Uthando is well-known to Southern Africa safari operators for its unique charitable works which go far beyond simply handing over a sizeable check every so often.
Uthando raises funds via donations from travelers as well as contributions by its industry partners, so you can rest assured that every cent that Uthando collects goes directly towards tangible benefits for its initiatives, such as the Educare/Thokozani Youth Center.
Uthando has been connected with the Thokozani Youth Project since 2009 and having built 2 Isiseko Educare facilities in Cape Town’s Mfuleni settlement already, the focus has now turned to the much needed Youth community center. So far this single initiative has raised R360 000 of the R1.1 million target and has already set about enriching the lives of all those involved in the Thokozani Youth Center.
Mhla and is wife Lindelwa, who oversee the running of the centers, are instrumental in seeing to it that these multi-purpose facilities are put to good use:
At the crack of dawn every morning, working parents drop their children off at the young learning centers (Iminathi Educare), which employ 3 full time teachers to see to the 90 children that attend daily. The children are fed nutritious meals and kept busy with extra mural activities, and an additional 45 children arrive daily for assistance with their homework.
Throughout the day, families pop in to use the affordable laundry facilities and to read to their children in the library while waiting for their washing. Dedicated librarians are on hand to advise and assist parents with this valuable time spent together.
Afternoons see volunteers from the surrounding Khayelitsha Township running a homework club for the community’s children and assisting them to prepare for their examinations.
In the evenings after choir practice the venue is used for community meetings. The Thokozani Youth choir performs both nationally and overseas and has produced 2 albums.
In addition Thokozani has assisted 3 young entrepreneurs to start their own community-based business, is active in the greening of the environment, and makes its library and computer room available to all members of the community as needed.
Don’t miss out on a guided tour of this great initiative as part of your visit to Cape Town.
