We are a NPC – registration number: 2018/531274/08 that is helping in the area of child abuse.

WHO

Edith Kriel is a social worker who has specialized in working with traumatised children for the last 24 years. She developed the Teddy Bear Clinic into a multi-level service, initiated the Child Witness Project in the Western Cape and developed the Healing Project for children that have been sexually abused and co-authored the book ‘Voices of Hope- Healing stories for Africa’s children’. Edith often presents multiple multi-disciplinary workshops on a range of child trauma related topics. She initiated and developed the anatomical doll project in South Africa.

Marita Rademeyer is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Child Trauma Clinic in Pretoria. She has helped children and their caregivers deal with the effects of child abuse and neglect, rape, violence and crime, HIV/AIDS, cancer, youth awaiting trial and clients with physical and mental disabilities. Her special interest is play therapy with traumatized children.

WHAT

Jelly Beanz is a non-profit organization which supports children and their families who have experienced trauma, abuse and neglect. We offer direct therapeutic services to children and families, develop resources to support assessment and interventions, offer training and mentorship to professionals working with children and advocate for service-delivery to children who have suffered trauma and abuse. At Jelly Beanz we believe children should be free. Free to live. To love. To learn. To play and to grow, knowing that they matter. We reach out to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

During 2019 we provided therapy for over 200 children and their families with more than 1500 hours of therapy conducted.

Two of our Pretoria Jelly Beanz staff were appointed members of the SITAN advisory group (South Africa situational analysis of child sexual exploitation). Subsequently Jelly Beanz has also been appointed as the South African partner for ECPAT International in the Disrupting Harm study. This study is aimed at collecting evidence from 14 countries across the globe on the context, threats, and children’s perspectives of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The study is funded by End Violence to Children and is implemented by ECPAT, UNICEF and Interpol. Research activities has started early in 2020.

Our student social workers completed an ‘Our bodies’ awareness programme with all the grade 1’s from Silverleaf Primary School and Grade R’s from Dunoon Primary School. Elements of song and dance were brought into discussions about looking after your body, appropriate and inappropriate touching.

We facilitated group discussions with the grade seven class of Dunoon Primary School who were acting out sexually to other children.

We co-facilitated an intervention with the Department of Social Development targeted at boys with difficult behaviours in Du noon Primary school.

We facilitated a 10 session attachment-based parenting programme with eighteen parents and children at Silverleaf Primary School, helping the parents and children to deal with the trauma of sexual abuse.

In Pretoria, volunteer counsellors offered 15 session Beanz Bricks club group therapeutic interventions to children. (Lego®-based therapeutic interventions to build social interaction skills)

Jelly Beanz is extremely privileged to have South African Child Rights activist, Dr Joan van Niekerk, as a professional volunteer that gives 1 day per week to counsel with parents of children that are receiving therapy. Too often the parents get left behind in the trauma. Joan spent 24 years at Childline, initially as director of Childline KZN and then as National Co-ordinator of Childline South Africa.

Jelly Beanz and partners hosted the conference in August 2019, at the historic Cape Town City Hall.

The theme of the conference was, ‘Re-rooting Africa: Africa’s Routes to Preventing & Responding to Child Abuse, Violence & Neglect’. It saw the registration of over 300 delegates, comprised of 10 pathways to solutions and saw representatives from 18 African countries and from other parts of the world.

Throughout the conference, there was recognition that the challenges faced in Africa are complex, that they are global in nature, and require African-relevant, real-time and context-specific solutions. These solutions should be based on knowledge generated by all stakeholders who act in a transdisciplinary manner. Addressing these challenges also requires innovative partnerships and networks, as well as openness to perspectives that challenge traditional ways of thinking. The need for collaboration beyond geographical and regional boundaries was emphasised.

As part of our team we have Danni. She is a Newfoundland dog. This breed of dog is known as gentle giants, they are fluffy, gentle, soft natured and love children. They are used overseas in therapeutic work with children, however, Danni is the first Newfoundland in South Africa being trained as a therapy dog (this breed of dog is rare in South Africa). She weighs approx. 65 kg’s, is chocolate coloured, loves being in water or playing with it, enjoys tummy rubs and doesn’t play fetch with a ball, but prefers playing soccer kicking the ball as she runs. Many of the children refer to her as our bear-dog. As she looks like a baby bear.

Danni has become an integral part of the Jelly Beanz family and the work we do for our children.

WHY

We part of the community.

Some of our projects fulfilled are:

Isipho seThemba (which is Zulu for “gift of hope”)

This is a post-trauma psycho-social intervention and reaches families who may otherwise have no access to healing opportunities.

Parents and caregivers of children who have been sexually abused are assisted to experience personal relief of trauma as well as strengthening their coping skills to respond to the effects of trauma on the children.

The programme gives children an opportunity to take part in psycho-social strengths building activities and providing mechanisms for emotional integration, bringing caregivers and children together in attachment building activities and provides a platform for dialogue and peer support to develop between caregivers which may serve as a support mechanism post- intervention.

Voices of Hope Book: Healing Stories for Africa’s Children:

The current volume comprises 25 stories written in such a way that will provide education, support and some form of healing. The stories cover themes such as loss, sexual abuse, domestic violence, depression, divorce, poverty and deprivation, and bullying in children’s lives within the African context. Parents, teachers and the children’s caregivers (including those who care for children who are placed in alternative care) can read the stories to and with children and discuss the content of the stories using the guidelines provided in the book. The older children are also able to read the book by themselves.

Our Bodies Book: helping parents and teachers talk to young children about sexuality

Parents and caregivers need to engage children in open and honest conversations about bodies and sexuality to help prevent sexual abuse. Many parents do not know how to approach the topic as they themselves never had open conversations with their own parents. Some parents and caregivers fear that introducing the topic will make children overly aware of sexuality. Some parents and caregivers feel that they will broach the topic when the child becomes a teenager.

This resource helps parents, caregivers and teachers talk to young children about bodies, sex and body rules. The activity book is written in a way that engages children and guides parents’ step by step in making a serious discussion fun. The parent thus has the privilege of being the first person to discuss sexuality with the child and to cement healthy values in this arena.

Jelly Beanz development a state-of-the-art interviewing facility for the FCS in Milnerton, together with Matla Abana and various sponsors. On 10 October 2019 Jelly Beanz was thrilled to officially hand over of the “child friendly” interview room at Milnerton Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, known as the FCS Unit of SAPS.

WISHLIST

People can help by designing of written materials, knitting of beanies of all sizes, and by sharing Personal Protective Equipment.

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Michelle

Jellybeanz is an amazing organization, giving thousands of children the opportunity for recovery and change after trauma,through therapeutic services and guidance. These services are greatly lacking in South Africa and Jeallybeanz are front runners and an outstanding example.

I have always admired the staff of this company, as they are always willing to assist and think outside of the box to effect change.
6 years ago
Rian

My professional experience with Jelly Beanz (Edith and Marita specifically) is fairly extensive. Over the past 5 years, since I got to know the organisation, I have referred children from my social work case load to them for counselling, I have attended professional trainings which they arranged and facilitated, including their very successful Child Trauma Conference in 2019. Furthermore, by chance I got to present a research paper alongside Marita at a national conference on violence prevention and most recently I worked with them on a major international research project, of which they administrate the South African phase.

My experience in working with them, alongside them or getting trained by them has always been a very positive and supportive experience. I found them to be extremely passionate and sincere in their work (which I greatly appreciate), and they do this in a very no-nonsense but friendly and cheerful manner – which is often so important when working in the field of child therapeutic intervention with children.

This type professionalism (being experienced; knowledgeable; impactful & skilled) which is linked with their down-to-earth sincerity can sometimes be lacking in the social service and support environment (in my experience) and I commend them, would gladly recommend them and I tip my hat to them 😉
6 years ago
Alistair

Jelly Beanz is an amazing group of dedicated staff who selflessly dedicate themselves to helping the most vulnerable among us. I am extremely proud to be a part of their journey and could think of absolutely no other organization more deserving of attention and support. Your are all angels.
6 years ago
Thea Spreeth

Jelly Beanz has been a part of our lives for the last 5 years and I can truly say I witnessed true compassion and love for all walks of lives, but more importantly our future – the children.
Without fail they continue to help and care for children despite all challenging economic circumstances. I am very proud to be associated with this enterprise.
6 years ago
Siyo Theliswa

They played a big role in my School to change learners lives.
6 years ago
Rafiqah

Jelly Beanz has been such a blessing in disguise and a great help to my family and I. We have had the best, unselfish support and we were always welcomed, our times were always flexible and they were always willing to accommodate us. What an incredible journey
6 years ago

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