MAMAS Alliance partners with a network of Mamas (NGOs) that offer daily care to thousands of children in South Africa.
MAMAS Alliance gives the children a better future through interventions targeted at supporting their education, nutrition, medical care, recreational services, and other social development services.
The NGOs that MAMAS Alliance partners with are spread throughout the nine provinces in South Africa, often in the most remote areas. Each of these organisations is an initiative of local people (Mamas) and each is different in size, structure and approach to suit its own context. What they do have in common, however, is their long-term commitment to each child!
This Women’s Month, we highlight six Mamas who, through their dedication and commitment, are bettering lives, inspiring others, and creating change:
MAMA Nomzamo Maqungu
Through the care of Mamas like Nomzamo Maqunguin Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape, hundreds of children are assured of daily care and safety. Healthy meals are provided every day at the centre and education is another major focus. The Mamas have created a safe environment for children to just ‘be’ – to learn, play and develop – a place where children feel carefree and loved!
“We work to uplift the community in which we work. We want to make sure that from whatever background these children and families we work with stem from – we give them hope,” says Mama Nomzamo.
“We help them knock on doors they never knew they could knock on and expose them to opportunities to unlock their full potential and put them in a better position as individuals. We understand that there is a gap in terms of access to resources and state benefits in the community. We commit to develop a better generation of individuals through effective approach that will create a sustainable solution to the various social ills faced in Duncan Village – and that is what gives us satisfaction and drive to do more for greater results each time.”
Mama Nomzamo says that being within the MAMAS Alliance is very important because the alliance plays a crucial role in the development and emancipation of their programmes.
“The change we create in the community is fueled by MAMAS Alliance – not only through the generous funding, but through the network of people that we are exposed to – that allows us to expand our knowledge, share approaches and give support.
“Furthermore, we are exposed to expertise of different community workers and change agents at all levels of community development making our approaches very accurate, igniting passion and reminding us in the end that the changes we make that we think are small in our communities are actually much bigger than we realise, and they spread across the world – what a lovely network to be part of!” she says.
MAMA Mapula Morudi
The project’s mission is simple: to provide daily care for orphans and vulnerable children in the rural area of Winterveld, 45 kilometres north of Pretoria. In NOSA’s small Early Childhood Development centre, young children learn and play with others, build self-confidence, and receive two meals a day. At the drop-in programme, school children come after school for help with homework, fun (sports) activities and a healthy meal every day of the week.
“When I first moved to Winterveld, children were roaming around the streets and dumping areas and there were no ECD centres,” says Mama Mapula. “The environment was not developed and there was a lack of facilities conducive to developing young children. Because of my love of children, I started an ECD centre with the intention of working with the vulnerable children in this community. I was driven to ensuring their wellbeing and being more engaged in the lives of the most vulnerable children.”
Mama Mapula says that the importance of being part of the MAMAS Alliance is that they proudly support Mamas like herself who are driven by the work that they do. “With MAMAS Alliance support, we are more engaged in seeing changes within our community and having more responsible young adults who will be able to better their vulnerable situations,” she says.
“MAMAS Alliance is an extraordinary pillar of strength for Mamas out there who dedicate themselves to working towards the betterment of vulnerable children. MAMAS Alliance has played a major role in making a difference in the community of Winterveld and the vulnerable beneficiaries of the programmes. With their help, we have fed over 500 children directly and indirectly, provided over 300 families with food parcels and more.
“We have managed to give support to vulnerable women, child-headed families and those living with chronic diseases through a support group, and most importantly we don’t just feed our surrounding community members, but we encourage them to sustain themselves through vegetable gardens. Through their efforts in making a difference, MAMAS Alliance has made it possible for the NGO to assist with youth employment,” she says.
MAMA Kate Molefe
Mama Kate Molefe founded a project that has been a haven for vulnerable children in the Free State province. Under the guidance of MAMA Kate Molefe, children attend the project daily to play, do homework and enjoy a healthy meal.
The township Phuthaditjaba is the base of operations of this project where the unemployment rate is high, and poverty is severe. Many children in this community have lost one or both parents and can’t rely on the support or care of an adult.
Mama Kate grew up in the rural area of Phuthaditjaba in a village called Bolata. “Growing up in a rural area was difficult because there was an insufficient educational foundation. This made me realise that there is a gap within civil society, and it drove me to initiate my own ECD centre, where children’s foundations can be developed through play. During this process, I studied for a primary teacher diploma. In short, I would say that hard work and passion drove me into the civil society sector,” she says.
Mama Kate was given the opportunity of becoming the Trust Director, which required her to come up with innovations to create impact in line with objectives set. “Through MAMAS Alliance this is all possible because MAMAS provides tremendous support for our programmes by providing funds that assist beneficiaries academically, as well as the social economic challenges that they face every day.”
MAMA Lorna Fisher
Mama Lorna Fisher started a community-based programme and put in her own personal resources to start support for people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Today, this programme has developed into a best practice model of care in Kliptown and surrounding areas.
Surrounded by five informal settlements and settlers, Kliptown exudes poverty. The unemployment rate is extremely high, there is substance abuse, domestic violence, early pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS. This is the daily reality in which thousands of children grow up, often in broken or even parentless families.
The project perseveres every day with a team of volunteers, to offer a chance to as many children as possible. Every day, almost 400 extremely vulnerable children aged 6‐18 years come to the centre for three healthy meals, after‐school care, personal attention, homework tutoring, sports, and games. With the help of the MAMAS, they grow into strong young adults who stand a good chance of a better future, and they will possess good values and morals which will position them well for good education and jobs.
“I discovered my purpose very early in life. My purpose is clear. I know what I want to live for. It is to serve the less privileged in my community, especially children, bringing a lasting, positive transformation,” says Mama Lorna.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be relevant in the partnership of the MAMAS Alliance – holding hands with all the Great Mamas and Papas for the same purpose and vision – to serve Humanity,” she says.
MAMA Happiness Mabunda
Mama Happiness Mabunda founded a leading project that provides different psychosocial support programmes to orphaned and vulnerable children and their families affected by HIV/AIDS in semi-urban areas and informal settlements where the dilapidating effects of HIV/AIDS are exacerbated by poverty, unemployment, crime and substance abuse.
The project creates a stable and positive environment for vulnerable children, offering them relief, arranges placement, makes sure the children recuperate, assists with registration of birth certificates and identity documents, assists in applying for social grants and works to make sure that the situation at home is as stable as possible. The project provides special support groups offering grief and bereavement counselling, and children are taught life skills and get information on HIV/ AIDS, substance abuse and domestic violence. The youth receive job readiness training: how to draft a CV and interview skills.
“I am passionate about the work that I do. What drives me is learning about the experiences of the community and working with them to reach their potential,” says Mama Happiness.
“Being part of the MAMAS Alliance gives me an opportunity to learn, to share ideas and challenges of the different programmes that other organisations render through share conferences, zoom meetings, a WhatsApp group, and visiting other organisations. For example, during the 2021 Virtual Share Conference I visited RCP and learned about one of their income-generating projects – beading – which our beneficiaries later received training on and are currently making handbags and key holders as an income generating project. I receive valuable support from other Mamas and Papas on how we can improve our programme and to deal with challenges,” says Happiness.
MAMA Zoleka Khakana
The late Mama Nolufefe started a centre (in the Eastern Cape), which provides residential and day care to children with disabilities. Now under the guidance of MAMA Zoleka Khakana, the centre continues to be a place of warmth and loving care. At the core of this initiative is the desire to promote the integration of children with disabilities into society.
For the people living in the vast rural area of Dimbaza, life is tough. A high unemployment rate, criminality, illness, AIDS-related deaths, malnutrition, and tuberculosis are the daily harsh realities. Star Uplifting Centre is a much-needed facility for disabled and/or ill children, who are often discriminated against and excluded. At the centre’s day care, almost a hundred children get the care they need in the form of healthy nutrition, treatment, physical therapy, education, and a lot of personal attention.
Mama Zoleka says that she is involved in this work through her love of children, and she has a passion for helping disabled children. “I live in a disadvantaged area – poverty stricken, high levels of crime, high levels of drug abuse, and high levels of teenage pregnancy. This frustrates me and it is why I am driven to introduce programmes to help change that mindset. I also do this work to show that everyone has the right to education irrespective of their ability or disability. As a Mama, it drives me to have unconditional love for every child in South Africa, and the reward is those precious fleeting moments when a child says something profound. The support that comes from Kinderfonds Mamas and MAMAS Alliance has made my dream come true,” says Zoleka.
“Being part of MAMAS Alliance helps to overcome poverty in our area through funding. This is important because they persist in funding until the children have escaped the vicious cycle of poverty and developed into responsible adults. We have no dropouts, and no malnourished children in our organisation. We receive training for our care workers, our volunteers, parents, and community members through MAMAS Alliance and we are able to create change in the community because they are part of our programmes,” she says.
All the organisations (Mama) share the same commitment: to be able to intervene in the life of children as early as possible and offer consistent support throughout their childhood life. They do this by providing structural counselling and care to babies, toddlers, children and youth and helping them towards a new, safe and meaningful future.
For more information about the Mamas in the MAMAS Alliance, please contact the CSI team at info@mamasalliance.com, or +27 (0)11 453 0531.
