Social Concern Programmes
The Berakah Educational Foundation has several Social Concern Programmes in place, offering assistance and upliftment with a holistic approach. From Early Childhood Development, to support of School Aged Children and Adult Basic Education and Training and finally Home Based Orphans and AIDS care.
(Photo: Temporal structures and facilities of the Berakah Educational Centre, presently in use.)
Early Childhood Development
At the Berakah Centre, Early Childhood Development is offered through the Bambino Day-Care Centre. Several hundred children receive breakfast, educational stimulation, lunch, physical activities and care, each week day. It is important to Berakah that the orphans and vulnerable children are not marginalised and they are taken care of, together with other children from the comma L At the Berakah Centre, Early Childhood Development is offered through the Bambino Day-Care Centre. Several hundred children receive breakfast, educational stimulation, lunch, physical activities and care, each week day. It is important to Berakah that the orphans and vulnerable children are not marginalised and therefore no distinction is made between them and other children from the community.
Sponsorship Programme
Through the volunteer programme, growing our own vegetables and the grants we receive from food stores, it is possible to feed a child for only R 5 per day. That is less than €.50c or US$ 0.50c. For double that amount, we can also provide care, education and a safe place to play and study. The aim is to find 400 sponsorships to the amount of R 350 each (Aprox € 30 or US$ 35) per child. The amount will cover the following:
Meals, Education and Care, materials including diapers and learning aids, Recreation and interaction in a safe environment, Outings including transport, Administration and Feed-back to the sponsor.
For
more information please send an
email to meleney@berakah,org,za
or call at +27 (0) 79 635 2964
After-School Care Programme
The children are identified as ‘vulnerable’, or in crises and referred to the centre from 3 schools. They arrive at the centre after school and receive the following:
- A hot meal
- Supervised homework sessions
- Literacy and maths teaching
- Training
- Instruction in crafts and educational games
- Outdoor sport activities
- Life skills and counselling support
- Art, Music & Drama classes
It is the goal of the centre to expand the Youth Support and establish music groups, a Community Choir and Drama Troupe.
ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training)
Berakah offers literacy training (English) and life skills training to adults from the community, in partnership with the University of Pretoria's Language Faculty.
OVC (for more information about our Orphans and Vulnerable Children Care, please follow this link)
Small Business Development Initiatives
In addition to the social concern programs, Berakah also provides sustainable income generating opportunities, primarily to women in the community. These projects include bead-making, sewing, pizza- and bread making and a community phone operation. These projects are in varying stages of growth and it is envisaged that when they have achieved their full operating potential, Berakah will derive 15 % of its operating income from these initiatives.
Bead-Making
Since 2004 Berakah has been involved in assisting the management of a beading project that enables 30 local women to consistently generate a small source of income. Beaded items are typically made to order, with lanyards being the most requested product, primarily by the US diplomatic community.
Sowing & Fashion
Currently Berakah is engaged in a 2-year fashion design project with GUYZ Productions, a South African communications and entertainment company. The project currently has 8 women engaged in fashion design with the goal of equipping them with necessary skills to manufacture garments for sale to the general public and the ability to tender for uniform contracts.
Bread & Vegetable Garden
Pizza- and Break making is a Berakah’s initiative that plans to utilise a recently constructed pizza brick oven. This initiative is co-located with Berakah in Stanza Bopape and will be used to employ members of the community to bake pizza, breads, scones, etc. for sale in the Mamelodi community.
