Noted
Simon Kakalala of AmaTrac Uluntu notes his suggestions at a recent workshop for Eastern Cape NGOs recently convened by the HCI Foundation. AmaTrac Uluntu helps donkey owners in and around Makhanda to develop their transport businesses.
Just say no!
Jonas Schumacher of Port Elizabeth based NGO, Masifunde Learner Development, says NGOs should learn to say “No!” when they can see the funding offered does not correspond with their core vision and mission.
We need funding!
Delegates to the HCI Foundation-sponsored NGO workshop held at the National English Literary Museum shout “funding” instead of “cheese” for the group photo. A survey of 126 NGOs conducted by HCI showed that more than half were struggling with funding and sustainability.
String silhouette
The workshop was not all talk. The programme included a musical interlude where a beautiful tribute to the Soweto String Quartet was played.
Lessons from Gadra
Gadra Education manager, Dr Ashley Westaway, speaks on the value to NGOs of monitoring and evaluating their own work. Gadra's Matric School and Whistle Stop School have become centres of excellence by being responsive to careful monitoring and evaluation processes over time.
Deep listening
MOT SA director, Julia Duminy, listens attentively during a group discussion at a recent NGO workshop held in Grahamstown/Makhanda. MOT SA's mission is to develop emotionally intelligent and courageous youth.
Tabletop collaboration
Thanduxolo Royi and Kjetil Torp (from left) of Awarenet discuss collaboration with other participants at the recent NGO workshop in Grahamstown/Makhanda. Awarenet offers open access internet and ICT training to youth in Grahamstown/Makhanda through their Open Lab, based at the Joza Youth Hub.
Ubunye's 'safe parks'
Mziwamadoda Badi of the Ubunye Foundation speaks on 'safe parks', part of the their 'non-formal' Early Childhood Development programme. These parks are located in homes of the members, who with the assistance of Ubunye, are subsidised by the Department of Social Development.
Reskilling youth
Caroline Ferreira from the Ray Mhlaba Skills Training Centre, inspires delegates with news of her oganisation's training work in hairdressing, woodwork, upholstery, hospitality, early childhood development, and other fields, to vulnerable youth in Port Elizabeth. Seventy-six percent their students have secured permanent employment.
Donkey power
Michelle Griffith of AmaTrac Uluntu, an NGO that helps donkey owners in and around Makhanda to develop their transport businesses.
Local civil society organisations that attended a recent NGO workshop held at the National English Literary Museum have committed to work together more closely to achieve greater impact in Makhanda/Grahamstown.
The workshop was convened by a funder, the HCI Foundation, to share and celebrate good practice, encourage collaboration, and emphasise monitoring and evaluation.
Of the 31 HCI-funded NGOs that attended the workshop, nine are based in Makhanda/Grahamstown. They affirmed their commitment to working together to provide essential services in the face of funding shortages and the breakdown of many public services due to corruption, mismanagement, and patronage.
At the workshop, NGOs were encouraged to make use of programme data collected to inform programme design, refinement, and implementation.
In their evaluation of the workshop, participants expressed the need for more funder-driven capacity building workshops and urged funders to consider providing funding and training in monitoring and evaluation.
Workshop organiser Malusi Mtoyapi said: “The workshop has given organisations an opportunity to reflect on how they have been working and how their work can be more sustainable and effective. Many organisations have indicated that they will do something about what they learned from the workshop.”
If you would like to find out more about the work of the Grahamstown organisations that attended, and/or get involved in their programmes, here are some contact details:
- Amaphiko (Youth dance project): Wendy Stamper wstamper04@gmail.com 0790726677
- Gadra Education (Gadra Matric School and Whistle Stop School): Dr Ashley Westaway ashley@gadraed.co.za 046 6224837
- amaTrac Uluntu (Donkey owner skills development): Michelle Griffiths mgaigr@gmail.com 0732091625
- Village Scribe Association (ICT training and Open Lab at the Joza Youth Hub): Kjetil Torp kjetil@villagescribe.org 0848284700
- Umthathi Training Project (Food security and development): Monica Canca monica@umthathi.org 046 6370012 / 0837462073
- Ubunye Foundation (Rural development): Katy Pepper katy@ubunyefoundation.co.za 046 6227896 / 0714833194
- Rhodes University Maths Education Project: Tom Penlington t.penlington@ru.ac.za 046 6037294 / 0828099062
- ICD Trust/Lebone Centre (Early childhood development and literacy): Cathy Gush gushcathy@gmail.com 0748859206
- Upstart Media Development Project (Youth media development): Sindi Dingana upstartyouth3@gmail.com 0789393449
