After a successful pilot in 2020, the Ubomi Obutsha Centre started the entirely new ‘Family Focused – program’ in 2021. This program pays attention to the entire family and not just the children. The program consists of 12 months of support in basic needs (food packages, etc.) and 5½ months of the ‘family focus life skills’ program where various aspects are covered such as: roles and responsibilities in the house, setting boundaries, budgeting, and so on. Caregivers and children participate in joint family activities as well as their own activities, focused on the same topics, providing moments for conversation and joint reflection.
High-Risk Program
This program works on identifying children who are at a higher risk of a difficult development. The program looks at and coordinates what is needed to expedite a good development of these children. Home visits are made for this purpose. Support in basic needs is also possible where needed
Food Distribution
Due to the Covid pandemic, the center is not structurally open, causing the three-day soup kitchen to be discontinued. As a result, the poorest children miss these 3 hot meals per week. In its place, the center now distributes food packages and food vouchers three days a week, so that these children and their families are still provided with food in a safe manner.
“Our aim is to achieve our vision by local volunteers joining hands and supporting us in the execution. With their commitment, we can distribute donations and offer programs focused on the development of the children and their families. In this way, we create impact in the lives of the children by providing them with opportunities and resources that allow them to fully express their potential. Opportunities and resources they would not otherwise have had”
Vision
“We want the vulnerable children from our community to develop into adults with good values and characters. In this way, they develop into citizens who contribute to their society in a positive and competent manner.”
The mission of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre can only be realized with the tireless efforts of our colleagues on site. They dedicate their heart and soul every day to keep everything at the center running smoothly. Many of them come from the community and are therefore familiar with the challenges of life there. The Ubomi Obutsha Centre currently works with a large number of local volunteers and a number of paid staff. We would like to introduce them to you.
Management
Mark Lawler (Tata) – Director and Administrative Manager
Mark has been the director of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre since 2005. It has always been his passion to support people who are struggling. He dedicates himself with much love and enthusiasm to help the many people who visit the center. Mark ensures that requests for donations are made, determines what donations are used for, oversees the affairs of the center and manages all administrative matters. He also works on creating awareness for the center outside the KwaZakhele community.
Nondumiso Langa (mama Nondo) – Social Work Manager
Nondo has been working at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre since its opening in 1998. She manages all the support activities that take place in the Township. For example, she visits families at home to assess what care or support is needed. She arranges referrals to schools and clinics, and provides one-on-one guidance to members of the families the center works with. Networking is an important part of her duties. Furthermore, she informs the program team about what is happening in the community and suggests topics that may need to be addressed in the programs. In addition, she supports Alma during the workshops of the Family Focus Program.
Alma Lawler (mama Alma) – Program manager
Alma oversees the development and implementation of the Family Focus program. The program focuses on developing stronger family cohesion, resilience and self-reliance within the poor families with which the center works. Alma has been regularly involved as a volunteer at the center since 2014. At that time, she oversaw the development of several important programs aimed at strengthening life skills in teenagers. From previous positions with other employers, Alma has gained extensive experience in developing and implementing programs in community and school environments. Within the center, she equips the local staff team with the wide range of skills needed to facilitate workshops and effectively connect with the adults and children of the families with which the center works.
Mabhele grew up with the support of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. Although he worked in the stores of a local retailer for a while, he never lost his passion for the work of the center. Mabhele has been a loyal volunteer over the years. Since 2020, he has been a full-time operations manager at the center. It is his wish to help the youth from the community just as the center has helped him. Mabhele oversees all practical daily functions of the center’s operation. He is responsible for the security and for the daily opening and closing the building. He also receives material donations, stores them, and distributes them to the families. In addition, he takes care of preparing meals for activity participants, he is responsible for the practical preparation (setup) for workshops and the maintenance of the buildings. True to his passion, Mabhele also gives a life skills workshop to older teenagers on Friday afternoons.
Family File Managers and Activity Supervisors
Family File Managers conduct intake interviews with families participating in the Family Focus Program (maximum of 25 interviews per manager). They record the information about the families, compile, update, and secure it, so it is available when needed. They also act as a contact person for the families and regularly contact them and connect them with the work of the center. These employees all also give at least one life skills activity.
Thozama Dondashe (sisi Thozama)
Thozama joined the Ubomi Obutsha Centre in 2014 as an assistant volunteer in one of the afternoon life-skills clubs for young people. For various reasons, she was unable to complete a course in office administration. In the meantime, she was surprised by a passion for working with young children that she didn’t know she had through her work at the center. She still enjoys administrative work and thinks she has learned this better by working at the center than at the university! Thozama currently manages 21 family files, supervises the afternoon reading club for young school children and takes care of the majority of all data collection related to participation in activities and the distribution of donations.
Nomazotsho Sambunjelwa (sisi Noma)
Noma found her strength in the Ubomi Obutsha Centre. She joined the center as a volunteer for the holiday clubs in 2016 and was warmly recommended when someone was sought to help with an after-school program (before COVID-19 came into play). Noma is somewhat reserved, but she has a passion for working with children and excels in guiding the Family Focus workshops for adults. She used to work as a housekeeper, but currently oversees 24 family files, gives Family Focus workshops two mornings a week, and supports the life skills program and the educational support for children aged 8-9.
Sekiwe Booi (mama Seki)
Unfortunately, we received the news on November 18, 2023, that Sekiwe has passed away.
Sekiwe had a tough life with many challenges. In the early 2000s, she was one of the community members who stood in line every day waiting for a food package. When the center started setting up a food garden, she was one of the first to volunteer to help. She was seen as someone who could contribute more to the work of the center and eventually achieved a qualification in Early Childhood Development (ECD) and led the center’s Educare program before the covid pandemic. Sekiwe managed 24 family files, supervised the ECD program two mornings a week, and the after-school life-skills and educational support program for 10 & 11-year-olds.
Zameka Mdingi (Mazaza)
Mazaza comes from a difficult situation, but she has a joy for life and loves to learn and try new things. Mazaza has been part of the team running annual holiday clubs at the center since 2015 and was eventually tasked with guiding one of our afternoon programs for young people. Mazaza is loud and engaging, and the children she works with love her very much… like a real mom! She currently manages 24 family files, gives Family Focus workshops two mornings a week, and supervises the after-school life-skills and educational support program for 12-15 year olds.
Support Staff
Under the operations manager, the support staff work diligently in the background. They take care of the logistics behind the substantive programs, so that they can be effectively carried out in the right way.
Cikizwa Bungane (mama Ciki) – Catering and distribution of food packages
Mama Ciki has been working at the center since 2009. Originally, she represented a few beneficiary houses in the farthest and most troubled corners of the center’s working area. In 2017, she stepped in to run the kitchen when needed and now she is responsible for preparing meals for both workshop participants and preparing a nutritious vegetable soup for the children participating in the after-school activities. Her meals are also frozen for food package distribution. Her gentle and calm character brings peace to the sometimes chaotic expectations of the participants.
Thozama September (mama Thoza) – Cleaning and distribution of food packages
Thozama is a member of the community and a former beneficiary of the center. Her children have gone through the center’s Early Childhood Development program. She has many challenges at home, but makes herself available to help wherever she can at the center. She is responsible for keeping the center clean and has gained experience in making food packages for distribution to families. Sometimes she also takes on the responsibility of preparing meals for workshop participants. Working at the Center helps her to ‘keep it together’.
Nkululeko Matikinca (Malume/oom) – Maintenance of the food garden
Malume is a community member and beneficiary of the center who also has his own personal challenges. “Despite those challenges, he makes himself available every day to help maintain the center’s food garden. His health sometimes prevents him from working, but he is enthusiastic and committed to contributing to the project and his community.
Occasional Volunteers
The Ubomi Obutsha Centre has occasional volunteers, without their support, it would not be possible to deliver the center’s services as effectively as they do! Therefore, we would like to introduce them to you.
Selina Booi (mama Seli)
Selina has been an occasional volunteer at the Center since 2013. She works full-time in a nursing home and her children have been stable participants in the (pre-covid) after-school activities for young people over the years. Selina helps with catering and some general cleaning when she can and appreciates the opportunity to give something back.
Ntombozuko Johnson (mama Ntosh)
Ntombozuko and her family have been benefiting from the material support of the center for a long time and are active participants in the life-skills programs. Ntombozuko currently participates in the center’s Family Focus program two days a week and volunteers two days a week to help wherever she can in support of the center’s work.
Senzekile Nontyi (mama Nontyi)
Nontyi and her family have been benefiting from the material support of the center for a long time and are active participants in the life-skills programs. Senzekile currently participates in the center’s Family Focus program two days a week and volunteers two days a week to help wherever she can in support of the center’s work.
Sibonga Tyibo (Tyibo)
Tyibo is another teenager who comes from a troubled home situation and has grown up with his own challenges. However, he has been the most consistent participant in the programs from his family over the years. He loves to help at the center with practical tasks: from working in the garden to waterproofing the roof. He often comes by the center right after school to see if help is needed.
