The Themba Development Project, founded in 2008, is a Canadian registered Non-Profit Organization (
NGO) which works in a variety of communities in
South Africa. The core programs of the organization are targeted at improving basic living conditions for the poorest residents of South Africa.
South African programs include:
*Fruit and Nut Bearing Tree Planting to improve available food stocks as well as to protect topsoil from
environmental degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment (biophysical), environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; an ...
*
Community gardening
A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plo ...
program which provides vegetable gardening plots and seeds to families facing
food insecurity
*Distribution of School uniforms and supplies to families unable to afford basic education
*Youth Leadership Football Program targeted at-risk youth in the community
*Environmental Awareness Program to teach respect for the environment
*Emergency Housing Program which replaces unsafe shacks with basic houses
History
The Themba Development Project was founded in 2008 when its founder, Catherine Robar viewed the substandard living conditions of the people living in Thembalethu, an informal settlement near the city of
George in the
Western Cape Province. Thembalethu means “Place of Hope” in the Xhosa language and is the current home to the organization's co-founder Gcinisizwe Noyakaza, a member of the
Xhosa tribe. The organization is directed by a Canadian Board of Directors however programs are created with the input of the communities in which the development work is targeted. In addition to food insecurity, Thembalethu was named in 2010 as having the highest unemployment rate in South Africa with approximately 80% of its residents unable to find work.
In 2010 the organization expanded its programs to include the former
Transkei region of South Africa, birth region of former president
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
. The Themba Development Project began work in Nqiningana, a tiny village near Lady Frere and
Queenstown in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
Province. Nqiningana struggles with a severe lack of
rainfall, high
unemployment,
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immu ...
and
Tuberculosis.
Awards and recognition
Although the organization started very modestly, it has received significant media attention due to the many humanitarian award nominations received by its Founding Director, Catherine Robar. These nominations include:
*2009 nominee for the Canadian National Me To We Humanitarian Award hosted by Canadian Living Magazine, CTV News and Free The Children
*2010 nominee for the North American Care2 and Tom's of Maine Hero's Next Door Humanitarian Award http://www.care2.com/hero-next-door/214/description
*2010 Top 50 finalist in the CBC Champions For Change Award hosted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation http://www.cbc.ca/change/2010/10/catherine-robar.html
*2010 Winner of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Community Mentor Award http://www.bigbrothersbigsistershalifax.ca/en/home/events/catherinerobar.aspx
*2011 Semi-Finalist in the 2011 South African
Feather Awards
The Feather Award is the most notable achievement in the field of dance, "the dancer's equivalent to the Oscars" or Academy Awards.
Feather Award Recipients: Lifetime Achievement: Joe Cassini, presenter: Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson (bo ...
, category: Community Builder-Humanitarian
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Themba Development Project
Development charities based in Canada
Organizations established in 2008
Foreign charities operating in South Africa