Quantitatively: Progress to date
Best Practices
Khethiwe was selected for the review of implementation strategies to inform the South African Strategy and Framework on Disability and Rehabilitation services.
The project was selected through a competitive process in 2016 as representing one of South Africa’s best examples of home and community based rehabilitative care.
Clients
There are currently 75 children on our active database.
40-50 children attend Therapy monthly for the morning
All of our clients currently receiving grants.
The children who have severe CP all have equipment for seating, standing or mobility at home.
37 Children Successfully placed in special schools
2 Children successfully mainstreaming.
Mothers report a significant decrease in hospitalizations.
6 Children ride with SARDA a month
Unique exercise regime based on singing has revolutionized how much mums remember at home.
All children assessed according to GFMCS and progress measured accordingly.
Home visits done where possible, to deliver equipment. Visits focus on outlying and remote areas first
CLIENTS
Income generating workshop run for mothers by The Magic bean Foundation. 18 Mothers attended a workshop on crocheting with plastic bags. The Foundation trains people from disadvantaged areas and markets the produce. A number of items have been produced.
Ladies Life Coaching Course pilot study run in Oct/Nov. Run in English and Isizulu for the first time.
( Soaring Course by Campus Crusade)
The Course will be repeated in Feb/March and then be translated by Khethiwe volunteers into isiZulu.
One mother has started an outreach to single parents as a result and another has taken on a leadership role in a women’s organization as a result of this course
Young therapists spending time at Khethiwe for hands on experience. Not formalized at this stage
Outreach
Three centres (Sisonke; Oakland and Happy Hours) visited monthly, life-skills training program implemented.
Incorporates early pre-literacy and numeracy; helping at home, manners and etiquette, safety at home and out, stranger danger; gardening, shopping and money skills
Toy-making workshops facilitated and funded by Khethiwe to equip staff at these Centre’s and the local orphanage. 14 people trained
Equipment provided for children who are physically disabled at all three Outreach Care Centre’s
Jungle gym and obstacle course built at one of them as an Outreach Project, with donated funds
Stationery projected supplies three Centre’s as well as crèche on the mission and two other local crèches.
Stationery provided to over 150 children for three successive years now.
Environmentally friendly projects as part of life-skills training at all three centres.
Environmental Awareness
Environmental Awareness is a strong theme both in house and in Outreach. Practice create from waste principle in making toys and devices
( toymaking and Appropriate paper technology aids such as lap trays and puzzles)
Workshop for Mothers on Crochet with plastic as an income-generating project
Eco-brick making competition run at outreach Centres. Over 100 ecobricks produced
Teaching gardening as well plant growing in waste products both in house and at Outreach Centers
Staff
Now three staff employed with one fulltime volunteer.
Staff development, Staff attend workshops, congresses and training courses and spent two days at Malamulele Onward in June
Staff also involved in outside teaching to peers and students
Staff trained at Khethiwe supplemented by courses through Malamulele Outreach
Active and supportive Board meets 3x annually
Networking & Teaching
Comprehensive List of Organizations attached. Have developed working relationships with all the organizations listed . Some are symbiotic, for instance the hospitals are able to refer clients to Khethiwe. We can also refer problem clients back to them.
We are able to advise parents through the Cerebral Palsy Association
Interface ( Augmentative and Alternative Communication) working alongside us once a week at Khethiwe have been implementing assistive communication devices.
UKZN Speech Therapy Students attend weekly.
Audiology students do screening in the first term of the year.
Therapy and matric students do work experience annually
Annual work parties with local businesses and churches to assist with maintenance and making and upgrading equipment
Funding Obtained
(All financials and audited statements available)
Khethiwe was initially funded by the Extra Mile an organization raising funds for people with disabilities, around the Midmar Mile
Funded in 2014/15 by a grant from The Fuchs Foundation
October 2016 till Feb 2018 (R 9000 monthly) The Austrian Round Table. This has now finished
2016/17 and 2017/18, 2018/19 Ubuntu Community Chest ( R36 000 and R39 600, R43 560)
Timion makes a regular monthly contribution of R1 500
A speech Therapist who did her PhD at Khethiwe working with some of our clients for her research has donated regular amounts three or four times over the last three years . R15 000 in 2015. R20 000 in 2016; R20 000 in 2017 and R20 000 in 2018 !
Natal North Coast Round Table funded Assistants salary in 2015 @ R48 000 rand. They also covered rent for 2015, 2016 2017
The Harry Brunskil Educational Trust donated R20 000 in 2016, R30 000 in 2017, R60 000 in 2018, and donated R63 000 in 2020!
We also receive regular donations from private individuals who would not like to be named, which encourage us more than we can ever acknowledge.
Qualitatively
We asked the Mothers and Fathers attending Khethiwe what they feel makes Khethiwe different and why they keep coming in November 2018. These are some of their responses directly translated from Isizulu. ( Quotations used anonymously and with permission)
I love taking my brother to Khethiwe because they are taking good care of him and we can see the huge progress in him. He is now moving on his tummy.
Sister of an 8 year old who always brings him for his therapy
It is difficult to raise a child with CP in the community and in the family, but Khethiwe makes it easy because they give love and support. Khethiwe really feels like home.
Mother of a 6 year old who in addition to his neuro challenges is also on the autistic spectrum
Khethiwe has varieties of therapy. My daughter goes to SARDA for horse riding. I don’t pay for transportation or therapy, everything is free at Khethiwe. It is amazing that they do so much but we pay nothing.
Mother of a 13 year old who is profoundly cognitively impaired and also on the autistic spectrum
Physiotherapy is expensive, but at Khethiwe we don’t pay. What makes me happy is that my grand-daughter gets Physio and she has improved a lot
Granny of a 7 year old with severe CP
My son used to cry a lot but as he has come to Khethiwe, he is so much better. He can communicate with me and he plays with other kids
Mum of a severely disabled four year old who screamed through his first two years of life
Khethiwe has been very helpful to my CP daughter. She started sitting and crawling with the help of therapy and now she is at a special school with the help of Khethiwe. I am really humbled by love we get and the therapy it helps a lot
Mother of a 6 year old with CP
At Khethiwe we get support because there are other parents who have similar difficulties as ours, even if it is tough we can cope with our children.
Mother of a 7 year old who is profoundly cognitively impaired
We are taught new things every session on how to help them at home in terms of exercising
Granny of a 6 year old mildly impaired
I enjoy coming to Khethiwe because they teach us how to discipline our kids
Mum of 6 year old who used to scream incessantly
I enjoy bringing my son to Khethiwe because they give him time for exercises and they do different patterns, that make them different from other therapists who give a child 15min or less
Mum of a 4 year old who is profoundly disabled
At Khethiwe the age does not matter. They take children of any age and encourage you to do the exercises at home so that the child does not get stiff
Father of a 7 year old with severe CP
At Khethiwe we don’t only bring children to Physio but we also get counseling as parents. We are also being helped with letters to go to Specialists. My sons eye-sight was not good but now he can recognize things
Mother of a 6 year old with profound CP
Khethiwe brings hope and happiness. My son started Physio when he was a baby and now he is a big boy. It has helped him so much and he had a problem with his body weight but they have taught me a healthy diet
Mother of a 9 year old with CP
The Physio has helped my son and it encourages us to continue coming because we gain more information on how to feed him.
Single Mum of a 7 year old with acquired CP
Down syndrome children don’t understand wrong or right and danger, but now my daughter tries. It was so difficult she was not responding to therapy. Now she’s better
Mother of a 3 year old child with Downs Syndrome
Khethiwe helps a lot, even with home visits especially those parents that have difficulties to attend the Physio because their children are getting old and it is not easy to bring them because of transport.