Every child deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. But in South Africa, millions of children are born into tragic situations that deprive them of this basic human right.
Born into poverty, disease, abuse, or neglect, children are deprived of the resources needed for healthy physical and psychological development. Despite their drive, intelligence, or natural potential, their futures are limited by their starting point in life.
At Intsikelelo, our goal is to improve these children’s conditions by creating resources and opportunities at a community level. Working directly with families, foster parents, teachers, and community leaders, we design and launch impactful projects together— capturing local insights, prioritizing cultural sensitivity, and creating meaningful opportunities for children to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. These projects range from nutritious food for developing children to empowering opportunities for ambitious adults.
Our focus is a community called Langbos.
Langbos is a rural informal settlement with no running water, roads, or electricity. Together with dedicated members of the Langbos community and passionate funders around the world, we have launched a variety of impactful projects, including:
• Conducting a community-wide census that gathered insightful data about health, education, employment, safety, and culture from over 450 residents
• Distributing solar-powered lights to over 150 off-grid homes, providing a safe, efficient, and renewable alternative to dangerous paraffin (kerosene) lamps
• Registering the Langbos Creche (preschool) with the South African Department of Social Development and South African Revenue Service, earning their tax-exempt status in South Africa and first-ever government funding
• Sponsoring security for the community center, as well as educational and medical supplies to support the preschool
• Constructing the Langbos Children's Shelter, a project that trained and employed over 30 Langbos community members, providing an income, nutritious meals, professional development, and a chance for the community to build their own infrastructure to protect their most vulnerable children
This year, we've sponsored Langbos’ first woman to attend college, served over 15,000 healthy meals, and trained and employed over 30 impoverished adults for a combined 35,000 hours of paid community-centered work.
We are currently fundraising to sponsor a variety of future projects in Langbos. Your donation will directly fund:
• Nutritious daily meals for preschool children to improve health and development
• Educational sponsorships to send more young men and women to college in 2018
• Training and employment of adult community members as home-based carers, caregivers, and gardeners, in order to create upward mobility through skills training and dignified work
• Further development of the Langbos Community Centre, Creche, Children's Shelter and community garden, including maintenance of solar, biogas, and greywater recycling systems
• Various supplies for the Langbos Creche & Care Center, as needed, such as school and medical supplies and ePap fortified porridge for malnourished individuals
It is an honor for us to work on behalf of these children and the Langbos community. We are continually inspired by the strength, ambition, and compassion of Langbos residents. Wherever you are, we hope you embrace the opportunity to donate now and directly fund projects that will create meaningful, positive change in people’s lives.
Thank you for your time, and please don't hesitate to contact us to learn more about our work and how you can get involved.
- Chris, Nick, and Nokwanda Grava
Intsikelelo
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Intsikelelo is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and donations are tax-deductible within the U.S. Donations go directly to projects in Langbos, and 0% of your donation is spent on Intsikelelo overhead or administrative costs.
Our donation platform Donorbox charges a small transaction fee of .89%. There is an additional fee of 2.2% + 30¢ per transaction for most credit cards, and 3.5% per transaction for American Express. To avoid all platform fees by sending a physical check, please contact us.
For South African donors wishing to donate directly to the Langbos NPO, please click here. Donations to the Langbos NPO are tax deductible within South Africa. For corporate donors, a BBBEE certificate, S18A receipt, proposal on letterhead, and other documents are available upon request.
