Supporting the young people of Tumahole
‘Thabang’ is SeSotho – one of many languages spoken in South Africa – synonymous with the Danish word for joy, which is just what they need in Tumahole, South Africa, where Danish People’s Aid is working to remedy the serious consequences of HIV/AIDS among the children and adolescents. Our partner’s name is Thabang.
Danish People’s Aid’s work
In the black township of Tumahole, Danish People’s Aid assists the Thabang Society in the efforts to relieve the effects HIV and AIDS among the children and adolescents
Thabang is in the process of extending its activities, including a community centre where education, training, social counselling and psychosocial activities are offered to children and adolescents.
We help the organisation minimise its dependency on dedicated and focus more building a network of volunteers. Training will enable the volunteers to head activities in the centre.
Danish People’s Aid is helping Thabang recruit and organise the volunteers and devise a long-term action plan, which includes a strategy for fundraising and advocacy. We ensure on-the-job training for the volunteers enabling them to act as trainers and consultants themselves. Also, we support training, counselling and psychosocial activities aimed at improving the conditions for the real target group: children and adolescents suffering from the effects of HIV/AIDS.
Our Co-operation with Thabang
Based on the Danish national collection, Danish People’s Aid started cooperating with the South African NGO Thabang Society to establish a new family life for children who lost their parents due to AIDS.
Over a period of 3½ years, family houses with employed housewives were established. Financial and technical support for the children’s schooling were given, just as social activities made sure that the children were integrated into the local community of Tumahole Township. Further, foster-parents were trained to work with children who suffer emotionally and socially as a result of HIV/AIDS, or who are infected.
The family house project started a partnership between Danish People’s Aid and the Thabang Society during the years 2009 to 2011, funded by the Projektrådgivningen (the advisory committee on project management) as part of its civil society strategy.
| Facts about Thabang and Tumahole There are approx. 120,000 inhabitants in the Tumahole Township. Every third individual here is believed to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Many fall ill and die from AIDS, and many infected people who cannot afford healthy food are in danger of dying early. |
Thabang Society’s struggle against HIV/AIDS in Tumahole
Apart from the local training centre supported by Danish People’s Aid, Thabang runs a clinic where infected individuals and their families are offered counselling and medical treatment.
