HUIS TEKNA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Name of Project Home Tekna

Operating since 1 September 1997

Geographical Location Bela-Bela, supporting children mainly from the Limpopo Province

Contact Persons Ms Melenie Nel 082 563 7439

Mr Paul Smith 082 891 6426

Postal Address P O Box 999, Bela-Bela, 0480 (47 Reitz street, Bela-Bela)

Telephone Number (014) 736 3153

Fax Number (014) 736 4499 or 08666 97 601

E-mail address tekna@belanet.co.za

Nature of the Project To provide total care for physically, mentally & sexually abused children as well as abandoned and HIV babies.

Project Beneficiaries Children from birth to 12 years

Funding Requested A contribution toward funding for general running expenses and our special projects for the year 2015/16

Registration Non-Profit Organisation 005-280
Children’s Home HW/1/10/1/1/1-56
10(1)(f) & 56(1)(i) & (j) of the Income Tax Act
4(h) of the Estate Duty Act

Auditors NUMERI Accountants
Tel : 014 736 2248

Financial Year End 31 March

Banking details ABSA Bank, Bela-Bela
Branch code: 33-44-47-43 (632005 Internet)

Account No. 1330 158 707


HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
During the first six months of 1997 more than 22,000 cases of rape, sodomy, indecent assault, incest, abduction and kidnapping were reported at the Child Protection Unit of the SAP Services. In the Waterberg area alone, 76 cases were reported – keeping in mind that most cases go unreported. The situation had not improved with time and so the desperate need for a facility in the Limpopo Province to accommodate sexually abused, neglected, abandoned and traumatised children was clear. The state alone could not cope with the present situation and the community of Bela-Bela came together in 1996 and in September 1997 Home Tekna was established to provide a secure and stimulating environment for children in need.

The home has been constituted and is managed by an elected management committee and since 1997, 458 children have been accommodated. We are registered to accommodate 46 children and at the moment we have 40 children in our care.

Home Tekna received registration as a Place of Safety cum Children’s Home. We receive a government subsidy. Unfortunately this falls far short of our needs, and although we do receive a great deal of support from our local community, we still require the support of organisations such as you to keep our heads above water.

We have also implemented a Safe Haven project for children in need of shelter and care over a short period of time, e.g. children who have absconded from institutions or their homes and children who require protection whilst giving crucial evidence in court.


We provide holiday activity programmes with the help of our local businessmen for the children in our care who are not fortunate enough to have relatives to visit in the school holidays. We encourage families who are able to accommodate children over holidays and weekends to undergo assessment by our social worker and she then provides guidance to the family regarding the child’s background etc.

We have also devised an In-service training programme, which provides training and guidance for potential housemothers and caregivers. This program is highly successful.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of Home Tekna is to:

• protect the interests of children

• promote the well being of children and their families among all people

• facilitate the development of human capacity, quality of life and self-reliance within a caring and enabling socio-economic environment


To implement the project within the following principles:

- Accountability and responsibility
- appropriateness
- empowerment
- normalisation
- family preservation
- focus on prevention and early intervention
- community participation
- respect for integration, equity and cultural diversity
- effectiveness and efficiency
- protection of children’s rights
- quality service
- continuous care and development




The objectives of Home Tekna are to:


• take all necessary actions in the achievement of the above aims
• encourage and assist efforts aimed at re-integrating and stabilising family life and improving the social, physical, emotional and educational environment of children
• take steps to bring about the removal of conditions detrimental to the moral, mental and physical well-being of children
• co-operate and network with government, and other organisations and institutions in all matters relating to child welfare
• Implement charitable activities consisting of the provision of board and lodging, safety and stability, therapeutic intervention and other necessities, comforts and amenities to children referred to the Home by a Children’s Court Order.


MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE


NAME POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
Mr Paul Smith Chairperson Businessman
Mrs Carla Vosloo Vice Chairperson Businesswoman
Mrs Melenie Nel Project Manager Retired operational manager – banking
Mrs Ilse de Beer Social Worker BA Social Work & BA Physiology
Mrs Adele Ras Secretary Admin. Secretary
Mrs Surene Viljoen Matron Matron
Mrs Eva Adams Member Teacher
Mr Roelof Jordaan Member Labour Law
Dr A Terblanche Treasurer Doctor and business consultant


IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

• Screening and admission of children referred by the Children’s Court and Welfare Organisations
• Individual assessment
• Therapeutic and development intervention plans are formulated for each child
• Development plans are monitored every six months by a multi-professional team
• Plans implemented by social worker, clinical psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapists and other professionals according to the child’s needs
• Provision for each child’s basic needs
• Each child is admitted to a school appropriate to his or her needs
• Scholastic progress is monitored through feedback from teachers
• Visits to children and contact by parents are constantly monitored
• Weekly contact with the Welfare Department concerning the permanency planning for each child
• Constant planning and monitoring of host parents and possible foster parents
• Encourage and assist efforts aimed at re-integrating and stabilising family life
• Take steps to bring about the removal of conditions detrimental to the moral mental and physical well being of the children.

PROPOSAL

As mentioned previously, Home Tekna cannot rely on the state alone for funding, and the bulk of the funding needed for the project has to be raised through our own fundraising initiatives. We have a great deal of support from our local community who assist with clothing, food and services where they can, but our community is a small one and our financial needs are great.

We are doing the best we can at a local level, but we would like to take this opportunity to appeal to you for any assistance that you might be able to offer. We realise that the budget below is large, but perhaps there is an aspect of our work that you may be in a position to fund. Our special needs are listed below, the most important being, toiletries, nappies and formula for our babies. We need to enlarge our baby room as we are the only institution in Limpopo that take babies from birth up to 4 years. In the past year we have accommodated up to 16 babies at one time. We also have 8 children in the crèche which is very expensive. Very few organizations fund staff salaries, but without staff we would not be able to take care of our children.