Ikamva Labantwana Bethu (ILB)

South Africa

Ikamva Labantwana Bethu (ILB)  

Investing in the future of children 

ILB is transforming the lives of youth in Crossroads and surrounding communities in the Western Cape as well as those in Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape. Their aim is to close the gap in education access and to give youth skills they need to bring more opportunities that would assist them to access employment opportunities.  

ILB assists children from primary school level with academic support to ensure that they are ready for high school. Youth are supported through a skills development programme which builds their soft and hard skills.  

The greater community is also uplifted through a development programme that addresses key socioeconomic issues such as unemployment, poverty, and violence.  

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Lebone Centre (ICDP Trust)

South Africa

Lebone Centre (ICDP Trust)  

The light in the lives of vulnerable children 

Lebone, meaning “light” in Sesotho, is a haven for vulnerable children. The Makhanda-based organisation takes a holistic approach to supporting children aged 0–9 years—nurturing their social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development.  

Its early childhood development (ECD) programme includes a multilingual preschool where children are taught equally in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa. 

For primary school learners, Lebone provides support through reading and writing programmes at non-fee-paying schools, with a focus on language and literacy development. The organisation also runs an aftercare programme at its centre, offering nutritious meals, literacy and numeracy enrichment, life skills, and psychosocial support. 

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Elkana Childcare

South Africa

Elkana Childcare   

Breaking the cycle of abuse  

Elkana supports children and youth in Malmesbury, Western Cape, who have been deeply affected by physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. 

Through its Temporary Safe Care programme, Elkana provides immediate relief, care, and protection to young girls in vulnerable situations, working alongside social workers to develop comprehensive care plans tailored to each child’s needs. 

The After School Care programme serves over 200 children daily, offering a safe and nurturing environment where they can complete homework, participate in music, sports, and life-skills classes, and receive nutritious meals. 

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Uviwe Child and Youth Services

South Africa

Uviwe Child and Youth Services  

You are heard 

Uviwe - which means “you are heard” in isiXhosa – is building strong futures for children and young people through integrated education and social support programmes. 

Partnering with local communities, Uviwe provides early childhood development, afterschool, and parenting classes, child protection and empowerment programming, as well as economic development opportunities to the Schauderville and Gelvandale communities near Port Elizabeth.  

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Ububele Educational and Psychotherapy Trust

South Africa

Ububele Educational and Psychotherapy Trust

Improving the emotional wellbeing of South Africa

Founded by clinical psychologists in 2000, Ububele’s models of community-based mental health care address the emotional trauma of South Africa’s past, the ongoing mental and physical effects of the cycle of poverty, and the daily challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities.

Through the development and dissemination of training programmes, psychosocial support, and home-based care—all with an early childhood development focus—Ububele is supporting children to grow up to be emotionally healthy adults, competent parents, and concerned citizens. Ububele serves families of Alexandra Townships.

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Woza Moya Centre

South Africa

Woza Moya Centre

Supporting orphans and vulnerable children to reach their full potential

Founded in 2000 as a direct response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that was ravaging their Ufafa Valley community, Woza Moya established a community caregiver program to provide door-to-door counselling and ensure that people, especially youth, get tested for HIV and other chronic diseases, have access to medications, and adhere to treatment.

Today, the centre also provides early childhood development services, sustainable livelihoods and youth development programs, a mobile health clinic, and programs to support orphaned and vulnerable children.

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Isibani Sethemba

South Africa

Isibani Sethemba

Supporting orphans and vulnerable children to reach their full potential

Isibani Sethemba serves children and their families living in Ingwavuma, a rural community in the far North of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

They provide HIV and TB patients with access to treatment, palliative care, psychosocial support, and sexual and reproductive health awareness programs, and also promote a reading culture through reading clubs and leadership development camps.

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Zisize (Ingwavuma) Educational Trust

South Africa

Zisize (Ingwavuma) Educational Trust

Supporting orphans and vulnerable children to reach their full potential

Zisize provides a variety of programmes aimed at supporting children and their families including educational support, early childhood development centers, and providing psychosocial, health, and nutrition services to in rural Ingwavuma, KwaZulu-Natal.

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Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability

South Africa

Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability

Ensuring a better quality of life for people living with intellectual disabilities

Established over 50 years ago, Western Cape Forum for Intellectual Disability is an instrumental role-player in shaping the future for the benefit of all South Africans living with intellectual disabilities.

They provide training, mentorship, advocacy, conduct research, and develop resources for those working in the intellectual disability space.

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Uhambo Foundation

South Africa

Uhambo Foundation

Enabling children living with disabilites to lead full and happy lives

Uhambo Foundation provides the design and production of posture support, mobility devices, and therapy products to children living with disabilities in Cape Town.

They are committed to the inclusion of children living with disabilities by partnering with government, NGOs, community members, and families within a holistic, ecosystem approach.

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Feed The Babies Fund

South Africa

Feed The Babies Fund

Supporting the growth and development of babies

Feed the Babies facilitates the growth and development of babies during their formative years—birth to six years old—by focusing on their nutritional and educational needs.

Throughout rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal they provide nutrition support at early childhood development (ECD) centers, train ECD practitioners on best practices and basic management of ECD centers, and offer infrastructure support by renovating existing ECD centers.

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The Westlake United Church Trust

South Africa

The Westlake United Church Trust

Building a vibrant community in Westlake

The Westlake United Church supports vulnerable youth, children, and families living in Westlake, a community of 20,000 people. They provide access to quality early childhood development, pre and postnatal on-site support by a registered nurse, psychosocial support, and nutrition for the youth and the elderly.

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The Sunshine Association

South Africa

The Sunshine Association

Giving children living with disabilites the best possible start in life

The Sunshine Association aims to provide an environment that is developmentally stimulating and increases opportunities for early learning for vulnerable children and those living with disabilities.

Their programming includes, providing education, early intervention, and therapeutic services to children and caregivers as well as accredited training to early childhood development practitioners in Johannesburg on inclusion of children with disabilities.

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The Rachel Swart Fund

South Africa

The Rachel Swart Fund

Empowering people living with disabilites in South Africa

Throughout South Africa, Rachel Swart Fund (RSF) provides assistive devices to children living with disabilities who are placed on the state waiting list.

They partner with therapists at state health facilities who first assess the patients, and if the state facility does not have a budget for a device, apply on behalf of the child to RSF for the device.

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Butterfly Art Project

South Africa

Butterfly Art Project

Supporting children's healing from trauma through art

The Butterfly Art Project trains and mentors Community Art Facilitators (CAFs) to provide psychosocial support through art therapeutic classes to children in communities of the Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, and Northern Cape.

CAFs’ therapeutic art classes help children to stabilize by developing healthy coping mechanisms for processing stress and healing from trauma.

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Thanda After-School

South Africa

Thanda After-School

A safe environment for children to have fun, learn, and grow

Thanda provides innovative solutions for sustainable development in their community of Hibberdene, KwaZulu-Natal. They create safer, stronger communities by providing educational and skills-building opportunities to individuals and their households through early and creative learning and organic farming training.

In 2022, Thanda piloted its Baby Programme, which aims to support caregivers to learn how to engage and play with babies.

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Siyakwazi

South Africa

Siyakwazi

Improving learning outcomes for children living with disabilities

Siyakwazi helps children living with disabilities to reach their full potential by providing therapy, education, and home-based learning interventions as well as advocating for the rights of children with disabilities and barriers to learning.

They work with primary schools and early childhood development centers in KwaNzimakwe, KwaZulu-Natal, to ensure that children with special needs and learning difficulties and their caregivers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to access mainstream educational opportunities.

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Refugee Children's Project

South Africa

Refugee Children's Project

Supporting refugee children and their families to build new lives

Refugee Children's Project supports the integration of refugee children and their families into local communities within their country of asylum.

Refugee Children’s project ensures that children and their families receive education, nutrition, and health care support, and provides vocational skills training and empowerment programs to parents and caregivers.

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Net vir Pret

South Africa

Net vir Pret

Play, learn, and grow together in a safe environment

Net vir Pret supports children living in an underserved rural farming community of Barrydale in South Africa's Western Cape.

Net vir Pret provides their community with after-school, weekend, and school holiday activities, remedial support, arts and crafts workshops, music and dance programs, and various sports activities.

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Musicworks

South Africa

Musicworks

Generating possibilities for children through music

Musicworks uses the power of music to unlock potential in the lives of children and their communities. They offer music interventions for children and young people, partnering with communities in the Cape Flats.

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