iThemba Projects

iThemba Projects is a South African nonprofit focused on education and mentoring children and teens. Our mission is to partner with the people of Sweetwaters (Mpumuza), to transform a generation of kids and teens through education and mentoring so that they may bring hope to their community, and be a light throughout South Africa. We're committed to holistic, sustainable community development, providing strategic, research-based solutions to the challenges our partners in Mpumuza are facing. We're committed to long-term partnership, and believe South Africa's future only changes when we work together, learn from each other, and empower rather than create dependancy. We're committed to learning, growing, and improving the way we do development. We're committed to respecting and honoring the gifts and abilities of every person, regardless of their background or income level, and look for ways to unleash potential that's already there, rather than forcing external ideas on our community. We focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD) through site-based and home-based interventions, building relationships with parents and creche teachers to develop their skills in ECD. Our permaculture garden programme compliments this by providing the nutrients children in this community need to learn and grow. We also focus on creating a supportive network of caring adults in the community through our mentoring programmes. Through weekly Life Skills classes, after school sports programmes, after school Life Groups, weekend kids and teen clubs and holiday camps, we give young people the tools they need to succeed in life, and the emotional, social, and spiritual support they need to make healthy choices. Our goal is to reach 60-70% of the community with our services and programmes, saturating every sphere of influence and reaching a "tipping point" where quality ECD and healthy life styles is the norm.