Stories from the classroom: 4th Quarter 2016

When young people feel a sense of self-worth and purpose they’re more empowered to make wise life choices. Our Life Skills workers have seen this belief come to life time and time again; the valuable lessons they teach bearing fruit in the lives of the young learners they teach.

This year the learners from the four schools in Amaoti have particularly loved being exposed to new places, activities, and experiences through the Life Skills programme. The creative energies of the Girls Club have been ignited through beading, crafting and making. Some young ladies also visited COGS church for a morning of leadership training. And a few boys were taken a Leadership Camp where they were taught valuable life skills and had time to enjoy the outdoors. They were chosen for the trip to help them see life outside of the allure of underage drug and alcohol abuse. It was a jam-packed action adventure weekend and the boys left profoundly influenced and inspired.

Our youth workers continue to be equipped through regular trainings to tackle the challenges of teaching young learners faced with navigating being a teenager and are facing tough circumstances. We’re also incredibly lucky to have a handful of UNISA social work students placed with us during the year. They assist the youth workers with one-one-one counseling sessions and facilitate therapeutic groups for learners facing real challenges of sexual abuse, a terrible reality for many, as well as focus groups for those young learners who had lost parents and friends to HIV / AIDS.

This past quarter we also took the time to honour the four schools’ teachers by inviting them to a screening of Freedom Writers, a movie based on a true story of a teacher who was able to transform the lives of a classroom of at-risk students. It’s a movie promoting a message of empowerment, tolerance, and innovative teaching. There was clapping, smiles and tears.

Thank you to every donor for your support. Your donations enable us to steadily build into the lives of these young learners, which although challenging is both a privilege and an honour.

 

The Girls Club outing to Springfield swimming pool.

Leadership camp with some boys from the Amaoti schools.

2016: What a year!

This year has been a time of exponential growth, tough challenges, our faith been tested and of course, many lives been changed. In 2016 alone we’ve been able to impact the lives of over 5000 individuals on a daily basis. During our journey we’ve seen 3 key areas being highlighted:

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1. Increasing our areas of influence

A big cause for celebration has been The Domino Foundation moving from being a North Durban NPO to a nationwide NPO.

We’re excited to announce that The Domino Foundation’s areas of influence now include: Waterloo, Oshebni, Amanzimtoti, Inner city Durban and Cape Town. We’ve also continued to strengthen our existing relationships with donors, volunteers, NPOS and governmental departments like the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development and the National Prosecuting Authority.

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2.Partnering with local churches

We have loved partnering with other churches to outwork their social justice initiatives.

This year we’ve partnered with Glenridge (Durban Inner City) and The Rock (Umhlanga) through the outworking of the Red light Anti-Human Trafficking programme; Life Changers (Tableview, Cape Town) for the Recycle Swop Shop and Kingsway Church International (Amanzimtoti) to open another sandwich kitchen. As we’ve been able to share our experience, skills, knowledge and feeding expertise we’ve seen an incredible growth in the Amanzimtoti Sandwich Kitchen. In just eight months the kitchen has grown to preparing 660 sandwiches a week – an incredible growth rate!

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3.Beneficiary Impact

We started the year with four programmes and expanded to seven community transformational initiatives.

Babies’ Homes – We provided a loving, family environment for 15 children in our two transitional homes with 6 babies being adopted into their ‘forever homes’.

Life Skills Programme– We worked with 4 under-resourced primary schools and 726 children on a weekly basis through lessons, one-on-one counselling sessions and after school activities – all aiming to empower learners to make wise life choices.

ECD Programme– We started the year upskilling and transforming 23 crèches into sustainable small businesses and places of active learning and increased to 44 establishments by year-end. Our work in the ECD space ensures that over children are receiving quality foundation-phase development throughout KZN.

Feeding Programme– We opened an additional kitchen to feed the south Durban basin, as well as added an additional 17 establishments (a combination of crèches/kindergartens and primary schools) to our feeding programme across KZN. By the year-end we were feeding a total of 55 establishments and averaging an incredible 98 000 meals a month!

Red light Anti-Human Trafficking – This programme joined Domino in 2016 and in 2017 we look forward to welcoming 8 ladies into our programme where they’ll be assisted, cared for, restored and released.

Recycle Swop Shops – The social justice and environmental programme joined Domino in 2016 with three swop shops operating in the Western Cape.

Bursary Programme – In 2017 the programme will fund 5 students’ tertiary education, giving them the opportunity to build themselves a future through education.

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Thanks to donors and volunteers, your support has enabled us to continue changing thousands of lives through showing mercy, combatting injustice and empowering individuals throughout our beautiful country of South Africa. If you would like to partner with us for 2017 please let us know.

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Stories from the classroom: 3rd Quarter 2016

As a teenager, it’s crucial to continually hear words of affirmation. Phrases like: you’re special, irreplaceable and unique. A large part of the Domino Foundation’s Life Skills lessons cover these values that help build self-esteem and raise leaders.

Recently, the Grade 6 girls from Zakele Primary School were treated to an uplifting day called “Fire and Grace” at COGS Church. This gentle time on a Saturday morning was an opportunity for learners to hear encouraging words, enjoy some fun sessions learning etiquette and enjoy some tea and scones.

A big thanks to Cox Yeats Attorneys for generously donating Subz Washable Pads and panties to the Grade 6 Girls at Zakele Primary School. They welcomed twenty learners into their Umhlanaga Ridge offices to enjoy some delicious treats and listen to a talk on adolescence led by a Domino Foundation Life Skills mentor. Cox Yeats Attorneys also shared their own career journey with the learners, introducing new careers and inspiring the learners to think beyond high school. Not only was the afternoon a wonderful time of sisterhood and bonding but it was a valuable opportunity to answer any misconceptions surrounding becoming a woman.

The Girls Club has been busy this past term with a number of fun and educational events including a DIY day making ‘lock boxes from cardboard and gift paper and a Hygiene Day presented by two experts, Kathy (Dental Hygienist) and Thabani (Hair Stylist at Unilever). Kathy was amazing and showed the girls how to really look after their teeth and Thabani wowed everyone on his knowledge about Afro hair and how to care for it. The learners loved their hygiene packs (soap, loofahs, deodorants, shower gels) and toothbrushes and Colgate kits that were handed out too.

The Life Skills team is always looking for gifts to add to gift bags for the Girls and Boys Club or Life Skills learners. In particular, the Boys Club is looking for soccer balls. If you can donate useful products please email us!

 

My 10 little lightbulb moments about volunteering at a non-profit

Annelize Muller shares her journey of volunteering at an NPO and the valuable nuggets of wisdom she’s learned along the way.

Enlightening. That’s the word that comes to mind when I tell you about my last 5 months. I’m a Product Development Manager at a big corporate and have been in the corporate environment for the past 11 years. A seed was planted in my heart a few years ago of giving back to our South African community, to do something more, be part of the change, share, learn and really understand our people, especially those who are not as privileged as I am. Although in saying privileged I sometimes feel that our poorer communities are much richer in true life value than what we could ever be in our individualised world’s, big offices, nice running cars and comfortable houses.

My company graciously approved my request for a 7 month sabbatical to go and learn about the needs of our communities, understand how a NPO works, how corporate and non-profits can hold hands to create a brighter future and to revive my soul so I can come back and be the best leader I can be.

So I share my 10 lightbulb moments I had in the hope that someone can either learn from them or be able to share their own lightbulb moments that will make for a better South Africa today.

Lightbulb #1: The REAL need vs YOUR need to give:

For anyone who knows Maslow’s Hierarchy, he hit the nail on the head. Our poorer communities’ needs are really really basic. Food and security (safety of a home) are what they need and once that need is consistently filled it will release them to start thinking about things such as education, working etc.

But often we give on the level we’re sitting on. For example, when I joined the Life Skills Girls Club team, where I helped facilitate extra-mural activities for teenage girls, I first organised pilates classes. This was an epic fail because it was not aligned with the REAL need but only with my own.

To put it more in perspective, have you ever had a day at school or work without food? Or calculated a maths sum on an empty stomach?

Lightbulb #2: It can’t be about pity or charity, it’s got to be a win-win

In no way is this point supposed to make you feel guilty for having a nice car and a comfortable house. I have got mine.

My question is, what are the factors that got you where you are today? A good education? Books to read? Parents that were happy to talk about the birds and the bees? If you think back about the little things you take for granted that made you a success, I believe those are the small things that YOU can give to the others if you want to see our whole country succeed. And in doing so you might just learn something mind blowing in return…..

Lightbulb #3: Our country is full of potential – harvest it!

At The Domino Foundation’s AGM we had the privilege of listening to 6 youngsters who came through our life skills programme in Gr4 -7 and who are now in their final year of school. I was totally overwhelmed with their hard work ethic, what beautiful leadership quality they displayed and how much they attributed their success to the Life Skills programme. We have endless amounts of talent in our country that just doesn’t have the opportunity to be nurtured or receive guidance from an adult. It’s unforgivable that we let these beautiful people slip through the cracks

Lightbulb #4: Sustained input = sustained output

Just like your car needs to be continuously filled up with fuel to run at its optimum, it’s very much the same with us as human beings. We need consistent input, environment and care for us to really flourish. The talent I spoke about above has been really guided and molded by our youth workers Jomo, Sifiso, Nonte and Thobile, who are amazing, committed and big-hearted individuals. They’re in these kids lives every single week, having conversations with them on a big brother/sister basis and building trust and the type of relationships that change lives. The once a month visit I made to the school cannot come close to the change these young people are making through continually investing their time and energy. 

Sustained input really gives visible sustained output.

Lightbulb #5: Domino has well trained, capable and experienced staff – so empower them with resources to succeed

For a very long time I’ve been living in my ignorant bubble that success (at a corporate) means that the value I add everywhere is equal. For example, that any NPO would need my skills to succeed. This is NOT TRUE!  I was so pleasantly enlightened when I started working at Domino to see that they have all the right skills for the job, are just as committed and skilled as any corporate animal, but with a different purpose in mind. So if we have the right people in place we should really just give them the resources to execute their purpose exceptionally well.

How can we expect them to feed the hungry, educate our country’s kids and care for the needy if we don’t give them the resource to do it? I always thought that just donating money was an easy way out but now I see it (the donation) as an enabler for nonprofits to make the change we don’t have the time or skills to make. ( Lightbulb #4: sustained input = sustained output)

Lightbulb #6: Cost and value are not directly related

This phrase has been floating around for the last few months at The Domino Foundation, about how the price of something simply can’t be equated to what value it brings. For example, one 5 minute conversation (at no Cost to you) can lead to a donation of 100kg’s of soap powder which has a value of 4 months’ worth of clean linen and clothes for our babies in our Babies home.

Or, one 30 second conversation and a person in my network spreading the word (at no cost you or them) can lead to 4 brand new single beds to help out 4 families in need after the floods, which has a value of keeping them off sleeping on a cold damp floor so that they’re able to go to work every day.

So what it costs us to just have conversations and spot opportunities can NEVER translate into the value it can bring to someone else in need. The cost is small but the value is HUGE!

Lightbulb #7: People want to help so give them the opportunity to do so

I’ve been amazed at how gracious all my colleagues at work and my friends have been and how they’ve all given in their own way. Whether it is funding for one of our Girls’ Club sessions or coming to help at Amaoti and pushing aside fears of going into unfamiliar territory – I’ve not once had to beg for the support. Sometimes people just need the opportunity and the giving just overflows.

Lightbulb #8: People need leadership to give sustainably and in the right way.

If the giving is so easy for people then why does it not happen all the time? I now realise that just like anything else, like a personal trainer at gym or a leader of the mom’s group, you still need someone to take up the reigns, give direction and impart knowledge to make sure we give continuously and in the right way. This doesn’t take a huge amount of leadership, skill or cost – just a bit of time, some guts to ask questions and the desire to make a difference. The reward is immeasurable. (See Lightbulb #6: Cost vs Value)

Lightbulb #9: Be connected on both ends

Spending time at Domino was completely different than I originally imagined. I thought I would be out in the field grinding it out but I ended up spending more time in the office sitting in the middle of the NPO cog and listening to conversations and sometimes adding my 2 cents. Hearing the needs inside Domino and being able to respond to relevant opportunities outside Domino to immediately fill their needs helped me understand the organisation so much more. When you have a foot in both worlds magic truly happens. Gold comes from conversations and it’s turned into uplifted lives.

Lightbulb #10: Purpose = drive, motivation, energy, determination, guts & tenacity, which leads to LIFE

I honestly didn’t think I would be going back to my corporate job but I have a new purpose in mind, a new understanding of what opportunity sits within corporate to support NGOs and a salary which can be used to fund and empower these amazing people and the value it can bring to uplift others. I can’t wait to have more conversations, inspire others to think just one step further with what they have, see how corporate can truly support NPO and be a part of a team that I can be proud to say cares about the world and its people. 

Here’s to a lifetime of creating brighter futures!

Stories from the classroom: 2nd Quarter 2016

Life orientation, for all South African school learners, is the only platform from which learners can acquire life skills, democracy skills and vital knowledge about our diverse country and the world.* It’s a safe and engaging place where leaners can be taught how to make motivated life choices.

Which is why the Domino Foundation has a whole programme dedicated to educating learners about themselves, their identity and their role in greater society. For the past few years the programme has worked into three schools in Amaoti and helped hundreds of learners navigate these tricky issues. At the recent AGM it became clear that these life skills lessons were making a difference in individuals lives – they were equipping learners with knowledge about themselves and empowering them with the skills to lead a successful life.

They say you have to see it to believe, well here is a video of some of our learners from the Life Skills Programme sharing their views on how the programme has changed their lives.

*http://www.ngopulse.org/article/2016/06/02/preparing-learners-future

 

New season, new roles

With a new season comes new leadership. As the Domino Foundation increases its capacity to reach more communities there have been some internal shifts to ensure that the hands who do this work are passionate, skilled and ready to impact lives.

At the beginning of the year Mickey Wilkins stepped down as CEO of the Domino Foundation. After twelve incredible years of leading the non-profit Mickey has now decided to look after the sustainability of Domino and has started Domino Business. As of February 2016 the Domino Foundation welcomed in a new CEO, Richard Mun-Gavin, lead pastor of Cogs Church. Not only does Richard bring a wealth of pastoral experience but his passion for people means he’s more than ready to take Domino into a new season of growth.

Shaun Tait has officially moved into the role of  COO and is overseeing the day to day operations of all the programmes and its staff. Although a tall task Shaun has slid into his role with effort and ease.

After heading up the ECD team since its inception Toni Wilkins has decided to focus her attentions on the Life Skills programme and counselling at the Door of Hope Counselling Centre. The team is now been led by the capable Jessica King, who moved over from donor relations. Jessica is more than qualified for the position and brings her unique learnings from her studies, a Bachelor of Social Science in Organisational Psychology and Industrial Sociology and a Foundation Phase Teaching qualification and is currently Clinical Psychology. Jessica also handles the Domino volunteers.

And in the feeding programme Cathy Whittle has taken over the reigns as Programme Manager. Cathy comes from the cooking industry and has the heaps of experience needed to steer the many Domino feeding projects in the right direction. In case you’ve forgotten, that’s our Sandwich Kitchen, Soup Kitchen and Relief Kitchen. Past Project Manager, Brenda Scheepers has moved onto an exciting venture with Domino Business, which you can read more about here.

Life Skills Effects 4th Quarter 2015

For the Domino Foundation’s Life Skills team 2015 has been a year of expanding minds, equipping hands and exercising bodies.

The Life Skills team teaches primary school learners from a cluster of schools in Amaoti, KwaZulu-Natal. These lessons are vital as they’re a platform for conversation around crucial issues like sense of self, adolescence and dating, something the national curriculum doesn’t cover. Learners have loved having the opportunity to chat through these issues as home isn’t always a place to speak and ask questions. Testament to the impact of these weekly classes the team has witnessed many success stories as learners’ perspectives change.

The Boys and Girls Club have had an action packed year of exciting activities too. These clubs offer fun and stimulating activities for high school learners after the final school bell rings for the day, a time when learners have very little to do. Pilates, a ‘no bake’ bake day and talks on adolescence, sexualy transmitted diseases and HIV Aids were just some favourites from the Girl’s Club. For the Boy’s Club soccer was certainly the standout activity. A big thanks to Vopak for organising regular soccer training and a fun soccer day as well as offering science and maths tutoring for the grade 12’s. They also provided career guidance and helped some learners set up Gmail accounts and taught them how to use the internet.

The Life Skills team asks for prayer for some difficult challenges they’re facing. They no longer have a car, making traveling to schools difficult. The team’s health has also been an area of worry this year. And lastly, prayers for continued innovation and creativity for classes and after school clubs are welcome. With a shift towards lessons on careers the team hopes learners will become inspired to think even bigger and set higher goals for themselves.

These programmes would not have been possible without the generous support from a number of organisations and individuals. Thank you to everyone who has contributed, you have been invaluable to the team and ultimately the learners.

Life Skills 3rd Quarter 2015

“I am special, unique and irreplaceable”

These are the words that the Life Skills team continually use to remind their young and impressionable learners that they are unique, special and of value to themselves and others.

So it is with great joy that we report on a story from one of our youth workers in the Amaoti community. One of their learners has been so shaped by the weekly life skills lessons that after every lesson she teaches her little sister about what she has learnt in class. Over and above this she has made a greeting with her sister that they use before and after school every day… “I am special, unique and irreplaceable”. We are so happy to hear that this little girl has taken the message of how valuable she is to heart and thinks it’s so important that it’s worth sharing.

The primary school kids learnt about their inherent value right in the beginning of the four-year HIV/AIDS prevention programme. Initial lessons are geared around “who am I”, what’s special about me and reinforce that they are unique. This will hopefully translate into healthy relationships based on respect, accountability and honour.

Another aspect of the Life Skills Programme is the Boys and Girls Club where fun sports and recreational options are offered to learners at schools to reduce risky behaviour caused through boredom. The Boys Club had a fun and eventful term with the second annual Vopak soccer day. Vopak are passionate about education and have come alongside the Boys club to support them with the running of the after school activity. The fun soccer day organised at Northwood Boys High School was a hit and not only did they have a blast learning soccer skills from a professional coach but all left with their very own pair of soccer boots. 

Some of the Life Skills learners particpated in a fun Key Motorshow day where they had to build a wire car modelled from on the the Key Brands.  A big thank you to Key- a lot of fun was had by all!

Human trafficking, educate yourself.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, 30 000 minors are trafficked through South African borders every year. 50% of these minors are under the age of 14.

Whether these stats are inflated or not human trafficking is a frightening reality that occurs across the globe. Armed with the right knowledge and skills vulnerable communities can avoid falling into this trap. Red Light, a Durban NPO specialising in human trafficking, recently shed some light on this hidden crime with the Life Skills learners and Amaoti youth workers, helping our life skills learners to protect themselves against this modern form of slavery.

As the fastest growing enterprise in the world human trafficking comes in many different forms including the sex trade, medical exploitation and cheap and manipulative labour. Since children are the most vulnerable and most easily preyed on, 80% of trafficked victims are girls between 5-15 years old*, it is vital for learners to understand the methods of human trafficking and how they can protect themselves against it.

Lungelo Dakile visited our youth workers to equip them on how to teach about human trafficking during their life skills lessons. She also has visited the three schools in Amaoti to teach the learners about the realites of humantrafficking.

She said, “There’s a lot of ignorance and naivety surrounding human trafficking. The reality is that most of the learners have probably heard of someone missing but were unsure of the circumstances surrounding it. For example they might have heard of a young girl who left the rural areas to go work in the city. What they don’t necessarily realise is that she’s probably under the legal age to work and most likely working in terrible conditions.”

“Once you define what human trafficking is learners can start to see that it’s illegal. Then you can start talking about it on a deeper level and show them how to avoid falling into the same traps It’s important to remember that human trafficking is not gender based and the number of young boys being sold into prostitution is increasing too.”

Lungelo would love the learners to leave their lessons knowing, “That they have a voice and that they can stand in the gap, even if it’s the small things to prevent that happening in their communities and families. change doesn’t necessarily have to be huge but it starts off small and gradually grows into something powerful.”

Arm yourself with knowledge about human trafficking

-Some of the main causes of human trafficking are rooted in poverty, unemployment, a a corrupt governance, political instability, organized crime and armed conflict.

-The sex trade is one of the major drivers of human trafficking.

-Medical exploitation, such as trading in human organs, is another major form of human trafficking.

-The high demand for cheap labour has contributed in mostly victims from poor and rural communities being tricked into human trafficking.

-Since most of human trafficking is directed towards children (especially the sex trade), many are left with poor communication and social skills as well as a lack of schooling and education.

-Victims are also left severely traumatised and a great deal of psychological damage. In most cases there is also the clear evidence of physical damage caused by abuse, punishment and often the sadistic nature of their clients.

-If you hear anything you think is related to human trafficking you should tell the police.

More information can be found on Red Light’s website.

*https://africacheck.org/reports/are-30000-kids-trafficked-into-south-africas-sex-trade-every-year-the-claim-exaggerates-the-problem/

Life Skills Effects June/July 2015

Life Skills

Feeling refreshed after the small holiday break, the Life Skill teachers are back in their classrooms and doing what they do best- teaching learners the skills to make wise life choices.

Term 3 once again sees classes aimed at learning new knowledge with two medical students recently spending their time educating life skills learners from Amaoti 3 about the hot topics of adolescent and dating. Learners loved the talks, soaking in all the valuable information offered up by the medical students. The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation also visited the life skills lessons, teaching water safety, awareness of dangerous water sources like rivers and dams and safety skills in the water. Lastly, with the help of Vopak tutors a group of Grade 12 learners were afforded the chance to practice their maths and science knowledge.

Nonti and Sifiso also had some time expanding their knowledge base at the Soul Action I matter Conference. Domino’s very own Head of the Early Childhhod Development Programme and Door of Hope Counsellor, Toni Wilkins, delivered a talk on working with troubled children. The Life Skills teachers found this talk exceptionally valuable for their own lessons as the children in their classes often come from troubled homes, a result of the struggling economic township they live in.

A big thank you to the Swedish volunteers who handed out goodie bags to the Girl’s Club and the donations of Go Play food supplements from Daryl Scott from Team Player Trading. Other donations included 200 lunchboxes from Unilver and food parcels that were distributed to families in need identified by the student social workers.

On another note, Domino Foundation’s resident Home Affairs whizz, Judy Carter, has been seriously busy these past months helping Amaoti community members locate important documentation. Here are some stories from out in the field….

“June was a busy month and we managed to get a number of both birth certificates and ID cards. We have also applied for another three Late Registrations of Birth (for people over 15). This long process takes time and although dealt with at the local Home Affairs Department it appears that Pretoria have put these applications in the “to be dealt with later” file and they’re concentrating on the new Smart ID Cards of which they’re hundreds of applicants.

We are still experiencing difficulties between the requirements of Home Affairs and the delivery by Social Workers for Court Orders. We have a number of children who have been abandoned and are either living with a relative or neighbour and these cases are proving to be very difficult to resolve.

I have one child Thabang Ngcobo who lives with his “gogo”. I managed to get him into Grade 8 at Trenance Manor with a letter from the Social Workers as he didn’t have an ID. I have taken them to Social Workers and then Home Affairs. During the conversation with the Supervisor Mr. Nxumalo there appeared to be some things which didn’t sound right so after some investigating I obtained an aunt’s phone number. I contacted her and she’s in the Eastern Cape. She said Thabang does have a birth certificate under his father’s name and his maternal grandmother took him to Amaoti and she has given him her name. It turns out that his paternal grandmother registered him as her mother as his biological mother was deceased. So I got her ID number checked on Home Affairs computer and found his ID number and got a copy of the birth certificate. I had to go to the school to change their records. Thabang was so excited when I gave him his certificate, apparently there is a bit of a feud between the families. Anyhow I have now arranged to get an affidavit from the aunt in the Eastern Cape giving authority for the “gran” in Amaoti to collect the foster grant. She is being most helpful.”