Start a Preschool for 60 Children in South Africa

On December 6, a celebration was held for the 31 children who graduated from Siyabonga Early Childhood Development Centre. Along with families, staff, and Board members, a number of principals and teachers from nearby primary schools attended. The children were excited to perform for so many people. Everybody who attended was surprised by how well the children did. Both the children and the staff felt proud of all they have accomplished this year.

The families in the area that Siyabonga serves struggle with many challenges, including extreme poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, and serious health issues, all of which can negatively impact the children’s cognitive, motor, and social development. The programs at Siyabonga are designed to positively influence the children’s development by providing nutritious meals, a stimulating learning environment, and positive social interactions with other children and staff. Children leave Siyabonga more prepared to start primary school. In addition, we believe the early support the children receive is key to changing the course of their lives. Siyabonga was pleased to be able to provide services for 80 children this year and to add a new after school program. In addition to continuing their current programs for the upcoming school year, they are hoping to start support groups for parents and guardian next year, especially young parents.

We want to thank you again for your donations this past year. We are truly grateful to all of you whose generosity made it possible for us to support these critical services. And, a very special thank you to those of you who have signed up to give monthly. You are all an essential part of the work we do. Without your help, Siyabonga would not have been able to continue these vital programs.

As the year draws to a close, please consider giving what you can to ensure we can continue to serve so many children from disadvantaged backgrounds in the upcoming year. We are only a few thousand dollars short of our fundraising goal for 2018 and, with your help, I know we can reach it by the end of the year. In this most joyous of seasons, you can bring hope into a child’s life by making a tax-deductible contribution to Siyabonga. Working together, we can create healthier and happier lives for children and their families.

Thank you so much for your support!

Warm wishes for a wonderful new year.

#GivingTueday is a global celebration of giving that harnesses the potential of social media and collaboration, as well as the generosity of people around the world, to bring about real change. #GivingTuesday brings together the collective power of diverse groups of individuals, communities, and organizations to celebrate and encourage giving and to amplify small acts of kindness. As a global movement, #GivingTuesday unites countries around the world by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another.

This Tuesday, November 27, #GivingTuesday 2018, Global Giving is partnering with projects on their site, like Thembanahti. All donations to Thembanathi will be eligible for a share of the $150,000 incentive fund being awarded by Global Giving. The incentive will be distributed proportionally based on the total funds raised by participants.

We at Thembanathi believe every child deserves a healthy start and a bright future. We are grateful that with your support this year over 75 children, like the children featured below, had the opportunity to learn and play and to enjoy two nutritious meals a day. We need your help to continue the amazing work of Siyabonga in the upcoming year. Please remember Thembanathi this #GivingTuesday with your donation. 

Here are the stories of just four of the children’s lives that were changed because of you:

Ongeziwe is 3 years old. She is very intelligent and excels in all areas at school  – numbers, reading, and rhymes. She plays well with other students and is very caring towards them. She would like to be a doctor when she grows up.  Ongeziwe was living with her father and aunt until earlier in the year when her father committed suicide. She was very close to her father and struggled with the loss for some time. The staff at Siyabonga tried their best to help her come to terms with his death and heal.

Aphiwe started at Siyabonga two years ago when he was 2 years old. He adores school and is always present. He is very intelligent and has a good memory. He enjoys leading activities in class and assisting others. In the picture, he is acting in a drama, playing the role of a Zulu man. Aphiwe wants to be a Police Officer when he grows up. Aphiwe lives with his mother, grandmother, and uncle. No one in the family is working, so they depend on social grants for their survival.

Nhlonipho, who is 4 years old, is active, creative, and very talented in a lot of school activities. Here he is teaching other students about the meaning of different colors in the South African flag. He wants to be a Police Officer when he grows up. Nhlonipho is living with his grandmother while his mother is studying at a college in Durban. His father is unemployed except for occasional odd jobs. The family is struggling financially and depends on social grants in order to put food on the table. They are thankful that Nhlonipho gets breakfast and lunch at Siyabonga.

Fundiswa is 4 years old. She is a brilliant girl and does very well in all her lessons. She grasps things easily and has a good memory. She likes school and is eager to go to primary school next year and wear a uniform. She would like to be a nurse when she grows up. She lives with her mother, father, and a younger brother. Her father works as a police officer.

Thank you for joining with others around the world who are participating in #GivingTuesday by giving to Thembanathi on Tuesday, November 27. You will be making a real difference in the lives of the children we serve.