Highlights of 2008

Prevention / Awareness
Motivational / awareness talks were done at the following schools – Waterloo primary, Amatikwe Primary, Clareville Primary, Efolweni Primary, La Lucia Crawford college, Chelsea primary, Padayachee Primary.

Outreach
We held a 5-day camp for 80 children from four schools from underprivileged communities and street children. The camp was organised in association with Scripture Union.
Our partnership with Umthombo / I Care has seen on average of 250 – 280 interventions with children on the streets for the 2008 year , of whom in excess of 100 children were either re-unified with their families or referred to child care facilities (Tennyson house, Zamani). Art and sports programmes were introduced. The ambulance staff treated the minor injuries of children living on the street. Courses were run to educate the children with issues relating to sex, sexuality & HIV / AIDS.

Rehabilitation
A Khuthaza re-habilitation program was completed with a total of 8 boys successfully completing 12 weeks of re-habilitation. Upon completion the boys were either re-unified with their families or have moved to the I Care homes situated in Warner Beach and Lower Illovo.

Housing / Shelter
We currently have 13 boys living in our homes and continue to support 22 children in our back to school programme. These are boys that I Care has successfully re-unified with their families. I Carrovides school uniforms, stationery as well as food parcels. We received a 16 -seater vehicle from the Victor Daitz Foundation to transport our boys to and from school. The boys participated in a variety of sports such as lifesaving , tennis, surfing, soccer as well as swimming.

Education
I Care School celebrated its first birthday in June 2008. (Our school is situated at Mother of Peace in Lower Illovo and is aimed at fast tracking the education missed by the boys). All boys progressed well & prize giving took place on 5th December 2008. We also now have a fully operational computer room and a well equipped recreational room at the school.

Skills development / Job creation
Ten candidates have completed a training course through MERSETA, in metal manufacturing. In another job creation initiative, 14 youths were employed by Group 5 in the construction of the Moses Mahbida stadium. ABET computer training has also been successfully completed with 25 people in Amaoti and at Mother of Peace.