Physical Health South Africa Project #47170

Footprints 4 Sam Super Sam Hero Vehicle Project

by Footprints 4 Sam Trust

Footprints 4 Sam Super Sam Hero Vehicle Project

Project Report | Jan 23, 2023
8436 - Why is this number significant?

By Melissa Williams-Platt | Sam's Mum, Co-founder & Trustee

Making a difference! #F4Sam

8436 is the number of lives that Footprints 4 Sam has changed since the inception of our Super Sam Hero Vehicle Project in 2018. Lives that have been changed because of donors such as yourselves. These numbers were tallied at the end of December 2022.

4299 of those are children. Children living in South Africa who are underprivileged and are facing the daily battle of a chronic or life limiting illness. Without our Super Sam Hero Vehicles many of them would not ever attend their follow up appointments or important clinics. It is at these key appointments that their conditions are monitored and where they are supported by a team of specialist doctors, nurses and social workers and other allied professionals that make sure that these children feel loved, seen and heard together with their parents. It is at these appointments that both their clinical and psycho-social needs are considered and addressed as best as possible. (At the end of last year 50 patients also received buckets - welcome relief through our Super Sam Hero Food and Toiletry bucket initiative - A gift delivered to the patient's door by our Super Sam Van Team! Each bucket impacts not just the patient but also their parents and siblings - In this case over 219 lives were touched.)

As you contemplate the year ahead - take a moment to reflect on the year that was and the difference that you have made in these young and extremely vulnerable lives. 2022 mattered and so will 2023 through your incredible support! - So a HUGE THANK YOU for continuing to choose and show up for Footprints 4 Sam, we are eternally grateful.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very special 2023 and when the road is a bit bumpy, we wish you the strength and resilience to navigate the road ahead.

Life is precious, as these children so often teach us! Don't miss a moment!

Warm wishes,

Melissa

(Sam's Mum, Co-Founder & Trustee - The Footprints 4 Sam Trust)

Links:

Latest Annual Report - Celebrate with us!

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Sep 23, 2022
Sam's Van - Hope, Dignity & Pride!

By Melissa Williams-Platt | Co-Founder and Trustee

Our amazing drivers & some incredible passengers

A few months ago we bought our Footprints 4 Sam drivers new uniforms. The reason I am bringing it up now is because each time I see the drivers they just seem so proud of the work they do and they love wearing their Footprints 4 Sam Gear! We also love seeing them in uniform as their Sam work gear is truly a mark of the pride and dignity they both take each day into work.

Being a Footprints 4 Sam driver is not just about being a driver it is also about being emotionally present and supportive of all the families and patients we serve. Our drivers are more like chauffeurs and family members of the patients as they treat each child and parent with absolute compassion, kindness and love. This is not an easy job for them as they get to know and work with some amazing children and families and because of the chronic disease trajectory of many of our beneficiaries, they also have to mourn many of their young charges who pass away. Can you just imagine how draining this must be? (But also so fulfilling!)

So I would like to dedicate this report to Humbert (aka Humbie to all the children) and Sonwabo who each day despite the challenges they face are mindfully present and kind to all our beneficiary families treating them all like the VIP passengers they really are!

Since project inception in June 2018 our drivers have transported over 7500 passengers with genuine care and kindness and jointly the vehicles have travelled 219 888 kilometres. Humbert our Driver Supervisor has been with us from the start in 2018 and his daily mantra that: "This is not a job but a passion" - is so inspiring to hear!

Please take a moment to think of these brave men and thank you for all your support and donations which ensure that we are able to give them a career that not only gives them an amazing job, but also work that brings passion and purpose to everything they do. As I mentioned, this is truly not an easy job to do but they are both able to take on the challenge with patience, grace and a huge smile!

I hope you enjoy the pictures of the drivers and our young beneficiaries and their families.

Warmest wishes and a huge hug of thanks,

Melissa

"Sam se bussie" - Our vehicle's nickname

A Dignified VIP Experience!

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May 24, 2022
The Wheels Keep Turning!

By Melissa Williams-Platt | Sam's Mum, Trustee and Co-Founder

"The Wheels Keep Turning" sounds like the title to a song and if I think about it, I think it should be and who knows maybe it is. I like to think that with each trip the Super Sam Hero Vehicle is bringing a song of hope and love into both parents and children's lives. A song written especially for them where they know that they are not alone and that they are truly respected and cared for. They are a member of the Footprints 4 Sam Family!

When Footprints 4 Sam first launched the Super Sam Hero Vehicle Programme in Cape Town in June 2018, I don't think we realised what a difference these vehicles would make in so many families' lives. We started with just one minibus and now the two Super Sam Hero vans are fast becoming a regular feature on the Cape Town roads. Their bright and beautiful colours bringing smiles to all those they pass.

As I write this report we are fast approaching a really important milestone, namely that of having transported over 7000 passengers and 3600 children over 4 years. Given the fact that these are small minibuses and the fact that we restrict the number of passengers so that all of our families feel like VIP's, this is a huge achievement.

Each of these families struggled previously to pay for transport to their children's clinic and hospital appointments. Many of them would get up early in the dark to make a number of taxi trips with their children on their backs, balancing life-saving medical equipment and their children as they walked between taxi stops and scrambled to make their children's appointments on time. We are super proud that these incredible families are able to have one less critical burden to worry about, as they face the burden of poverty and caring for a child with a chronic and life limiting condition.

Because of all of you amazing donors we are able to write this song of hope and joy and we just want to take this opportunity to thank you all.

We hope as you read this report we are leaving each of you with a song in your hearts until we chat again!

Warmest wishes,

Melissa xx

PS: Just imagine if we could add another Vehicle the additional impact we could make (: - Please keep sharing our story!

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