South Africa, March 2007: Angela Larkan, Co-Director of Thembanathi writes an update to Salesforce.com Foundation on their progress towards establishing the After-School Program, for which the Foundation awarded Thembanathi $10,000 in May 2006.
"The Program was developed as a model of care for vulnerable children. It centers around the school location (Sacred Heart Children’s Home in Umtwalume and the neighboring Khathi High School) and focuses on empowerment and skills development as a way of encouraging students to think positively about their futures, their potential, and preventing HIV.
"It is designed to complement the school curriculum and encourage entrepreneurship after graduation. We believe these children will start to think more carefully about protecting themselves from HIV/AIDS after being in the program. We believe we can help them to break the cycle of poverty that can be so restrictive. … we will be promoting entrepreneurship in a greater way now that Rotary will fund the necessary equipment for students to start their own businesses after graduation.
"We will have 400 High School students (in 2 groups of 200) in the After-school Program and expect about 50 vulnerable primary and higher primary students as well. Due to the need to graze cattle, fetch water, cook, and clean, each student will only attend the program on one week day and one weekend day each week.
"We are working with an existing organization because they already know the local community and its specific needs. Umtwalume is a very rural area with a lot of sugarcane and only huts for housing. The very sizable towns of Hibberdene and Port Shepstone are only about 40 minutes away, however, so there is opportunity for graduates to find work in those areas.
"When we met with the local mayor, government counselors, local chief, youth representative, other NGO directors, and the Port Shepstone Rotary members, in order for us to announce our new project, they were extremely supportive of the Program and felt that it would benefit their youth greatly. In fact the response that we received from all organizations that we spoke with was so positive that we decided to write up a curriculum during the first year of the program so that it can be replicated in other places and adapted to each local situation.
"The following activities will be offered in the Program: Computer and Internet Training, Homework Assistance, Visual Art, Performing Art, Film, Athletics, Construction, Agriculture, Counseling, Leadership Development.
"Many of the students do not get enough food each day, so we will offer a simple cooked meal before the start of all activities.
"We want to thank the Foundation for their support of this project. We were not sure the After-School Program could exist until we received this grant.
"Thank you so very much for your support.”