Thandukuphila Drop-In Centres
Thandukuphila, based in a township of northern KwaZulu-Natal, was started in 1996 by Nancy Khuzwayo and two volunteer Home-Based Carers with the aim of delivering integrated programmes to assist HIV/AIDS infected and affected families, especially the children.
Today their project reaches more than 1800 orphans and vulnerable children in over 18 surrounding rural communities. Thandukuphila has been effective in replicating and expanding their project - they currently run two DayCare centres serving 150 children under 6 years and two Drop-In centres serving more than 1800 orphans and vulnerable children. In addition, they co-ordinate a network of 40 Home-Based Carers looking after HIV/AIDS and TB patients; host a People Living with AIDS support group, a Grannie’s Luncheon club and an after-school Kids Club; and run various income-generating projects.
Since 2003, ASAP has worked closely with Thandukuphila to develop their nutrition and agriculture, health, education and psycho-social programmes. ASAP has provided Thandukuphila with extensive training interventions. Organic agriculture training and support has resulted in a flourishing food garden and orchard that provides fresh vegetables and fruit to enhance the meals provided at the Day Care and Drop-In centres. Project management training has resulted in established organizational structures, reporting and administrative procedures. Child Minders and Child Care Workers have received accredited training by the National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW). This has enabled many of the Thandukuphila women to ‘graduate’ from volunteer stipends to employment in the NACCW Isibindi network.
ASAP support has included strategic grants that have enabled Thandukuphila to meet the education and health care needs of their orphans and vulnerable children. In addition, ASAP has provided funds for a full-time, on-site nurse who monitors the general health of all the children, while providing special care for children undergoing Anti-Retroviral and TB treatments. ASAP has also provided a vehicle to assist with service delivery and transport for children and adults to the hospital and clinics for Anti-Retroviral Treatment.
Over the years, ASAP has provided ongoing mentoring and advice that has supported Thandukuphila as it has grown from grassroots into a developing community-based organization with increasing strategic partnerships and support from relevant government departments and non-government agencies.
In their own words…
"Through home visits in our township we encountered many family breadwinners who were sick and unable to maintain their treatments as they had no food to eat. We began helping clients to start making crafts and with skills development for income generation. Now we care for infected and affected HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children, cooking them breakfast before school and lunch and helping with their homework. On Saturdays, they come to the centre for skills development programmes. We have a Daycare centre and provide all our children with medicine. Our goal is establish a sustainable child support organization that provides child care and counseling services; to strengthen income generating programmes, train youth in life skills development and build the capacity of community members to help themselves."
| 2003 | 2008 | |
| ASAP Grants | R7,600 | R324,255 |
| No. Of OVC | 40 | 1838 |
| Home-Based Carers | 0 | 40 |
| PWA Support Group Members | 5 | 122 |
| Child Care Workers | 4 | 25 |
