Thembalitsha Foundation

My journey with School of Hope started in 2008 when my dad enrolled me for Grade 10. I remember that year being extremely challenging, because of my health. Prior to 2008, I dropped out of high school because I deemed my circumstances to be more important than my education. Many people crossed my path and encouraged me to return to school, the desire grew stronger with time, but at the time I could barely take twenty steps without being exhausted (this is no exaggeration). I matriculated in 2010 as valedictorian; what I wanted to do after high school seemed blurry, but deep down I knew that I wanted to work with young people. In 2011, I returned to the School of Hope as a volunteer for six months until I started working in retail. From this, you can gather that the school held a special place in my heart and it did not take long before I found myself walking through those doors again. This time the school relocate to Observatory and I was asked to present a speech during orientation w…

“We started Graceland with only 6 children. In 1999, I, Elizabeth Solomons started as a teacher. At that stage, I did not have any formal qualifications other than my Grade 6 certificate. I started working at the school in faith that I would do my job well. In 2002, I was offered an opportunity through Thembalitsha Foundation to receive education in early childhood development.

During the next two years, I would take part-time classes at Boland College Strand and complete my Level 4 course in 2004. I am the oldest child of seven children. I grew up on a farm called Morgenhof in Stellenbosch. My first school years started in Cloetesville at Pieter Lange veldt Primary. I went to school up to the age of 12years, at that time we were 5 children already and my younger brother and baby sister were at home, my mother had to go work on the farm with them but had to made the choice of taking me out of school. It was not an easy time for me because I really loved school. Since that time I was l…

With the increasing challenges faced in these very dynamic times, Thembalitsha Foundation leadership is in the process of consolidating operations to ensure maximum impact across our various projects.  Community needs, financial sustainability, leadership and staff capacity are all important factors in the decision-making process.  Most recently, the Board and executive leadership of Thembalitsha have consulted with ThembaCare Grabouw employees and a range of stakeholders, both local and international, to discuss the future of this project.  In discussions, it was clear that closure of the In-Patient Unit was inevitable due to shifting priorities and a lack of sufficient funding from the Department of Health.  A scaled-down home-based care only service was then considered, however, limitations in regard to staffing oversight and the identification of a duplication of services (another organisation is providing home-based care in the area)  have lead us to make the painful decision to c…

Every year at this time we think about our own mothers. What they mean to us. How we miss them if they’re living far away. Which of their characteristics we inherited and which of those home-cooked dishes were our favourites... if you’re like me, you wonder how they ever found the time and had the energy to do it all! 

These thoughts always bring such inspiration, nostalgia, and a sense of belonging. Motherhood is truly a special place… and mothers, a special group of inspiring ladies. Sitting in my office at Themba Training, I look at the mothers around me: working hard and diligently to support their families in a time where there is an increasing amount of uncertainty, filling in for other losses of income.


I look at the mothers around me and am inspired by their ability to use the very little they have to feed and clothe their families.

I look at the mothers around me and stand in awe that despite intensely difficult circumstances, they still have brave smiles on their faces, determi…

Holiday greetings and thanks.



Depending on where in the world you are this holiday season, you may be reading this blog somewhere with near-freezing temperatures.  Alternatively, you could be patiently waiting for the electricity to kick on and offer some reprieve from an unforgivingly hot day. Depending on your location, some will spend Christmas at the beach.  Others, in a colder part of the world, will be huddled up somewhere cosy in an effort to escape the freezing temperatures.  
Some will have a braai to usher in the holidays while others will stuff a turkey or make a Christmas ham followed by pudding.  While each country has its own unique traditions, one common thing strings us together this holiday season-- gratitude.  
Thembalitsha Foundation could not let the year draw to an end without taking a moment to say thank you to everyone who helps make this giant dream of ours a reality.  Restoring hope takes a global village.  
To our donors and partners across the world-- know that …