Tuesday 12 November 2013

Welcome to the KWO family

We are a team of passionate (some even dare to call us crazy) individuals with a desire to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities, children and disadvantaged communities.


We run the following projects and would love to hear from you if you would like to join us.

 
Our Child and Youth Care Centre aims to provide a safe and nurturing environment to teenagers who have no other place of refuge.  The teens in our home are coping with psychiatric difficulties and/or developmental delays.
 
Many of these teens have been placed in foster care, children's homes or adopted.  Unfortunately these placements have failed and the children do not have any alternative placements.
 
This is where we step in.  We have a unique programme that is aimed at catering for each child's unique abilities, challenges and needs.  The children are exposed to life skills, training in our protective workshop and basic literacy and numeracy
 

 
The Paul Jungnickel Home provides a residential home for 140 adults with varying disabilities. We assess the potential of each and every individual in the Home and try our utmost best to provide stimulating activities and the necessary care.
 
We tend to the medical, social, emotional and physical needs of each resident.  We ensure that the residents have access to 24 hour medical care and three meals a day.  Residents are also transported to medical appointments on a daily basis.  A social worker is available to tend to each resident's psychosocial needs.
 
We rely heavily on volunteers to spend quality time with the residents and to help us organise recreational activities for them.
 
Workshops
Vocational Therapy Unit
The Vocational Workshop is the heartbeat of the PJH.  Life skills; arts & crafts; sport; music; entertainment; and other recreational activities are made available to the residents to ensure a stimulating environment.
Protective Workshop
The Protective Workshop is an employment opportunity for adults with disabilities, not just residents of PJH.  Employees are provided with the opportunity to acquire the skills to produce handmade items.  This also contributes to each individual's sense of accomplishment and dignity.  Products from the workshop are available on our online store, the Nickel Xmas Market and on order. 
 

 
We believe in the importance of education.  As former President Nelson Mandela said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".  
This belief inspired us to open two Early Learning Centres in Lethabong and Zwavelpoort.  The school in Lethabong caters for 110 preschool children while the Swavelpoort school caters for 30 preschool children.
This service is provided to children whose parents cannot afford conventional preschool fees.  Each child is provided the opportunity to attend school five days a week and receive two meals a day.
 
Our teachers are also women in the community who were previously unemployed.  We provide on-the-job training and the opportunity to obtain their NQF4 qualification at a teaching college.
 
 
 
Many families, especially those residing in rural areas, are facing numerous challenges that compromise their emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.  These families often face extreme poverty, lack of service delivery, lack of access to services, limited education and exposure to violent crime and substance abuse.
Our Social Workers are dedicated to assist the community to take care of themselves and their children.  The ultimate goal is to help these families to function independently.  We provide counseling, referrals, parental guidance and undertake awareness campaigns.  We are also involved in preventative services, foster care services and children's court proceedings.  
Our social auxiliary workers assist community member's with applications for IDs and grants at Home Affairs and SASSA.
 
 
 
Here at KWO, we consider ourselves blessed to be part of change in the community around us.  In particular, we have the privilege to be the only non-profit organisation providing services in Lethabong.  
 
Lethabong is a relatively new rural community in Donkerhoek.  What this community lacks in infrastructure like water & electricity, they make up in heart and a desire to improve their circumstances.
 
We have established an Early Learning Centre in Lethabong that caters for 110 children.  We have also started women's empowerment groups as well as projects for the youth that focus on holistic development.  
 
An example of one of these projects is the Turbo Tigers Kickboxing Leadership Academy.  In partnership with Fighting Fit Gym, we provide 12 children with the opportunity to train and take part in a formal disciplined sport.  We also work in close partnership with the children's parents, teachers and community leaders to ensure they are equipped with life skills.  Our social auxiliary workers monitor their academic progress to ensure they are focused and motivated to achieve.  
 
 
 

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