The Primary Education Programs at Thanda offer 175 young orphans and vulnerable children a way to overcome the enormous obstacles before them. These programs give children a safe place to go in the afternoon, a nutritious meal, and emotional support. Combining academic learning with life skills development, Thanda's Primary Education Programs enable children to think for themselves, cope with difficulties in their lives, take control of their own futures and find security and success.
Thanda operates in rural KwaZulu-Natal, where 60% of people live in extreme poverty and over 70% are unemployed. The legacies of Apartheid and AIDS have left communities riven with poor infrastructure and little support for its youngest members. Food scarcity is common and schools are falling apart. Children and youth, many of whom have lost parents to AIDS, are the hardest hit. This project will help 175 children from rural KwaZulu-Natal communities break free from the cycle of chronic poverty.
The Primary Education Programs at Thanda offer a dynamic, engaging curriculum of lessons and activities designed to help children develop reading and math skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Moreover, Thanda's after-school programming provide a safe space for these children, and teachers who offer much-needed emotional support. Empowering children with a sense of self-worth, belonging, and love of learning, we are building the necessary foundation for a better life.
By breaking the cycle of poverty we are raising educated and engaged citizens equipped to find employment and start their own businesses. With Thanda's help, high school graduates will no longer migrate to the cities to find work. Instead, there will be more talented, income-earning young adults emerging as leaders in the local community of Umtwalume, ready to tackle on-going complex issues like chronic food scarcity, lack of opportunity, crime, teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS.
