Thabang, home to many

AGM of Thabang Children’s Home Trust

Hennie Pauw

 

THABAZIMBI – Predictions that little *Jimmy was going to be a trouble maker at Thabang, turned out to be wrong. All Jimmy seems to be focussed on is playing. In all of his five years he hasn’t done much of that.

At the recently held Annual General Meeting of Thabang Children’s Home the story of Jimmy hit home.

Thabang has given Jimmy, and many others like him, the chance to be normal and

happy, to grow up in a safe environment where he is fed and schooled, looked after and cared for.

In accordance with the Child Care Act, Individual Development Plans were developed for the 36 children in the care of Thabang during the past financial year. Social worker, Norah Reichel, has also been very successful in reuniting some of the children with their families as part of Thabang’s Reconstruction Programme.

A remedial teaching programme was embarked upon. The focus is on the work done in school every day. Most of the Thabang children, due to their backgrounds, are one or two years behind in their scholastic development. As a result of the remedial work, the children seem more positive about school work in general.

Thabang has been approached by the Limpopo Department of Health to roll out the

‘People Living with HIV’-programme in the whole Waterberg. This was no small task, given the size of the area. With funds provided by the department, a team had to be appointed and trained to run the programme in clinics as far as Lephalale and Mokopane.

In Smash Block much was done to look after children whose lives are affected by HIV, other diseases and poverty. Amongst many other activities, Home Based Carers visit 177 households, three of which are child headed households. Meals and help with homework are provided on school days at the Drop-In-Centre.

Newly appointed General Manager, Alson Ngoveni, has laboured tirelessly to lead Thabang to bigger independence, to ensure good governance and to create a strategic plan for Thabang. In his own words, this gave him the chance to “chant a new direction with the organisation”.

 

*Pseudonym/Fictional name

Some of Thabang’s employees whose work contributed to the success of the project.