted by LIV Cottonlands in January 2020. What emerged from these consultations is that a manageable self-sustainable village size should have a maximum of 48 children. This will equate to 8 homes with 6 children per home with a house mother or parents on a cluster foster care basis. Hence a re-think of our strategy became necessary and a re-evaluation of how to move forward. In a nutshell we will pursue the option to farm and develop the agricultural land and also purchase an existing house in the town of Magaliesburg where we can straightaway rescue and accommodate orphaned and abandoned babies. A search was initiated, and our Founders, Stephen and Sharon Lamprecht started searching in the area of Magaliesburg. After viewing 8 homes on offer in the area, Hopelands finally found a suitable house in the town of Magaliesburg and submitted an offer to purchase it for R1 150 000.00. The offer was accepted, and the process began to apply for a bond which was approved subject to a condition of a 10% deposit of R115 000.00.   The progress on the purchase is that all the required documents have been signed to transfer the property.  Payments made thus far: Deposit – R115 000.00 Transfer fees – R33638.50 Bond registration fees – R28105.60 Total – R176744.10  Funds and sponsors needed: All funds raised or donations received will be used in any of the following areas of need such as:   Payment of the deposit, transfer duties, bond registration and any amount towards the bond  Modifications to conform with the requirements set by the Department of Social Development Building alterations and modification (Building material, paint etc.) Security of the property Installing green energy Landscaping of the property Furniture and appliances needed for the home Food, clothing and medication for the babies

When it comes to working with any non-profit there is no “one size fits all” that is best suited for any non-profit. The great thing about working with the teams from Nedbank is that there is no authoritarianism. From the outset it was very clear that they have a heart for what they are doing and were in regular contact with us as to what the need at the baby rescue home was. Their intentions were clear that they would not just blow in, blow up and blow out. No “quick fixes”. Teams worked with a clear plan and objective.  Each team took certain areas that needed attention and engaged diligently in working through the process to reach the goal. Be it excavation, painting, gardening, deep cleaning, irrigation, new putty in window frames, dry wall installation and the like, they just kept chipping away with teamwork, laughter and great camaraderie.   We’re grateful that the meaningful action from Nedbank and their teams to help non-profits in a practical and hands on way brings about an understanding of work that is being done in communities by those who care what happens in communities, are willing to take action to address those needs, and are prepared to put themselves at risk to assist in needy communities.  Thank you to the teams from Nedbank. We appreciate you and the work you have done at Hope Cottage here in Magaliesburg. 

Hopelands managed to purchase 10 pre-used cots that needed some serious revamping. Jenny-Lee Swanepoel, the current “Mrs. Krugersdorp” and “Hopelands Ambassador” took it upon herself to arrange the revamping of the cots. The day itself was a beautiful sunny day in May and many people arrived to give their support to this initiative to get involved in community needs. As far as possible we as Hopelands want the community to assist with this project and we are making good progress in this. With much enthusiasm the group set everything up in the driveway and the chatter and banter amongst the group of helpers made the day a great success. Someone went off to the local builder’s store and purchase some wood and goodies for some much-needed upgrades to the cots as well.  Some even brought their own tools which again shows how people want to get involved to help. Much activity was to be seen. Sanding, scraping, sawing, screwing, and varnishing soon transformed the cots take on a whole new look. Bundleberry donated beautiful gifts to decorate the cots. Thank you to the following that made this such a wonderful success: Mrs Krugersdorp 2021/2022 – Jenny-Lee Swanepoel Hopelands Ambassador – Jenny-Lee Swanepoel Bundleberry – Tanya Cron Best Foot Forward Dance Academy

After 5 months of waiting for the Department of Social Development to process our application for Hopelands to be registered as a Child and Youth Care centre (CYCC) we had a breakthrough on 30 March 2023. Hopelands is now registered as a CYCC, and we are permitted to have 13 children aged from birth to 3 years of age. Such fantastic news. 

3 July 2023 was a huge day of victory for Hopelands as we received our very first little bundle of life. This precious one was handed over to us from a Child Protection Organisation to protect her and care for her. We are so grateful and privileged to be used in this ultimate sense of raising someone who was probably destined by circumstances to not have the slightest chance of a functional life.  The moment of handover to Sharon was indescribable. A moment captured in time. Our very first baby rescued from abandonment. Lives lived with Hope.

Since our Open Day on 27 March 2021, we have had a fantastic response from our partners, friends and community organisations to support the needed upgrades to our first rescue home in Magaliesburg. Our “wish lists” were displayed on the walls wherever a need was and much of that has been taken care of with only a few outstanding matters. We’re confident that this will be taken care of by members of the community and friends of Hopelands. We’re so delighted with the support we received, and we take pleasure in sharing this with you. To date we have received the following support and donations: Paint: 400 litres of Plascon paint donated by Jan Kruger Rhinolite of interior walls: Material and labour sponsored by Gary Combrink (Labour: Albert & Justice) Carpentry: Altering of kitchen cupboards and office cupboards: Labour sponsored by Gary Combrink (Labour: Michael & Kyle) Painting: Inside walls after rhinolite: Bonding paint and labour supplied by Gary Combrink (Labour: Albert, Justice, Michael and Kyle) Removing all old floor tiles in the house: Gary Combrink sponsored the labour (Labour: Albert, Justice, Michael and Kyle) Tiles: 150 sq/m of tiles, tile adhesive and grouting donated by unknown donours. (They don’t want us to know who they are. This is the type of generosity we have experienced. Gary arranged it) Tiling new tiles: Labour sponsored by Gary Combrink (Tilers: Raymond & Clement) Afriforum Krugersdorp: Organising Electrician to do some electrical work and painters to paint the whole house and outbuildings inside, outside and roof. Sign and pamphlet: Jaco Malan from iPak.  Water tank: New 2000 litre water tank supplied and installed by Vincent Sequeira Drawing new house plans: Dumisani Bosoga from Noksa 23 Donations from Mike and Miranda Jesseman as well as Gerhard and Bernice le Roux.  

Our first rescue home for abandoned babies “Hope Cottage” On Saturday, 27 March 2021 we had our Open Day for our first rescue home for abandoned babies at 1 Rustenburg Road, Magaliesburg Friends of Hopelands, sponsors and interested people from the community came to see what we are up to. One room had a makeover for the Open Day and we received great feedback from those who attended the Open day. Rugani Juice, one of our sponsors were also present and everyone who attended received a free juice from them.  Hope Cottage is being re-modelled into a home for orphaned and abandoned babies under 6 months of age.  Our objective is to prepare the house to accommodate 20 babies. Hope Cottage will be a rescue home where the babies can eventually either be adopted by a loving forever family or raised by Hopelands in a loving forever home. So far, we have submitted applications to the necessary departments and are hopeful to have all the approvals done by end June 2021.  Departments where we have to submit applications: Health and Social Development (Fees to pay: Not sure yet)  Certificate for food on the premises Permit for an accommodation establishment Approval from Social Development Mogale City Town Planning (Fees to pay: R16200.00) (Deposit of R8100.00 has been paid already) Application for special consent for a place of institution for safe keeping of abandoned children Public participation Placing and removing of site notices Newspaper advertising New house plans have to be drawn as the Municipality has no plans on record due to their incompetence, loss or damage to previous plans West Rand District Fire department (A Consultant is assisting us pro-bono) Emergency plan Fire certificate Work done so far and already paid for: Repaired damaged electrical cable from Eskom supply box to the house (R2477.85) Replaced leaking water tank with a new 2000 litre tank and laid new high-pressure pipes to move off Municipal water to borehole water (R7500.00) Re-modelled one room in the house for Open Day (R5000.00) Installed alarm, eye beams and electric fencing for security purposes (R26290.15) Maintaining the property to look neat and presentable at all times A sponsor has sponsored all the paint for the interior, exterior and roof for all the buildings on the property (Value is unknown to us as it is being sponsored) Hopelands sign was sponsored by iPak (R5000.00) WISH LIST FOR HOPE COTTAGE According to other baby rescue homes that we have relationships with estimate that the overall cost to care for one baby is approximately R6000.00 per month.  (20 x R6000.00 = R120 000.00 per month) Solar energy/generator to move off grid from ESKOM Building material to build Isolation room and enclose patio for an additional room Landscaping of property (Trees to be removed and re-shaping of garden) Security cameras and upgrades to be installed Baby cots x 20 Baby clothes, nappies, bottles, food etc. Washing machine Irrigation system to be upgraded for veggie garden Painting contractor Motor vehicle ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOME!