Emergency Appeal: South Africa Floods

Dear Supporters,

Life in South Africa often feels like living between extremes. Only three months ago, our Bhongolethu School had to close its doors as our staff took off their shoes and waded through flood water up to their knees. It was cold, the classrooms were soaked, and families in the township struggled through days of rain and discomfort.

Today, everything has changed. Summer has arrived, and the heat is now reaching dangerous levels in the township. What was once a flood has turned into a drought. The children are struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures, and we are doing all we can to keep them safe.

Our immediate goal is to raise enough funds to purchase 200 caps for the children, costing 1,200 dollars in total. We also want to provide each child with a reusable water bottle to help reduce plastic waste and ensure they have access to safe drinking water throughout the day. Alongside this, we hope to supply sunscreen so that everyone can stay protected during outdoor play and activities.

For our community, these rapid shifts between floods and heatwaves have become the new normal. The children are resilient, but they are the most vulnerable to these changes. Every small act of support helps us to keep them safe, healthy, and able to focus on learning rather than surviving the weather.

To everyone who helped us recover from the floods, thank you. Your kindness got us through one of the toughest moments of the year. We now ask for your help again as we face the next challenge. Together, we can make sure the children of Bhongolethu are protected through every season South Africa sends our way.

When the cold front hit Cape Town on 25 June, we were ready.

Thanks to the warnings and your continued support, we were able to act early. At the school in Masiphumelele, our team moved quickly—stacking furniture, storing textbooks, lifting supplies off the floor. We knew what was coming. And because we prepared, the children’s learning materials were saved.

But no matter how prepared you are, there’s only so much you can do when the water keeps rising.

Some of the classroom furniture was still damaged, and we’ve spent the last few days drying out, cleaning up, and getting everything safe for children to return. The power was down for a while, and the roads in and out of the school were flooded—forcing us to close temporarily. And each day the school is closed feels like a step backward for children already fighting to overcome poverty through education.

Out at our dog rescue and rehabilitation farm in Paarl East, the situation was even more difficult. The land turned quickly into a swamp. Some shelters flooded completely. Bedding was soaked, hay ruined, and several of the 193 dogs under our care needed emergency relocation to drier parts of the farm. This was supposed to be their safe space—a place of healing. Now, we’re doing everything we can to restore that.

Still, we’re proud of how much was protected. The early warning meant our volunteers had time to prepare, and the systems we’ve been building—bit by bit—held up better than they would have even a year ago. That’s because of you.

Now, we shift into rebuilding mode. At the school, we’re repairing furniture, re-sanitizing classrooms, and restoring full learning days as quickly as possible. At the farm, we’re bringing in fresh hay, reinforcing the shelters, and working non-stop to make sure no dog is left cold or sick in the aftermath of the storm.

This flood reminds us again that climate change isn’t a future problem—it’s here. And it’s hitting the communities least equipped to handle it. But we’re not giving up. And we’re not going it alone.

Thank you for standing with us—not just when the sun is shining, but when the rains fall hardest.