Lifeskills for 8 children in South Africa - Pilot

What am I so excited about?

Well, a couple of things really but first and foremost, what Covid has revealed more than ever is the economic vulnerabilities of the people that we work with. Most of our children, 90%, come from single mother-headed households. The mother is usually the income-earner or the families are relying upon government grants such as the Child Support Grants, Disability Grant, Aged Grant (in the case of Grandparent headed households), or the Orphan grant. In most families, approximately 95% are relying upon grants for survival.

Most families survive on what is known as "PEACE JOBS"! Small little jobs that add up such as washing, gardening, ironing, cleaning, etc. Little bits of money from many sources, none of which are stable or assured, and during Covid, these jobs, due to lockdowns, were the first to disappear.

At KTD196 we are forever looking to create new ways of bringing food security, such as food garden development, community garden development, Epap, and as a last resort Food Parcels when absolutely necessary. Financial Security is something we have also been looking at and wondering how we can venture into this area without distracting from our core business which is working with children.

Finally, after 4years of looking at different models, different best practice opportunities, we applied through a sponsor to participate in the development of Self Help Groups (SHG's) which targets the poorest of the poor in a savings system which becomes an overall empowerment program particularly for women but not limited to. In South Africa, we have an informal savings scheme called Storkvoels (pronounced strokfells). This is where a group of people get together and give a certain amount so, at the end of the year, the money is then distributed amongst the participants. Some can draw on the money that is available and then return with interest.

So, the scheme we are looking at different in that the money is not distributed at the end of the year, instead it remains in perpetuity which is very different. The groups of 20 ladies, in particular, donate 2Rand a week (equivalent to 15c $USD or 20c $AUD) and then people use this money and return at interest rates of 10% which is far cheaper than the money lenders. This form of compound interest builds substantially over time. The best thing is that it is not a heavy financial burden on the group weekly and that the interest rates are far cheaper and therefore much more sustainable and economical.

I saw this program in operation in KwaZulu Natal over 4 years ago and fell in love with it. I went to one Self Help Group of grannies, all caring for orphans after the deaths of their children. Over a period of 15yrs each granny had, using local labor and skills, built extra rooms on their homes for the assorted grandchildren; started small businesses such as bakeries; fish or chicken farms; spaza shops (local mini-supermarkets) or some such business and were now drawing a living wage from the initial donations of R2 per week.

Not just increasing their household income but also buying labor and employing others in very rural and marginalized communities.

IT DOESNT STOP THERE!

A number of the SHGs join together to form a Cluster with stronger economic bargaining power and also political power. For example, they could negotiate more substantial discounts from service providers as a group than as individuals. The members could take money from the SHG group to purchase stock and return with interest once the stock had sold. This means they will always have a cash flow, which is the usual downfall of many businesses.

Another example I was shown was when a Cluster decided they wanted/needed a clinic in the local village. They approached the government and negotiated their way into having a funded clinic built. The Cluster identified a local orphan girl and sponsored her dream to become a nurse, she since has returned to the village to take up employment in a clinic funded by the Department of Health.

The skills developed included business skills, conflict management, and negotiation skills, advocacy and project planning and management skills. Eventually, Clusters will join together to form Federations with far more political power to demand rights set out in the Constitution such as the provision of basic services such as electricity, water, security, etc to the rural villages often forgotten about. The groups become self-sustaining at the micro and macro levels.

Can you sense my excitement? Over time this can become a PEOPLES MOVEMENT where they are no longer dependent on handouts but with a hand up, they can do for themselves. I AM SO EXCITED about this opportunity for the people we work with.

We have already identified the staff required, the training of the staff starts in June and we have a 7month contract to initiate the project as a pilot and if we are successful, then we will continue with the process for 6years.

Watch this space as I share our successes and our challenges.

All this is made possible through our partners including you! Thank you for enabling us to make such a difference in our communities. We have secured interim funding for this project already, however, there are always extras that are required and your ongoing support is essential to ensure this continues. You are making dramatic changes in the lives of the people we serve in Limpopo.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Blessings

Louise

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Greetings, how are you doing?

I thought this report I would give you feedback from a meeting I had with one of our institutional donors called Kindernothilfe, a German charity dedicated to the welfare and upliftment of children around the world and have been particularly involved with our program for the last 8yrs.

Every year they come at least once, to see what we are doing, to hear from the children, parents, and Induna's (community leaders), and to look at our policies and procedures; plus finances. All to make sure that what we say, is what we do, and how we do! They make sure that we are compliant with all government and regulatory requirements such as audits, submission of PAYE, workers compensations fund, and Unemployment funds to the Taxman. They make sure we are compliant with their (KNHs) organizational requirements. That we submit our annual reports, annual financial statements and keep our registration as a tax compliant organization up to date in South Africa.

This last week was no different.

I just thought you would like to know that we are externally audited financially and that we adhere to all government regulations for South Africa. In fact, that is how GlobalGiving performs due diligence on KTD196 annually to make sure we are a credible organization.

So, as part of the process, I took KNH's project manager to the field to interview the parents we have worked with. The parents were asked how they felt about the support they received particularly through the Covid Lockdowns. I was humbled to hear the parents say that "They were very proud of KTD196 and the support, especially food parcels, they had received because they were forgotten by the South African government. KTD196 was the only organization to provide support, food, and seeds for food gardens. If it had not been for KTD196 they would have suffered terribly throughout the lockdown and that they were very grateful for the support!"

They also said that they are very happy with the training they have received on parenting and now there are new children and new parents in the group and they would like to receive the training again and more because it was so helpful.

The parents also shared about the wonderful changes they see with their children. The children are respectful and courteous, they are helpful at home and whenever they are asked to do a task or a chore, they quickly do it instead of grumbling and complaining. The parents were also very happy with their children's performance at school. that they would do their homework and study for tests and exams without being nagged. The children were taking responsibility for their own learning.

They are very excited about their children's futures.

You have made this possible through your support and encouragement. In fact, the KNH project officer is so supportive of our program he personally supports KTD196. He has been here, he has seen the impact, he is very enthusiastic regarding our outcomes as well.

I know this is a different sort of report but I thought it was important to share with you about our accountability not only to you as our donors but also to all the different registrations bodies we are engaged with so that you are confident in the fact we are bonafide and doing what we say we are doing.

If you have any questions or comments you would like to ask, please drop me a line on keepthedream196@gmail.com and I answer here!

Thank you for your support! Thank you to all our ongoing monthly donors, you are the key to our continued success. We couldn't do what we do without your back up. To all our long-term and new supporters, did you know that receiving small, monthly donations is actually far more beneficial to us as an organization because it means we can plan more effectively. Don't get me wrong, any and all donations are welcome but the most effective way to give to any organization is on a monthly basis.

Thank you, Nkomo sweneni ngopfu! (Thank you so much) Khensile Ngopfu!

Famba Kahle (Go well)

Louise

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