Johannesburg – Children often bare the scourge of neglect in society.
To this end, the Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Society was established in 1986 to tackle the challenge of lost, abandoned, and abused children who used to call the police cells and hospitals their homes.
The non-government organisation (NGO) has received funding from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC).
The grant was allocated in 2019 and the NGO used the funds for personnel training and development, purchase of a vehicle, equipment for alternative energy and clothing/uniform for beneficiaries.
The NLC, which recently conducted a site visit to gauge the progress made, first funded Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Society in 2006.
The project was implemented successfully with the installation of the solar system, which made up a large portion of the grant.
The NGO, which survives primarily on fundraising, also runs two creches.
Through the funding it had received from the NLC, the organisation also assists in the placement of children they are unable to take in, by referring them to other children’s homes, as the organisation is only allowed a certain number of children in its premises.
This is in line with its welfare registration. The Tembisa Child and Family Welfare also offers family preservation programmes, crisis intervention, family reunification services and care for those affected by the scourge of HIV/Aids.
Through the funding it has received from the NLC, the NGO has also started a sewing project that helps upskill and provide work to unemployed youth in the township. Many youngsters benefit through these programmes which keep them off the streets.
Founder and executive director at the welfare society Wilheminah Bodibe said: “Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Society has two centres in the township, one in Phomolong and and the other in Kopanong.
“Through the assistance from the NLC, we bought a kombi for the kids of Phomolong centre and also pushed other projects such as installing a solar system for Kopanong. We used to have a high bill of electricity and this funding came in handy to assist us.”
She explains further: “We have also bought PPE [personal protective equipment] for kids and the staff , as our home has 74 kids in Kopanong and 29 kids in Phomolong, who are vulnerable and HIV positive.
The NLC has been helpful and we are grateful for their continuous assistance.
“When Covid-19 hit our shores, we were ready and financially secured through the help of the NLC.”
The NLC acts as a catalyst for eradicating poverty and reducing inequality in South Africa, channeling 47% of its annual budget to good causes in the Charities Sector that includes the Tembisa Child and Family Welfare Society.
This sector receives the largest share of funds from the NLC, and covers a wide range of organisations in the social welfare, community health, literacy, and social development fields.
The NLC also works on improving the quality of life of communities across the country by assisting disadvantaged or excluded groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities and vulnerable children through funding organisations to provide facilities or services for the underprivileged.
to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality in
South Africa.
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