Project Summary

Community Leaders are the gateway to the communities in which we work, we have realised that these men and women have not received training or support regarding their roles. Through engaging with the Induna’s we have identified training deficits, particularly related to governing their communities, issues concerning children and women’s issues such as community safety, drugs and alcohol abuse, and crime.

For many years’ parents have not been actively engaged regarding their children or in regards to taking control of their own lives, rather they have been passive recipients of their own lives, waiting for something to happen. Parents often are not involved in their children’s schooling, or in any community activities, apathy, indifference and lethargy because of being overwhelmed by life is often the cause.

By engaging with parents, drawing them in to their children’s worlds but also so they can see their power as agents of change within their families and their communities.

KTD196 is determined to be inclusive regarding parent’s involvement in our children’s program and parents directing their SHG’s agenda through empowering, educating, and supporting their engagement at all levels.

The Solution

The SHGs taking full accountability and responsibility for the SHG and Children’s Program. Ongoing Support is provided in many different ways, here are some examples

• Our Field Officers go out daily to meet with the Meerkat Dens, Cub Packs and Scout Troops to assist the leaders (parents) implementing the Children’s Program. The staff monitor and evaluate service delivery and provide in-service training to the Adult leaders in the program.
• All staff provide direct support to the adults in the program through assistance with program development; support Scout Troops direct; enabling children and adults to effectively implement their program and development. Ultimately, we are planning for the individual troops to take over this role with the support of their parents through Parent Committees which are being trained and established for each den, pack and troop. The goal is that the Children’s Program be handed over to the parent committees eventually so KTD196 can withdraw and move on to another geographical area.
• The parents will assist the Scouter to implement the program by providing direct support at the Scout meeting, resources through fund raising and administrative support with the necessary paper work. The Parent Committees will be further developed through the use of discussion groups which will address such subjects as HIV & Aids, Children’s Rights and Responsibilities, communication with children, nutrition, developmental milestones, Early Childhood Development for example

KTD196 is also developing Parent Committees for each Meerkat Den, Cub Pack and Scout Group, the parents will assist the Scouter to implement the program by providing direct support at the Scout meeting, resources through fund raising and administrative support with the necessary paper work. The Parent Committees will be further developed through the use of discussion groups which will address such subjects as HIV & Aids, Children’s Rights and Responsibilities, communication with children, nutrition, developmental milestones, Early Childhood Development for example.

The Self Help Groups will assist with this goal, where we start a new SHG Group that is not linked to our Children’s Program, this will be a way of initiating new groups with already established and financed Parent Committee’s already in place.

At a Community Based Organization level, KTD196 is able to provide training in areas such as proposal writing, report writing, policy development etc. as the need arises as well as ongoing support for the implementation of our Children’s Program. This is invaluable for the CBO’s and assists with their sustainability plans which in turn assists with the sustainability of the Children’s program. Just recently 1 CBO accessed funding through KTD196 referral and recommendation.

KTD196 also provides tertiary bursary information and assistance with applying for scholarships to those children completing matriculation. This alleviates the financial burden from already marginalised and vulnerable families.

At an individual level, children and adults occasionally approach members of the Dream Team with special requests or needs such as counselling or advice. We have had requests for food, clothing, shelter materials and money for transport to have grants processed by government departments. We are developmental by nature however sometimes one has to consider and prioritize the many demanding needs.