Projects overview

Our 75 sites are run by 33 well-established local and regional organisations throughout South Africa. These are grassroots NGOs creating a movement that will change the future for South Africa’s children through education, food, clothing, protection, medical care, sports, games and a lot of love.

MAMAS in action!

MAMAS Alliance Partners (the NGOs) are brought together by a common vision: to offer daily care to thousands of children in South Africa. Through education, food, clothing, protection, medical care, sports, games and a lot of love and care, the MAMAS give the children a better future.

The NGOs are spread throughout South Africa, often in the most remote areas. Each of these organisations is an initiative of local people (MAMAS) and each one is different in size, structure and approach to suit its own context.

They all have the following in common:

• A high quality and measurable output in terms of care for children and youth;
• A reputable board;
• Sound management systems;
• Strongly based in the communities they work in;
• Audited financial statements;
• Compliant with tax returns;
• Effective reporting systems;
• Well-structured and practical service packages.

Daily care

Although the organisations are different, they all have the same goal: offering direct, daily care to children in extreme poverty. This includes the most vulnerable children in South Africa like homeless children, orphans, child-headed families, young victims of violence and abuse and children with special needs amongst others.

What do the MAMAS consider to be daily care?

Among other things:

• Healthy and proper food;
• Medical attention;
• Care & protection;
• Access to education and tutoring;
• School uniforms;
• Sports, games and other recreational activities.

And when needed:

• Training and counselling of parents or caretakers;
• Re-integration into the family or community;
• Physical therapy and psychological care;
• Legal aid.

Long term commitment to each child!

All the organisations (MAMAS) share the same desire: to be able to intervene in the life of children as early as possible and offer consistent support throughout their childhood life. They do this by providing structural counselling and care to babies, toddlers, children and youth and helping them towards a new, safe and meaningful future. When these children are identified, they often have a very long way to go before they are stabilised. Hence the need for consistency and a promise to be there: “From now on, the MAMAS will walk beside them until they are independent”.