NLDTF helps CWSA to intensify child abuse prevention campaign.

Posted by Khetha Mkhize on August 5, 2010 at 3:19 pm

CWSA Ambassador Mara Louw with NLDTF Chairperson Professor Alfred Nevhuthanda

The whole world just celebrated Mandela Day a few weeks ago. A call is made every year that on Nelson Mandela‘s birthday citizens of the world – especially South Africa – set aside 67 minutes of their day to lend their hands in different charities. Many, including our president Jacob Zuma, have urged that this humanity be extended beyond 18 July. This is an exact call the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) is heeding in their newly announced involvement with Child Welfare South Africa‘s (CWSA) pledge to intensify its prevention and early intervention programmes on Child Abuse.

Please have a look at the press release sent to us on behalf of CWSA detailing these entities’ intentions and actions to reduce and hopefully rid off cases of child abuse in South Africa:

South Africa is currently battling with an escalation in cases of child abuse, neglect and exploitation as well as an increase in children orphaned and in need of care. Child Welfare South Africa (CWSA) has had to find a multi-faceted approach in addressing these challenges.

In response to the rising numbers of abused and neglected children, CWSA has intensified its campaign on prevention and early intervention programmes in child protection. To complement government efforts that focus on being pro-active rather than being reactive to cases of child abuse and providing care for orphaned and vulnerable children, CWSA has strengthened its national prevention programmes. This intensified campaign which has been rolled out via such programmes, has been made possible through funding received from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF).

The funds availed by NLDTF will go a long way in assisting vulnerable children in South Africa and assisting in striving towards a child friendly society. The South Africa government in the new Children’s Act shifts focus from only intervening after a child has already suffered abuse, neglect or exploitation to strengthening the capacity of families and communities to care for and protect children prior to such crises.

The Act, which carries a lot of input from CWSA also details protective measures for children deprived of family care to receive support through foster care or in child and youth-care centres. Before the promulgation of this Act, CWSA had already begun formulating and implementing programmes that focus on early intervention and prevention – these include the Isolobantwana: Eye on the Child and Asibavikele: Lets’ Protect Them.

The Isolabantwana: Eye on the Child programme is a community based programme advocating for collaboration between communities and formal resources on child protection, to address abuse, neglect and exploitation. Volunteers identify, support and council families and children at risk of abuse and intervention when necessary, thereby empowering communities to take responsibility for child protection and abuse, provide a 24hour child protection service and complement the efforts of social workers in combating child abuse.

Asibivikele: Let’s Protect Them facilitates community based care and support to orphaned children made vulnerable due to HIV and AIDS through the identification and care of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC), sensitisation of communities to the rights of children and establishment of foster and care homes. This programme aims to promote early identification of OVCs by community volunteers and to strengthen community based structures for the care and support of OVCs affected and infected by HIV and AIDS.

The shift from reactive approaches to child abuse and neglect to prevention and early intervention has empowered communities to take responsibility for vulnerable children and their families thereby becoming proactive in the welfare of children. This has also charted career paths for community volunteers who have found passion in the welfare of children, leading to job creation, an issue that the government has identified as a top priority. The community volunteers have rendered the much need assistance in complementing the work of social workers whose skills are stretched.