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.