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Beneficiary to Employee: Nonkqubela

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Unemployed in April 2018, Nonkqubela Ngamxeli, entered Themba Training’s first Sewing Course in our new venue in Gant’s Centre, Strand. Shy, but eager to learn, she took on her newfound skills with great enthusiasm and started implementing them soon afterward at home. We later found out that one of her first sewing projects was making a carry bag for herself to take to the shops. Due to an increase in sewing contracts, Nonkqubela was approached to assist part-time with sewing contracts in July of 2018. She worked 2 mornings a week on basic sewing contracts for the National Sea Rescue Institute and other small businesses and seemed to enjoy the variety of products needing to be made. As our workload increased, Nonkqubela’s contract work at Themba Training was increased to 4 mornings a week. She started co-presenting our Basic Sewing Course alongside the project manager in 2019 and has since shown herself to be quite the knowledgeable and confident trainer. This, along with a growing rep
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Amazing G(R)ace Kick-Off 2022

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Once a year all Thembalitsha Foundation Staff get together to recommit ourselves to our vision, mission  and organizational values and set the tone for the year ahead. This year’s Kick-Off Event was extra special, because we are celebrating our 25th year, and as we could  not meet up in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic., this was the first time to see all our colleagues again  after 2 years. All staff arrived at the location (Philadelphia Village, near Durbanville) and were divided into 3 colour  teams. Teams received instructions and the amazing race, to rediscover and reconnect to our  organisational values, begun. Teams had to solve clues to find their next race stop, complete a task and  leave behind a gift. Race stops included Helena’s Corner Shop, Philadelphia Primary School and Pepper  Tree Art Stable & Coffee Shop. The final stop was at the local church, a beautiful monument, built in 1863, where board members and  guests joined us for a thanksgiving service led by pastor Lin
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Monday Motivation: Ulander

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"Earlier this month, we introduced two Public Relations interns who have been supporting our social media platforms. After visiting our projects, Agape and School of Hope, our interns decided to use the opportunity to also share their own stories and a piece of motivation they continue to live by.  Ulander shares her Monday Motivation: Growing up in a township where the majority of the population is either has primary, secondary education or possibly illiterate… Tertiary education was never preached to me as a child.  Getting to Matric is seen as such a big achievement and actually finishing Matric is seen as the epitome of success. Don't get me wrong I understand the excitement that people have with finishing matric, you see... When you imagine our reality that consists of people only having late primary and early secondary grades as their highest level of education, it only makes sense why Grade 12 is seen as the highest level of educational success. Growing up I always love
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Monday Motivation: Ongezwa

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"Earlier this month, we introduced two Public Relations interns who have been supporting our social media platforms. After visiting our projects, Agape and School of Hope, our interns decided to use the opportunity to also share their own stories and a piece of motivation they continue to live by.  Ongezwa shares her Monday Motivation: It's every child's dream to finish the 12 years of Primary and Secondary school without repeating any grade. We all focus on one goal; obtaining that matric certificate, continuing on to Tertiary education and making our parents proud! No one ever tells us that things don't always go as planned. We face problems that change everything about our destiny and the future we had planned, you may lose a parent, get pregnant, lose a home, get abused etc. There are many factors that may lead to you quitting school. We all have stories to share, a terrible past that becomes our motivation.  We become victims to situations that in the end, we beco
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#Breastfeeding is Shared Responsibility

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#Breastfeeding is Shared Responsibility "In my line of work as a breastfeeding counsellor, I have come across parents from different cultures and beliefs. That has helped me adapt different techniques of counselling according to their different beliefs working towards one goal which is “Exclusive Breastfeeding is the best feeding method for their babies and for them”. To establish successful exclusive breastfeeding between mother and their baby is a shared responsibility, which starts from the first day of their first visit at the health care facility ( Antenatal Check-up) . The first responsibility lies with Healthcare workers and Breastfeeding counsellors to make sure that parents are equipped for the journey ahead with relevant information. The second responsibility lies with the partner and family members. Exclusive breastfeeding not only requires time but also needs one to be physically and mentally prepared for it requires energy. Reducing the amount of responsibility a nurs
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It's so much more than a desk: Fatherhood

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According to a 2015 study (Gould and Ward), South Africa has the second-highest rate of fathers' absence, low rates of paternal maintenance for children and a high rate of abuse and neglect of children by men. It is said that 50% of the children in South Africa grow up in families with fathers in absentia.   Thembalitsha Foundation believes that South African men can do better. Actually, we know they can. Meet Khumbula and Munuel. Both matriculated from School of Hope and now have children of their own. Below, they share a bit about their stories and what they hope for the education of  their little ones as they grow up.   ========================================== Hi, my name is Munuel Mouzinho Afonso and I'm a musician and community activist. I was 13 years old when I started at School of Hope in Grade 8, in 2005 and 19 years old when I matriculated in 2011. Favourite subjects/teachers? I loved English in school, Ma’am Christelin was the best teacher. I felt I was able to sha
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Fatherhood: Ade Oyewo

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Fatherhood is an amazing feeling and a great sense of responsibility that all men want to discharge as duties to their families. My Journey to fatherhood was quite exciting as I got to this point quite early after my marriage in 2006. Following our marriage ceremony in 2006, we had to make tough decisions whether to start our family immediately or to give ourselves some time to find our bearing as a young couple. In 2009, our marriage was blessed with a bouncing baby boy and we named him Ryan; at that point, I felt so blessed and had to wrap up everything within me to father this young soul. I had promised myself that I would want to be the best father to my kids, the reason being that I could not recall having a good life or upbringing with my father, in fact, I grew up without my father and this subjected me to many difficulties and as such, promised myself that I would live to be the best dad ever to my own children one day. Hence, having Ryan was the point at which I could prove th
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