I found out about Philanathi through my father who met the lady who runs the program in Groenedal. Him meeting her was a blessing in disguise as I needed to do some community service. I emailed her so that I could find out some more about Philanathi before I got involved in the program.
Philanathi started in 1999 as a HIV/AIDS counseling project, they have now developed a poverty alleviation and skills developing program. Kuluwa Mpongo the woman who runs the programs started in Mitchells Plain and when she saw a need for it in Groenedal last year she moved into the township and has been struggling to get the program off the ground.
Philanathi in Groenedal has a foster home for children from the ages of two to eighteen years old. At the moment she cares for about thirty children. Kuluwa lives in a shack with no electricity or running water so that her foster children can live in a house with electricity and warm showers.
Kuluwa has recieved a plot of land from the local church which she pays R500 to per month for water. She uses this land to grow vegetables in order to feed the children. The plot of land has very poor soil and she has not been able to reap much benefit from it.
Kuluwa hopes to have a venue to do drug counseling for the people of Groenedal for drugs are a big problem in the community, to get funds to give the children a better living environment and be able to sustain herself, the children and make profit from her vegetable garden
What the Philanthi Program needs
1. Money
- Fundraising
- Housing
2. Drug Counseling
- Venue
- Activities for after counseling has taken place
3. Food Garden
- Spades
- Fertilizer
- More seeds to grow different vegetables
- Better education on farming
4. Materials
- To make and sell african dolls - fabric, buttons
- To make jerseys to sell - wool, needles, thread, buttons
