Safer Space for Children’s Centre

NEED

Clouds of Hope is home to 80 children between the ages of 11 months and 18 years. The home provides a safe, nurturing environment for the children on the outskirts of Underberg. All the children have in some way been affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and were in need of desperate assistance when taken in by the project. The kids attend local preschools, primary, and high schools, and are also provided with transport to attend school.

The Clouds of Hope Children’s Care Centre owns the property on which it is based, which includes a very old farmhouse and 12 cottages. The access driveway to the farm and cottages is in urgent need of upgrading and the installation of a drainage system to drive water away from the pathway. When it rains the water collects on the driveway and is at times hazardous for the children living on the farm, and the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

OVERVIEW

The upgrading of the driveway and installation of a drainage system will ensure good access to the property. In addition the installation of a proper drainage system will ensure dispersion of rainwater and avoid the accumulation of water and related health hazards. In turn this will result in greater safety for the children in the care of Clouds of Hope centre.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• The organisation is well supported and involved with the community in which it operates.
• A paved driveway will mean greater safety for the children who live on the farm as they will be able to walk around the property freely without risk of injury.
• A board member with an engineering background has volunteered to work as a project manager along with the contractors to ensure that the drainage system and paving of the driveway will be long lasting and strong enough to withstand the heavy rains.
• A contractor will be appointed to complete the work within a reasonable period.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

The driveway is intended to improve the safety of the 80 children as well as the 11 staff and patrons of the Clouds of Hope Centre. Aside from the improved safety on the premises, the driveway also means easier access to the farm for school transport for children and provides a more welcoming path for members of the community who donate food, clothing, toys and other goods to the centre regularly.

With a total cost of R48,000 the estimated cost per life change for this project is R527.

ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

Clouds of hope have set up an operational structure that ensures that the residential facility provided to children placed at the centre is indeed a home and not an institution. The staff and management work together to ensure an environment that enables each child to feel a sense of home and family.

The support structure provided to the children at the centre includes a dedicated team of child care workers who are each responsible for the four to six children in their allocated cottage. All the children who reside at the centre are enrolled in school and are transported by the organisation’s minibus to and from school daily.

Clouds of hope currently has funding from a number of institutions including government, which finances 37% of their operational budget, and a mix of corporate and local and international individual donors. They also benefit from returns on an investment fund. Although the organisation has financial reserves to last for only three months, they would be able to remain operational for at least 10 months with the non financial support they receive for food, clothing and services from the community.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Capability: A contractor will be appointed to implement the work
• Control: A board member of Clouds is an engineer and will be responsible for supervising the work to be done.
• Sustainability: The drainage system will ensure that the water does not gather on the driveway which in turn would extend the life of the paving that will be set down.

Key Risks - Low

• External: Clouds of hope will appoint an external contractor to complete the work, which could result in delays if the contractor has other work or has a dispute with labourers.

Project Profile VP-KZN-SEP09-0001

Organisation: Clouds of Hope

Sector: Vulnerable People

Project Duration: 3 months

Project Budget: ZAR 11 600

Shares Issued: 232

Shares Available: 0

Risk Assessment (0 to 5)

Concept: 1

Design: 1

Capability: 1

Control: 1

Sustainability: 1

External: 1.5

Organisation Rating (0 to 5)

Purpose: 2

Planning: 2

Performance: 0

Resources: 2

Governance: 2

Sustainability: 3

Project Budget

Project Sector

Vulnerable People

South African society includes a disproportionately large number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). This demands unprecedented efforts from government, civil society and the business sector to strengthen and support communities so that they are able to meet the physical, emotional and psychosocial needs of all our children. Importantly, these efforts to mitigate this social crisis need to be sustainable into next decades, enabling the children to grow into productive adults.

It is widely accepted that the world-best models of care for OVCs are to be found within their own communities. Institutionalising orphans is particularly cost-intensive, and in our current situation, the vast number of orphans has already overwhelmed the viability of institutional, residential and foster systems. It is also well-proven that it is far better for an orphan to remain in familiar surroundings, connected to their social network. The largest numbers of South African orphans are to be found in the most under-resourced communities, and so South Africa's poor are bearing the largest brunt of the orphan crisis. While many communities have responded by absorbing orphans with resilience and compassion, there is much evidence that families are increasingly struggling under the strain and failing to provide fully for the children's needs. Currently, home-based, community-supported care of OVCs is exacerbating the poverty of many households.

Although the response to the OVC crisis is growing, it lacks the necessary urgency, speed and focus. Many community-based models of OVC care have been implemented by communities themselves, non government and faith-based organisations, but the challenge remains to undertake an affordable, effective effort that matches the scale and longevity of the crisis. There is a great need for cross-sectoral partnerships employing systemic strategies to address the needs of South Africa's OVCs. The government has particularly called on the business sector to play a significant role in supporting the nation's efforts to care for OVCs.

---

SASIX Evaluation Metrics

The organisational rating

In partnership, Trialogue and The Funding Site developed an expert organisational capacity diagnostic test, which has been further refined by GreaterGood South Africa based on its consultations with Geneva Global and others active in this area. The result is a comprehensive evaluation and verification tool that GreaterGood South Africa uses to assess the capacity of non profit organisations according to both qualitative and quantitative metrics. The tool encompasses the purpose, strategy, performance, resources, governance and sustainability of the organisation and its activities. GreaterGood South Africa project managers are employed in the field to conduct the evaluations with the organisations implementing SASIX projects. The results of their findings are assessed through a peer review process, and then coalesced into the organisational ratings presented on the front page of each SASIX Project Profile.

The project risk assessment

In consultation with Geneva Global, GreaterGood South Africa uses a comprehensive risk assessment tool to evaluate target projects - a tool that encompasses the project's concept, design, capability, control, sustainability and external factors that will or may affect the successful implementation of the project. At the completion of the project, GreaterGood South Africa will issue a Project Performance Report that compares the actual life change with the expected life change forecasted on the front page of this profile. This report will also include the key lessons learned.

GreaterGood South Africa Services

Project identification - Through wide, expert consultation and screening processes, GreaterGood South Africa identifies top South African non profit programmes that address the greatest development needs in the country.

Site visits - In order to become a recommended SASIX project, GreaterGood South Africa's project managers must have seen the project first-hand and undertaken the necessary evaluation interviews with the project's implementer(s).

Desk research - International best practices and other references are used as benchmarks to measure the projects.

Peer review - Information gathered and project profiles are assessed through a peer review process.

Deal structure - GreaterGood South Africa's project managers work closely with the project implementers to establish the parameters with regard to the expected results, time-frames, monitoring processes, use of funds, budget and final evaluation.

When you invest in a SASIX project, GreaterGood SA will:

Document the agreement - Before funding is supplied to a project, GreaterGood South Africa concludes a Memorandum of Agreement with the organisation which covers expected results, timelines, reporting frameworks and acceptable uses of funds.

Assist with funds transfers - GreaterGood South Africa will assist with the necessary transfers of funds, according to the funder's requirements.

Obtain receipt of funds - GreaterGood South Africa confirms when the funds arrive with the project implementer.

Check progress - At around 3 months, GreaterGood South Africa confirms that the project is proceeding according to plan. The project managers are available to project implementers for advice and consultation on an ongoing basis.

Measure results - After the conclusion of the project, GreaterGood South Africa collects the necessary data and compiles a Project Performance Report which includes an analysis of the outcomes and the lessons learned. Each funder of every SASIX project receives the report.

---

To fund this project

Please contact: SASIX
Tel + 27 21 794 0580
Fax: 27 21 794 2239
Email: sasix@ggsa.co.za

Postal address: Postnet Suite 293, Private Bag X16, Constantia 7848, South Africa