Our Story
Thanda After- School was started three years ago in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa by Angela Larkan, one of a few leading forces who has studied the wide-reaching, negative effects of the AIDS pandemic and rural poverty, and who has come up with workable, holistic solutions. She was first moved to design a support system for orphans after learning about the enormous scale of the problem and realizing that her home country, South Africa, could not support so many orphans. Today, there are 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa and there are already 12 million orphans; one fifth of South African children are orphans.
Through education, mentoring and community-driven initiatives, Thanda After-School is inspiring and teaching South Africas most vulnerable children to be future leaders. Thanda After-School knows that by giving the next generation the tools they need to cope with the daily traumas they face and overcome the underlying problems that HIV/AIDS is leaving in its wake, local communities can discover opportunities and find the means to triumph over hardships like poverty, disease, and lack of education.
Thanda After-Schools approach is based on the traditional Zulu culture whereby the community assists members in need. Thanda After-School's unique approach uses already-existing local resources such as classrooms and sports fields to provide support to vulnerable children after school every day, enabling them to stay in their community while learning education and life skills.
Thanda currently operates in three low performing government schools, where resources are extremely limited and pass rates are very low. Thanda After-School enrolls 325 orphans of AIDS and other vulnerable children aged between 5 and 22 years, in eleven different after school programs each day, such as computers, art, soccer, basketball, dancing, agriculture and construction.
Thanda employs young role models from within the community to be mentors for these students, filling the developmental and emotional gaps left by missing parents and overwhelmed caregivers.
Thanda uses activities such as agriculture to teach kids about team work, respect, and leadership. Thanda also focuses on HIV prevention, skills development, and guidance as part of the mentorship provided every day. Every aspect of Thanda After-School was designed alongside the local community members to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness.
The long term benefits of Thanda After-School are of most consequence. The students have the same teacher for a full school year, which allows the young staff members to identify with their kids on a personal and experiential level, putting them in a prime position to instil in these vulnerable children the skills and values they need to become self-reliant and responsible leaders in Africa.
The Impact
Thanda's agriculture program teaches practical skills to orphans and vulnerable children and the local community with the goal of creating fresh and sustainable local food supplies, decreasing malnutrition, and promoting self-reliance in the community .
Our courses combine classroom theory with functional training using Thanda's own vegetable garden.
We focus on new, exciting areas of agriculture, like permaculture and organic farming, while making sure participants are familiar with gardening basics, like which seasons are best to grow certain foods and when prime harvesting times take place.
We believe that a hands-on approach to agriculture is the best way to get students to acquire knowledge of this demanding vocation and share it with their families, friends, and fellow community members.
The children in the Agriculture program are given a nutritious meal each day (for some, this is the first meal for the day) and the children receive help with their school homework as well as lifeskills development.
Thanda After-School is successful because it is a prototype that works and is easily adaptable to any community and their needs. Thanda After -School uses resources that are available and works with the community for the community.
What We Need & What You Get
The Agriculture Budget for January 2011 to December 2011
Supplies (seedlings, stationary, tools) : $100
Food (1 meal per day for 25 children) : $1400
Team building trip : $108
Full time Programme Agriculture teacher: $3772 (this includes developing lesson plans, teaching after-school, overseeing all High School Programmes, community development projects and training staff in 3 affiliate programmes with vegetable gardens).
If we do not reach our entire goal, we will use the contributions towards the program regardless. Every donation is appreciated.
For a donation of $50 or more, I will send you a beaded sunflower pin badge handmade by women in an income generation project in South Africa, a photo of the kids in the agriculture program and of course, a personally hand written Thank you card from Twin (Mbongeleni Doyisa) who is the agriculture teacher. You will also recieve updates on how the programme is progressing (if you would like).
Other Ways You Can Help
(Unleash the DIWO! -- 'Do It With Others' : folks please help to get the word out and make some noise about our campaign to raise funds for the Thanda After-School Agriculture Program. Don't forget to use the share tools!) Spread the work on Social Media!! Our blog has loads of updates from the ground..
Help this great cause!!
