Creating opportunities for rural orphaned and vulnerable children
According to the 2009 South African General Household Survey, South Africa counts some 4 300 000 orphans (0-17) having lost either one parent or both. In response to this crisis, Children of the Dawn aims at building up rural orphaned and vulnerable children into healthy, balanced and responsive adults who are able to make positive life choices.
Children of the Dawn was set up in May 2002 to support and strengthen rural community initiatives which focus on caring for HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. Children of the Dawn’s goal is to give back a future to these affected children. By applying Children of the Dawn’s model, rural communities are given the financial and technical means to care for their children with a long-term, sustained and holistic approach, looking at the whole spectrum of children’s needs. Children of the Dawn believes in community responses to the challenge of orphaned and vulnerable children who are cared for within their extended family or community settings. South African rural communities believe they have the will, the power and the love to raise a generation of saved children.
Children of the Dawn is to share the work it has been doing with little K. K., a young girl born in February 2001 who lives in the neighbourhood of Namahadi, Qwaqwa, Eastern Free State. K. is 12 years old now but she has been part of Children of the Dawn's programme since 2009. K. is a typical vulnerable child. Her father is around but not supporting his family. K. lives with her 34-year old mum who suffers from high blood pressure and is unfit for work, therefore unemployed. K. has one younger sibling. Their house has no electricity, running water or toilets. Thanks to the support of Children of the Dawn, K. receives good nutrition on a daily basis. She gets one lunch box and one cooked meal at its Mamohau Care Centre, as well as a glass of fortified porridge. Twice a year, her family also receives a food parcel to take home. K. also receives assistance in getting the appropriate school uniform. During the reporting period, K. also received other material goods including toys, blankets and household goods. K. is linked to a pupil of the Australian International School in Singapore and they exchange two letters a year. K. is currently schooling at Namahadi Primary School in Grade 6. She passed her Grade 5 well obtaining her best mark in her home language, Sesotho (70 percent) and her lowest mark in mathematics (43 percent). Aside from the daily activities happening at our Mamohau Care Centre, K. was invited in December 2013 to participate in a day trip to Fouriesburg, when all Children of the Dawn's Qwaqwa small children were given the opportunity to horse-ride and learn to care for a horse. Of course, there was also good food available and this outing was rated as ‘the best ever’ by the children and the Qwaqwa team. K. also takes part in the organisation’s rope-skipping programme that launched in April 2013. All Qwaqwa beneficiaries were invited to attend a two-day training camp on rope-skipping techniques run by a coach from the South African Gymnastics Federation. A lot of talent was unearthed and with training, some of its beneficiaries could compete at provincial or national levels. It is the Children of the Dawn’s vision that it should keep nurturing K's academic and other talents, to make sure she can reach her full potential despite trying home circumstances. It believes K. is on a good path.
K. is one of 829 children currently on the organisation’s programmes. The organisation strives to give each child the support and attention she/he needs to develop his/her potential.
Accomplishments since the beginning of the programme:
- Present and continuous sponsorship of 829 orphaned and vulnerable children;
- Number of children who have passed through the organisation's programmes: 1 012;
- Daily impact on an additional 3 350 family members (siblings and adults);
- Mobilisation of eight South African rural communities;
- Running of 24 aftercare or drop-in centres;
- Creation of networking teams around the sponsored children (extended family, teachers, neighbours, small businesses, etc.);
- Average school pass rate in 2012: 83 percent. Previously, many children did not attend school regularly;
- Average weight gain per child in 2012: +3.1 kg per year;
- Improvement in health and moral in all children;
- 37 children, whose situation has been turned around, have been moved to the ‘Sunrise Children’ Group (an increase of 54 percent in 2012);
- Six beneficiaries now studying at universities or FET Colleges; and
- March 2012: Children of the Dawn finished in the top two among 41 organisations as responding to the needs of children and communities through the innovative use of sports as a tool for development (Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund / Sport for Social Change Network panel).
To view the Children of the Dawn in the Prodder NGO Directory, click here.
