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How did GECO originate?
The Glen Elgin Community Organisation started as a small group of community members who saw the need to assist at disseminating information to the issues that caused broken families, disintegrated infrastructure and poverty in their community. Although many farm workers rely on seasonal work, unemployment and no social activities for the youth remained another factor that caused social disturbances. GECO set out to create programs that caters to the communities needs.
GECO's current focus
Today GECO is one of the most active community organisations in its area. Situated close to the community with programs to host the youth, families and the elderly. These programs focus on awareness, capacity building, sharing of information and enabling the community to stand together against issues that affect the future and growth of their livelihood.
What does the future hold?
GECO wishes to expand its footprint and infrastructure plus continuing on its mission to empower and develop communities, enriching the lives of senior citizens and of the youth. It is of utmost importance to promote strengthened family relationships and develope the skills of the youth that in turn produces encouragement and motivation to resilience and leadership.
Family Program
Whether a single parent or both mother and father present, it is important to strengthen the family structure and household with integrated and targeted interventions that focus on building resilient family life. This service provides families with the tools and skills needed to strengthen their household and their surrounding community. Together they build and ensure social cohesion.
Victim Empowerment Program
In most lifetimes being a victim to different life challenges are but the norm for many, yet at times life hits individuals as well as their families with great turmoil that can leave scars not just physically but emotionally and mentally. For some their whole existence scrutinized. We provide victims, their family members or significant others, of crime and violence access to psychosocial support services that increase their resilience and outlook on life.
Resource Center/After School Care
The organisation hosts facilities that provide quality development, care and protection with a holistic approach. We aim to physically, mentally, emotionally, morally and socially develop children to broaden their knowledge, build their confidence, better their reading and writing, learn computer literacy skills, share information and address social challenges all during their developmental phase. We believe that the more they learn, the more they'll know and with that information they can achieve more and strive for better.
Sustainable Livelihood
More then often the most basic need for any child is to be fed a meal that can sustain their energy and keep their minds functioning to learn and process information. Even more sad is to see how many families struggle to keep afloat and provide this basic need to their children. Therefor we provide access to appropriate nutrition and social support services for the youth, children, their primary caregivers and or households at risk of starvation. These meals provided 5 days of the week enables patients to take their medication needed to promote their health, prevents malnutrition and lack of concentration among children/ youth and assists unprivileged households with a meal for the day. GECO is proud to be a conduit organisation of this program in the Villiersdorp Town.
Substance Abuse: Awareness/Prevention
The youth today suffers from a lack of social communication and stimulating activities that leads them to entertain themselves with peer pressured substance consumption. It is of grave importance to the organisation to see to the need for effective educational activities and workshops that addresses the effects of substance abuse in the community, with families and the youth. This makes them aware of the consequences of the different substances abused and how it could influence their lives in the distant future. The out come of this program aims to develop strong leaders with characteristics of resilience.
Elderly Care
With this program we aim to apply community based care and support to our elderly citizens in the community, the mothers, fathers and grandparents that paved the way for our future and who touches the hearts of many. Senior citizen lives matter to us as we enrich by ensuring the last developmental life phase of their lives are is fully utilized. Seeing to their basic needs, providing arts and crafts workshops, agricultural activities and making their life as joy filled possible to breathes new life in their spirits.
Gaynor Diedericks - GECO Managing Director
Calvin Hess - GECO Financial Officer
J.J. Wyngaard - GECO Communications Assist
Pheliswa Ntsholo - GECO Administrator/Receptionist
Thea Visser - GECO Social Worker
Willie Hess - GECO Assistant Community Developer
Julia Koopman - GECO Elderly Service Centre Co-ordinator
Moledine Sylvester - GECO Assistant Librarian
