Site designed and maintained by Immedia

Thandanani Childrens Foundation - reaching the future first

• Strength;


• Friendliness, easy-to-approach people;


• A caring attitude;


• Hope;


• Positiveness/ Uplifting of the community and their spirits and


• Advocacy (a pioneering approach)


The stars represent two people lifting a child, with the child in the centre. The bright colours bring warmth to the image.

A New Look
Thandanani Childrens Foundation has been extremely fortunate to have the support of Community Care Centres in Durban, represented by Mr Mike Strong. Community Care Centres has partnered with Thandanani and purchased 46 Longmarket Street and have also contributed substantially to the refurbishment. This has resulted in an entirely different atmosphere in the office and has improved the environment for both employees and visitors alike.

Thandanani?’s Vision
Thandanani?’s vision is that communities throughout Southern Africa will provide a safe and nurturing environment for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children within their communities of origin.

The Thandanani Children?’s Foundation model will be a catalyst for:

• Facilitating community child care mobilisation;


• Participatory research;


• The provision of accredited training, and


• Advocacy for children?’s rights


Thandanani?’s Mission
Thandanani Children?’s Foundation is a registered non-profit organisation, based in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Thandanani believes in hope, innovation, integrity, commitment and excellence in service delivery. Their mission is to enable communities in Southern Africa to respond autonomously to the needs of their Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children, thereby creating a safe and nurturing environment within their communities of origin.

Thandanani?’s community development approach is one of mobilising and supporting community members to assume ownership of the programme. In addition, the Foundation provides specific direct services to children.

In order to remain a leader in its field, Thandanani Children?’s Foundation will:

• Strive to be an employer of choice;


• Attract and retain professional, skilled staff and


• Diversify its sources of income to ensure financial stability


The Issues Facing Children

• Poverty & Social Welfare


• Impact of HIV/AIDS


• Vulnerability of Children


• The Incidence of Child Headed Households


Thandanani?’s Response- the Development Programme
The Development Programme focuses primarily on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children from birth to 18 years. The crux of the Development Programme is:
·
• the mobilisation of the community response and the establishment of Community Child Care Committees (4C)


• the identification of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children


• the support and development of capacity in 4Cs to assist the children


• the provision of stimulation and support to children in Early Learning Centres where children get at least one cooked meal per day


• the provision of educational bursaries to children, with a particular emphasis on children from Child Headed Households


• the planning and execution of outings, holiday clubs and Christmas parties, with gifts


• the increased awareness of rights of children within the community


• the counselling, stimulation and daily care in two local hospitals for sick, abused, abandoned and disabled children, including the maintenance of toys and playrooms


• the fosterships for children in Child Headed Households


Thandanani intends to ensure the identification of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children and make certain their needs for food, shelter, education as well as physical and emotional love and support are met within the community.

Regional Orphans Initiative:
In 2002, an Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children?’s initiative was established in Richmond a rural area 50km outside of Pietermaritzburg, in partnership with the Regional Departments of Health and Welfare and CINDI partners. The objectives of this programme are similar to Thandanani?’s urban programme, but adaptations are made for the rural setting. This programme will expand in the next 3/5 years to incorporate all areas that fall into the Regional Department of Health?’s jurisdiction. (DC 22)




The Way Forward ?– Thandanani?’s Business Strategy
Thandanani Childrens Foundation now has the experience of 13 years of working with children and 6 years of a focussed community based response to childcare. Their strategy for 2003 is to:

• Refine and consolidate their programmes;


• Document their interventions in the community to allow replication of their method of operation (model) so that it can be used by other NGOs and for government interventions in other parts of the country and so share with others the lessons Thandanani has already learnt and


• Ensure professional and accountable delivery to all our stakeholders


Thandanani?’s areas of focus will include:

• the finalisation of the Thandanani model


• the finalisation of the information management system which will pay a crucial role in helping with documenting the numbers of children that the initiative impacts on and the impact it has on their lives;


• the training unit being fully accredited, allowing Thandanani to run courses and workshops based on SAQA unit standards for other NGOs, government departments, community members and business;


• the expansion of the funding base through the training initiative;


• strengthening of Thandanani?’s role in advocating for children?’s rights;


• actively marketing the organisation to key target groups to consolidate the leadership position and increased support that Thandanani has;


• encouraging community ownership of the development programme and increased independence in dealing with the issues facing children in the community;


• ensuring clear guidelines, criteria and policies are developed for every organisational intervention and


• staffing excellence and improved performance levels