24^th February 2010  

A BOLD STRATEGY FOR NMCF UNVEILED

The launch of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (hereinafter referred to as the Fund) Sakha Ikusasa III for the next five years (2010-2015) is premised on the belief that there is no better future for society than its children. Touched by the love of the parents, lifted by the care of their society and provided for in public policy objectives of a democratic government, children will make future leaders that will in turn make a stable society for generations after generations.

The launch of Sakha Ikusasa III today is a declaration to the country and all our partners locally and internationally, that the road we will be travelling for the next five years, in advancing the well being of children, is a cause that requires more than the Fund to champion.

This cause can best be championed by a establishing a national child rights movement in order to secure a happy, safe and stable future of society.

For the period 1995 to 2005 saw the establishment and the entrance of the NMCF to bolster the South Africa's existing platform dealing with children.

Sakha Ikusasa I In the period between 2000-2005 the Fund focused on two things:

I.              Identifying partners with a view to increase the strength of community based organizations dealing with children;

II.            Defining 4 key areas of specialization as well as well responding to the growing tide of children's vulnerability due to HIV and AIDS.

In Sakha Ikusasa II for the period between 2005, the Fund extended its mandate from grant-making to include a development approach and programme-based advocacy. It taking the baton from its Founder, Nelson Mandela, who was leaving active public life, the Fund took the deliberate step to place focus on the cause of its existence. The key message, as of 2005 the Fund emphasized the need to be known for the work it does rather than the icon behind its establishment.

The everlasting cause of our existence as the Fund found appropriate expression in Mr Mandela words:

"Our bodies may give in to the force of age but the dreams that lie in our hearts may not retire." The dream is to make society to be more familiar with the smiles of children rather than their tears.

The community of stakeholders that the Fund has built over the years and still with us today is proof that we a share a cause that is most dear to our Founder and from which there is no reason to retire: To change the way society treats its children and youth.

Our vision remains unchanged

The goal of presenting a normal child is located within the focus of our unchanging vision. This vision continues to commit the Fund to change the way society treats its children.

To present a normal child we have chosen to focus on four key areas of work:

1.   Well-being of Children which promotes a rights-based, nurturing, caring, safe and supportive environment for children and youth.

2.   Children and Youth with Disabilities which aims to improve the quality of life of children with disabilities and youth by facilitating their integration into mainstream society.

3.   Skills Development which focuses on enhancing opportunities for skills development in entrepreneurship for children and youth, enabling their participation in the formal economy.

4.   Leadership and Excellence which promotes leadership potential and excellence of children and youth.

5.   In the course of implementing these programmes, escalation of HIV and AIDS generated a response that came in the form of Goelama model

Sakha Ikusasa II (2005- 2010) successes:

·        The policy of government acknowledged that the family is the most viable setting for the wellbeing of a child

·        Civil society began to accept that sheltering of children is a transient solution rather than a permanent

·        NMCF facilitated an establishment of dedicated national response to OVC in the form of the National Action Committee for Children Affected by HIV and AIDS

·        The staging of youth parliaments, including children from the SADC region was an unprecedented success to demonstrate child participate

For every breakthrough made in Sakha Ikusasa 11, setbacks equally presented themselves as our models had to cope with a rising tide:

·        The nature of the problems behind the increased vulnerability of children in society were starkly noticeable; 

·        The need for organs of civil society, in partnership with the various spheres of Government, as well as business,  to adjust strategies for intervention in a manner that demonstrate a positive impact towards the status of children; 

·        The changing face of the family calls for community responsiveness;

·        The family, once a trusted haven for children's safety, now has to contend with the phenomenon of child-headed households;

·        Children being prematurely thrust into adult roles, disrupting their education, stunting their development and obstructing their prospective life-chances;

·        Increased levels of poverty have imposed  their share of pressure on communities leaving them unable to cope;

·        Inability by those in power to be accountable for children's rights is not only a threat to children's well being but also to the stability of society

In the face of all these challenges, the Fund came to the realization that to change the way society treats its children, requires more than itself to achieve.  This gives rationale for the establishment of a child rights movement that calls for a massive national response in defense of children's dignity and advance their wellbeing.

Given this, nothing better expresses the massive outgoing intent of Sakha Ikusasa III (2010 - 2015) than its mission statement which states:

"Our mission is to give voice and dignity to the African child by building a child rights movement"

To set the movement in motion and to scale up the impact of programme implementation, Sakha Ikusasa III advances five value propositions: Facilitation of child participation

• Advocating and strengthening community responsiveness
• Creating a safe, protective and nurturing child-rights environment
• Accountability for children's rights
• Facilitate a coherent knowledge repository for children's rights

Details are in brochure that sums up our picture of success. Based on its previous successes, the Fund is confident enough that the new strategic initiatives would bear sustainable results which are to benefit its major stakeholder - the child.

The launch of Sakha Ikusasa III today is a declaration to the country and all our partners locally and abroad that the road we will be travelling for the next five years, 2010-2015, will be advancing our programme to a scale that requires the establishment of a child rights movement.

For more information, please contact Oupa Ngwenya on 082 2215586/oupan@nmcf.co.za or Lebo Nkopane on 082 7268448/lebo@4ground.co.za