The Poppie Project is a story of creativity, compassion, and the incredible power of cooperation and community spirit. Born from a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, this project embodies more than just a single individual’s idea or effort. It stands as a testament to strong teamwork and collaboration among people with diverse skills, backgrounds, and passions. From conception to creation, execution, and the support from funders, every individual played a unique and essential role in the project’s success.
This article highlights the significant contributions of five individuals who were each an indispensable link in the chain of events that brought the Poppie Project to life, making it a thriving reality.
A Journey of Care and Community
Written by Juanita Beukes, Manager Social Services
In South Africa, child protection services operate under extremely challenging conditions, with high poverty levels and scarce essential resources. The struggle is real. As an NPO, achieving financial sustainability through funding and fundraising is always a significant challenge. Child protection services involve highly confidential work, making it difficult to explain to the public, whose support we need.
In 2013, Badisa Trio found itself in a precarious position with minimal prospects for sustainability. The organisation had to think outside the box to gain community support and co-ownership of our nation’s most vulnerable children. One of Badisa Trio’s social workers had the idea to personalise the service through a paper doll. Badisa Trio expanded this idea into the full concept of the Poppie Project. Little did they imagine that this seed would sprout into a forest of care and support. Developing the concept was incredibly satisfying.
The courage and support of the staff, volunteers, and governing board in embarking on this journey with enthusiasm have been an inspiration and a sustainable driving force. There was a long search for someone to make the dolls, and the joy couldn’t have been greater when they held the first finished doll. Production quickly ramped up as more ideas and products emerged. Suddenly, child protection services had a face and a story.
Acting like social engineers, they built a bridge between the need and the people who could give and wanted to make a difference. Through the project, many friends and partners have been recruited to fight against child abuse and neglect, helping Badisa to make South Africa a better place. These supporters have become a lifeline and sponsors for many children under Badisa’s care.
Through the Poppie Project, I experienced the joy of doing this Kingdom work and witnessed the Lord’s grace in and around us, no matter our story or circumstances. For this, I am deeply grateful and remain humble in wonder. As humans, we are capable of much, regardless of the challenges we face, and together we are stronger.
Going From “Lord help please” to the Face of Child Protection Services at Badisa
Helette Wessels served as a social worker at Badisa Trio Bellville for many years. Often, she found herself praying, “Lord, please help. There is so much need out there, making the work of social workers even more difficult.” The demand for clothes, milk, and diapers was overwhelming, not to mention the cost of essential therapies.
With her strong marketing skills, Helette realised that Badisa Trio had a marketable idea but needed the right product approach to make it shine. This led to the creation of the paper dolls. Each doll was given a unique identity, creating a tangible and visual product that Helette could use during her speaking engagements in congregations. The dolls allowed people to invest in the services of Badisa Trio, becoming cherished items kept in Bibles or taped to fridges, constantly reminding supporters of the important work being done.
After the initial success of the project, Helette left Badisa Trio, unaware of how these simple paper dolls would evolve into a significant success. Today, she looks back on the Poppie Project with pride, knowing it was her original “brainchild.”
For Karin Minnaar, a former project coordinator, participating in the Poppie Project was a highlight of her social work career. She likened it to assembling a puzzle, where every piece fell into place at the right time. The excitement and satisfaction of seeing the picture come together were indescribable. Being part of a talented team that brought this dream to reality added to her joy.
In 2013, when Esmé Brink from EchoVine Communications arrived at their planning meeting with the first three real dolls, the team’s excitement was palpable. Each doll, crafted from colourful cloth and imbued with a unique character, exceeded all expectations. They immediately recognised the project’s potential to touch many hearts.
The project’s launch was not without its challenges. It required countless hours of hard work to introduce the dolls to schools, communities, and markets. Karin dedicated both weekends and weekdays to marketing the dolls and discussing Badisa’s crucial work with children. However, the effort was worth it as the dolls attracted people like magnets, creating opportunities to discuss the necessity of child protection and open hearts and wallets to their cause.
“The support of schools, such as Totius Primary School, was invaluable for the project’s success,” Karin recalled. “It was heartwarming to see the enthusiastic reception from the principal and the deep involvement of the children and staff.” Media coverage and the public’s positive response helped spread the project further.
The Poppie Project continues to raise awareness of the challenges faced by children in need and the services Badisa provides. It softens people’s hearts to the needs of vulnerable children, and Karin hopes it will remain a success story for many years to come.
Hard Work, Dedication and Joy
Dawn van Wyk, Administrative Assistant at Badisa Bellville, played a pivotal role in the implementation and rollout of the doll project, describing it as an incredible endeavour that required a wide range of activities. From manufacturing the dolls to managing inventory and printing keyrings, each task needed meticulous planning and execution.
Financial planning was crucial and a constant subject of prayer. The team held frequent meetings and provided continuous reports to the governing board and Juanita Beukes. Juanita’s exceptional leadership helped bring the project’s success to other branches of the organisation.
Transitioning from paper designs to actual dolls was challenging. Choosing colours and finding skilled artisans to produce the dolls with dedication was a meticulous process. Material donations were essential, and those who made the dolls invested countless hours of hard work. Despite initial obstacles, their prayers and efforts paid off.
Dawn recalls how they approached schools and spent many weekends and evenings at markets to introduce the dolls. The process was slow, but they watched with delight as the project steadily grew. The overwhelming response from schools and the public, and the heartwarming stories of the dolls positively impacting children’s lives, were immensely rewarding.
The project brought the message of child protection to households and people around the world. One of the highlights was the Diemersdal market in 2014, where a massive turnout made the day an unforgettable success. Dawn’s young daughter spontaneously drew people to their stall, her enthusiasm and compelling story contributing significantly to the day’s success. It was a proud moment to be part of a project that meant so much to child protection and Badisa. Another highlight was the support of Emo Adams, which further strengthened the project.
A Testimony of Insight and Care
Esmé Brink, Communications Strategist at EchoVine Communications was the strategist behind the transformation of the paper doll into a colourful cloth doll with a unique identity, aimed to make the concept synonymous with child protection in South Africa. For Esmé, the project was deeply personal as she was also a registered foster parent and understood the challenges associated with child protection.
Reflecting on the creation of the Poppie Project, Esmé shares, “It was very special for me, especially since I had just started fostering a little girl, who is now my adopted child. Being able to give a voice to many children who couldn’t speak for themselves in a tangible way was incredibly meaningful.”
The moment when the dolls transitioned from paper to a ‘real doll’ was particularly memorable for Esmé. “Seeing the dolls come to life for the first time was incredibly exciting. They epitomised the diverse children and stories involved in child protection, while also representing the universal concept of inclusion. Even if you are not a foster parent, you can still contribute and make a difference in these children’s lives. The project made welfare services ‘cool’ and refocused our attention on the principle that it takes a community to raise a child.”
Initially, Esmé did not foresee the project’s immense success. She admits, “I quietly hoped it would become synonymous with Badisa’s child protection services, but I knew it would take a lot of time to build the brand and a lot of grassroots work. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of social workers and the public, it is now a reality.”
A special moment in the Poppie Project’s journey was the first time a school participated, and the children began adopting the dolls. Esmé recalls, “The acceptance and compassion shown by the children, and the positive reaction it received from adults, was incredibly precious.”
