Believing and hoping

Anne Siroky (48) is helping children believe in themselves. She runs The Future Factory, a non-profit organisation that helps children in areas such as Retreat, Lavender Hill and Steenberg in the Western Cape. These children, some as young as seven, have fallen prey to tik, alcohol and crime - many in an effort to forget their hard young life. A recent outreach programme held at Sullivan Road Primêre Skool, saw 5000 children from Retreat having a warm meal to eat. Anne grew up in the area, raised by her mother Rita Fransman and her late stepfather Nicholas. They lived with her grandmother Cecilia Morudie (93). Anne went on to become a top South African volleyball player. She was paralysed in 2000 and had cancer in 2006. Last year she was Shoprite Checkers SABC2's Woman of the Year (sports category). Her brother Nicholas (35) is serving a sentence at Pollsmoor for stealing her car and her sister's credit card, to buy drugs. Anne has not given up and in the past six months has taken her message of "Ke Moja" (No thank you, I’m fine without drugs, and B4 U Drink, Think) to more than 260 000 schoolchildren in the Western Cape. The Future Factory helps with sport programmes at more than 50 schools. Anne's day often sees her driving 400 km as she collects food for feeding schemes. She believes that there is hope in this country, as long as we don't forget that there are people in need. To help Anne and The Future Factory, contact 073 190 8208 or e-mail tanya@thefuturefactory.co.za