On this Monday, 27 February 2023, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund  (the Fund) joins the world and all like-minded organisations commemorating the annual World NGO Day. Following the  two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic challenges that have a devastating impact on children and youth, the Fund pays tribute to, celebrate, and appreciate all its implementing partners that are community based and non-profit organisations that continue to provide interventions that give dignity and a voice to children, youth and all vulnerable citizens in hard to reach communities.  There are also strategic partners from  other medium to large NGOs, funders, donors, development partners, private sector, government departments and individuals  who have enabled the  delivery of quality services that address social ills and assist in holding  government accountable to service delivery as per the annually developed plans and budgets across the country.   
 
World NGO Day is critical annual moment  to reflect  the celebrations or achievements and challenged faced by NGOs as agents of change that  foster partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders nationally, regionally and globally in order to give a voice to grassroots communities while at the same time interceding  with and on behalf of children and their communities in service delivery challenges across the country. Through this day, the Fund is encouraging active citizenry, especially for the children and youth, so that they can move their  immediate communities towards resolving their own development challenges by seeking  context specific solutions. Some of these context specific solutions include the discipline to save whatever little income communities receive from government grants, remittances, stipends, and inheritances, if any, to start their own income generating activities.

Chief Executive Officer of The Fund, Linda Ncube-Nkomo, says; ""World NGO Day serves as a reminder of the pivotal role that civil society plays in our modern society. Our democracy thrives on the collective voice of civil society, advocating for the most vulnerable and standing in the place of the unseen. As the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, we commemorate this day as a reminder of the role we must continue play to advance the rights of children and youth."
 
The Fund,  with its 28 years of experience, has been working  with over 400 community based organisations by empowering and enhancing their capacity to change the way society treats its children and youth in particular. The NGOs have also played a  role in building cohesive communities that have actively participated in  tackling the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. The community  facing focus areas of the Fund are in child health, safety of children from all forms of violence, economic resilience and the  leadership and empowerment of youth to participate in decision making spaces at all levels. In addition to this, the Fund advocates for policy changes, policy evaluation and  implementation using the lenses of children and youth throug consultations, dialogues, research, and thought  leadership that  shares  the development and advocacy experience .
 
The  Fund works in alignment with the global and  priorities for children and youth.  It partners with  the Department of Social Development (DSD), which is the custodian of the NPO Act and is mandated to register and regulate  the NPOs in the country. The Fund also partners with the DSD in hosting that annual   Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament. There are currently as many as 270 313 NPOs registered with the DSD. For grassroots level impact that is closer to the  communities, the Fund challenges government, development agencies and corporates among other to partner with NGOs  in the wok they do in the communities.

The National Mandela Children's Fund (NMCF) sends its condolences to the families of the victims and all those affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey and the north-western parts of Syria.

Latest reports indicate that  the powerful quake has killed more than 3000 people and injured thousands more.

The NMCF stands in solidarity with  those impacted by this disaster. In moments like this, children are the most affected because of obvious reasons. The Fis  grateful for the efforts of the rescue teams that are working to search for survivors and provide aid to those in need.The Fund is deeply saddened by the devastating news of the earthquake.

"As the Fund, we know all too well the pain and heartache caused by natural disasters especially on children and youth, and we extend our support to the affected communities during this difficult time," said Dr Stanley Maphosa the Chief Programs Officer.

The NMCF is also calling upon South Africans and the international community to do what is possible  to support the provision of the necessary aid and support to those affected by this disaster with the lenses of children and youth.

Nelson Mandela always says “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” This is especially true for pregnant moms or moms-to-be. There are so many hills that moms climb during a pregnancy and many times they suffer either mentally or physically – that is why NMCF would like to go through some tips for pregnant moms that will help them during and maybe even after a safe and healthy pregnancy.

1. Take a prenatal vitamin: Prenatal vitamins are available by prescription from your doctor. If taking them makes you feel queasy, try taking them at night or with a light snack. Chewing on gum or sucking on hard candy may help afterwards too.
2. Exercise: Exercise regularly, but don’t overdo it. Try out relaxation techniques daily like yoga, stretching, deep breathing, and massage especially before bed to avoid leg cramps and body pain, reduce stress, boost your mood and promise better sleep.
3. Educate yourself: Take pregnancy and childbirth classes and learn more about childbirth and infant care to get more familiar with the facility and the staff.
4. Change up your chores: Avoid harsh or toxic cleaners, heavy lifting, scrubbing the bathroom, or cleaning up after pets like kitty litter, using harsh chemicals and standing for long periods of time, especially near a hot stove.
5. Nutrition: Eat lots of folate-rich, and calcium-rich foods, as well as more foods with fiber, vegetables and fish that aren't high in mercury. Don’t eat soft cheeses, and don’t overeat – try eating five or six well-balanced meals each day.
6. Mental Health: If you have any mental health problems before, after or during pregnancy such as depression, anxiety and PTSD please seek help and support from your doctor.
7. Drink water: Drink about 8 to 10 glasses of water per day and limit your caffeine intake. Don’t drink alcohol or any other beverage containing alcoholic or harmful toxins during pregnancy.
8. Check your medications: Don’t overmedicate and don’t take over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without seeing your dentist or medical consultation.
9. Get some sleep: Get enough sleep and plenty of rest. Ensure you get at least eight hours of sleep a night, and if you're suffering from sleep disturbances, take naps during the day.
10. See your doctor: You should call your doctor with concerns if you experience any symptoms such cramps, pain, fatigue, tender or swollen joints, nausea and vomiting.

Your last tip: As soon as you suspect you’re pregnant or if you're a mom-to-be looking for a checkup and want to find a general pediatrician for your baby checkups, see our doctors and visit our page: https://www.nelsonmandelachildrenshospital.org/private-practice or call our General Pediatrician, Dr. Nellie Balfour: +27 67 379 1469. We wish you well throughout your nine-month pregnancy journey.