The Foundation’s school-based Thari Programme, which is implemented by its partner entity, Adopt-a-School, in supports of vulnerable women and children in schools in Botshabelo in the Free State, and in Diepsloot in Gauteng.
The objective of the programme is to provide schools and communities with a safe environment that is free from violence, is academically effective, inclusive, and gender-sensitive, while promoting health and well-being for all.
Professor Roelf Reyneke of the University of Free State evaluated the effectiveness of the Thari Programme in addressing school violence and supporting children’s psychosocial health in South Africa. Using a mixed methods approach, he highlights how Thari’s psychosocial interventions foster safe, inclusive, and gender-sensitive learning environments. The findings underscore the positive impact of these interventions on school safety and well-being for all education stakeholders. Read the report here.
“This is a time for vision, and this is the time for courage”
Cyril Ramaphosa
ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE
The Thari Programme aims to achieve its primary objectives through the following:
– Ensuring that basic psycho-social support services are provided to women and children;
– Empowering women and children by educating them on how to protect themselves against abuse and exploitation;
– Facilitating dialogues to empower men and boys to address social issues which include masculinity, violence, and gender sensitivity;
– Developing a system that monitors the impact of the programme;
– Developing effective, sustainable and replicable models for preventing violence against women and children;
– Responding to current issues affecting the well-being of women and children
There is an increasing concern within South Africa that schools are the sites of widespread violence. While the school environment is supposed to foster learning in a safe and protected environment, it appears that this is not true in many schools within the South African context.
Following extensive research around the prevalence of sexual abuse and the disempowerment of community members, victims, parents and even educators in many cases, the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation concluded that to effectively address violence in schools, support needs to be extended beyond the school itself, to include family members and the greater community.
The Thari Programme’s selected townships are poverty-stricken, plagued by a high rate of unemployment, crime, violence and skills shortages. All of this greatly increases the vulnerabilities of women and children.
PURPOSE
Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation is implementing the Thari Programme with the aim of drawing lessons and determining scalability and replicability for the support of vulnerable women and children to other areas in South Africa.
The Foundation acknowledges that implementing programmes aimed at benefiting large numbers of vulnerable women and children in a sustainable manner requires collaboration and partnerships with other like-minded organisations.
A Multi-Sectoral Model
A multi-sectoral approach has been adopted, to involve all sectors of society, government departments, the business sector, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, community leaders and councillors, non-governmental organisations, youth and learners.
Our chosen model will include the collaboration of stakeholders in both the Botshabelo and Diepsloot communities. It is aimed at ensuring harmony when addressing the social factors that make women and children vulnerable.
The Foundation has adopted two strategies to best address the unique challenges in our two pilot communities.
TWO STRATEGIES
The Foundation has adopted two strategies to address the challenges identified in the two communities:
Isibindi Ezikoleni Model (Botshabelo)
Our Isibindi Ezikoleni Model involves the deployment of qualified Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCW) and the establishment of safe parks. The CYCW assesses and identifies vulnerable children and their families and provide psycho-social support services to them.
The model’s effectiveness is grounded on the availability of CYCWs who provide their services during child-friendly hours. The CYCWs are contracted to work for eight hours per day and support the children before and after school, during breaks, school holidays and weekends. The CYCWs further attend to families identified as being in need of follow-up support over weekends.
Botshabelo Safe Park
Pilot partners
Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation is implementing the model in collaboration with a number of organisations.
Botshabelo (Free State)
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Department of Home Affairs
- Department of Social Development
- Department of Correctional Services
- Department of Justice
- National Prosecuting Authority
- South African Police Services
- Botshabelo Education Committee
- National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers (NACCW)
- SASSA
- UNICEF
- Love life
- Seed Foundation
- Mangaung Moral Regeneration Movement
- Botshabelo Education Committee
- Khanya Community Based Organisation
- Khothatsehang Botshabelo Organisation
- Mangaung Men’s Forum
Diepsloot (Gauteng)
- School Principals (representing 17 schools)
- Afrika Tikkun
- Hope World Wide
- South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA)
- South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG)
- Lawyers against Abuse
- City of Joburg
- SAPS Honeydew cluster
- SAPS Diepsloot Youth Desk
- Department of Social Development
- Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
- Childline
- The Bear Foundation
- Men Ambassadors
- Diepsloot Youth Programme
- Harambee
- Friends of Diepsloot
CHILDREN REGISTERED IN THARI PROGRAMME
SAFE PARK SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN PARTICIPANTS
FAMILY MEMBERS SUPPORTED
Impact figures as at 31 August 2024
GET INVOLVED
If you would like to support the Thari Programme, or to get more information about this initiative, please kindly contact:
Email: info@cyrilramaphosa.org
Tel:
+27 (0) 11 592 6560