About Project Lungisela
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Mamelani is working with a group of young men to provide them with realistic options for the future through our youth development programme, Project Lungisela. The programme supports individuals from Homestead Children’s Home in Khayelitsha. Due to poverty and abuse at home, all too many children in South Africa leave home and find themselves living on the street. Some are fortunate to find refuge in Children’s Homes where they are given food, clothes, an education and a chance to rebuild their lives.The current situation is that at the age of 18 years, the state withdraws their funding, effectively forcing these individuals to vacate the Children’s Home.
At this stage it is hoped that these young men would have the education and life skills necessary to access tertiary education or find employment. The reality, however, is quite different. Having lived on the street for some time, their schooling is incomplete and their education and job training options are extremely limited. With little education and, therefore, very few job options, these young adults are forced to return to their families, who, in some cases, have not resolved the problems that caused them to leave home in the first place. Aside from returning to a difficult environment, they are expected to support both themselves and their families.It is for this reason that, even after years of stability at a children’s home, many of these young adults will eventually return to the streets.
The growing economic and social hardships that communities face make it more difficult for families to afford to take such children back. The situation they face when they return to relatives is difficult to say the least.
Each year a group of such young men leave the Homestead (Projects for Street Children) in Cape Town. Some are placed in other residential projects and are given the opportunity to further their education and find continuity in achieving their goals. Others return to family and, even with Mamelani’s support, find themselves struggling to support themselves with the limited options they have facing them. After years of stability and success at the Children’s Home, some of these children find themselves back on the streets. Project Lungisela is our attempt to prevent this vicious cycle from continuing.
Objective
The aim of Project Lungisela is to equip these individuals to face the challenges of leaving the Children’s Home and returning home to their relatives.
The aim of Project Lungisela is to prepare young men leaving institutional care to face the particular challenges of leaving insitutional care and returning to their communities and becoming independent. Through the programme the individuals will develop a stronger sense of purpose and will gain insight into themselves and others.The ultimate aim of the programme is to prepare youth to be ready and able to work and earn a living in order to become contributing members of society.
It exposes them to opportunities and experiences which include internships, finding accommodation, life skills, peer support and community service projects which are essential in developing responsible young men with sustainable livelihoods.
Our Approach
We work with the youth for a 2 year period before they leave the home, and continue support when they move back to their families (at age 18).
The programme consists of weekly lifeskills workshops for both seniors (those still living at the Homestead) and graduates (those who have already left). The workshops focus on the issues that are most pressing in their lives, and allow the time to develop strategies for better dealing with them. The sessions are also focussed on career guidance and job seeking. The participants are also offered one on one sessions with the facilitator, to deal with their particular issues.
Wilderness Camps take place at least once a year to offer the participants the opportunity to take themselves out of the associations and habits that they engage in when at the Children’s Home.
Programme focus
Our focus is primarily in three areas:
Personal development:
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Offering emotional support through the transition period from institutional care to independent living and the emotions that come with that
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Helping them gain a greater understanding of themselves and allowing them to realize their value and improve their decision making ability
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Building a support structure so they are able to be role models and support each other
Employability:
Making the youth in our programme employable by:
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Assisting them in realizing their strengths and interests
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Assisting them in gaining the necessary skills to find employment in the area of their interest
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Giving them an opportunity to get work experience through internships
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Assisting them in finding suitable employment
Accommodation:
Assisting them with accessing safe and secure living arrangements which range from building or repairing a shack to renting a room
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