Preschool, Mentoring & Food Gardens!

 

ITHEMBA PRESCHOOL OPENING

GOD IS FAITHFUL

OPENING DAY: On Monday, August 3rd, the iThemba Preschool welcomed its brand new students. This school is going to bring so much hope to the community and restoration into the lives of these sweet kids. We are so grateful for the support that has helped make this dream become reality. Join us in prayer for this school, that lives will be transformed, God’s Kingdom will reign, and that we will be able to bring sustainable support to the community. T.H.A.N.K  Y.O.U friends and family of iThemba Hope Trust!

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ITHEMBA MENTORS

Spreading hope to the youth in Sweetwaters 

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The children in Sweetwaters have amazing gifts, talents, and potential. But the obstacles they face are great.  Sweetwaters has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. Most children in Sweetwaters do not live with their parents. Every child needs the support and encouragement of someone older and wiser to walk life’s road with them, but especially children in Sweetwaters, where abuse, poverty, and poor education are the norm. Research shows that a link to one caring person can be enough to help children succeed in an adverse environment.* Research also shows that for lasting community transformation to occur, 60-70% of the target population needs to be reached*. This “tipping-point” creates an environment where the majority of young people are well-educated and making wise decisions–establishing a new norm and making hopeful dreams a living reality. Right now, through iThemba education and Christian mentoring programmes, 11% of the young people in the community are being reached.

ITHEMBA  FOOD GARDENS

Providing sustainable nutrition to the community

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Check out the nursery at the iThemba Community Centre site! Thankful for all the local businesses and foundations who have contributed to get it up and running. We’re so excited to see our seedlings growing, and thrilled about the fact this will improve food security in Sweetwaters! More kids getting more veggies means better health and educational outcomes for this community and South Africa!

The Mpumuza Vegetable Garden and Greening Project launched in 2011, in partnership with the National Lotteries Board, is working towards creating a new culture of nutrition. Extreme poverty and unemployment in Mpumuza have resulted in widespread food insecurity. Many children are malnourished and this impacts on both their behaviour, development and educational achievement. In addition, there has been little education in the area related to the need to care for the environment and this is evidenced by the widespread environmental degradation. The food gardens and indigenous greening project seeks to address both nutritional issues and environmental education. Our current phase of the project is focusing on increasing sustainability over the next three years. 

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