Amani Logo-03
Newsletter 01-2022
Home/Newsletter / Newsletter 01-2022
Newsletter 01-2022
Take a look at what's keeping us busy!
Amani Logo-01

In the pipeline

Over the last 2 months we have been scouring the country to find a site to test the Amani model. From the Northern Cape to KZN, we’ve got to meet some pretty amazing people and organizations. We hope to make an announcement relatively soon, so watch this space! In this addition of our newsletter our Director of Product ventured out to the Northern Cape and began investigating whether a Just Transition is actually just or if our current approach as a country is simply designed to keep the poor people poor but poor with green energy! She also caught up with the fantastic Team at the Bophelo Child and Youth Centre in Kimberley, to get a first-hand account of what’s happening on the ground. Have a read through her reflections from the visit. In our search for a prototype site, we do come across some pretty inspiring people. We’ve had the pleasure of connecting with two inspiring South African women. Professor Tanusha Raniga and Dr Maud Mthembu. Take a look at the great work they have done in KZN. Check out our new what's inspiring us a feature, this month Paskaliah our Director of Performance and Quality is reading Stay with Me, see why it inspires her.

The Myth of Progressive Companies

IMG-20220218-WA0015


In recent years, there has been a rise in Renewable Energy Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME's) in the Northern Cape under the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers’ Procurement Program (REIPPPP).
Communities surrounding the power plants have indicated that they are not consulted in terms of the obligatory community development projects. Inclusive communities are at the core of a just transition to a low carbon economy and climate resilient society. If communities are not consulted, the just transition is just a myth. Amani has identified this as an area of intervention. Lameez Eksteen, Director of Product had some informal conversations with two NGOs in the Northern Cape to listen and gain an understanding on the experiences of communities in direct proximity of the renewable energy plants. The first organisation was Bophelo Child and Youth Care Centre in Kimberley. They provide a home to abandoned, removed or, neglected babies and children with special needs. In conversation with one of the Social Worker’s we were told that the issue of communities being excluded from renewable energy development is not confined to one area and rather systemic across the entire province. Bophelo’s advice was that Amani looks at the Renewable Energy issue more broadly on a provincial scale.. We also caught up with FAMSA in Upington who focuses on different levels of family and individual counselling; awareness and support; life skills and capacity development. They too reiterated the disjuncture between local communities, renewable energy and mining companies, government, and NGOs. One of their biggest concerns is short term projects from external organisations. This highlighted why building local power and allowing communities to lead is crucial to any project in the area. Our vision is to empower communities in Northern Cape to collaborate with Renewable Energy SMME's and work towards a truly just transition for South Africa. We would like to move away from communities as a passive recipients of corporate social responsibility programs to active owners of renewable energy developments. Our research continues but this remains a priority for our Team. The Bophelo Child and Youth Care Centre invites our readers to check out their Facebook page, as they regularly post their needs list. They need help with food, clothing, school fees and school supplies: https://www.facebook.com/BopheloCareCentre/

The Far-reaching Consequences of a Pandemic- Helping our Children Cope

image002


Over the past two years we have witnessed that children across all nations have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple ways. The research Team of Dr Maud Mthembu (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Professor Michael Boecker (Dortmund University, Germany) and Professor Tanusha Raniga (University of Johannesburg) together with Lulisandla Kumntwana and ChildLine South Africa have raised awareness and enhanced psychosocial services and support in the uMkhanyakude Municipal area in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Most social workers acknowledge that there are limited child-friendly tools appropriate to enhance education and to strengthen children’s psychological health. The Team have witnessed that children do experience fear, frustration, and anxiety due to the high mortality rate and the health and safety risks of COVID-19. Providing information and prioritizing communication with children about COVID-19 is an essential component of any universal, social work and community-led response to the pandemic. To respond to the needs of the children during the early phase of the pandemic in 2020, the Team wrote a children’s storybook titled ‘Uhambo lwami Ngesikhathi sekhovithi’. The book covered three themes: information about COVID-19, child-friendly information about death and hope. The book was a collaborative effort with local non- overnmental organizations offering psycho-social support services to children in rural areas from KwaZulu-Natal. Although the book is written in IsiZulu and was intended for IsiZulu-speaking children, it received massive national media coverage. As a result, it became the first IsiZulu book in the country written for children about COVID-19! Approximately 3500 copies have been distributed for free to children from low-socio- economic backgrounds. The book received an overwhelmingly positive response from parents, educators, children, social work academics and practitioners. NGOs, and daycare centers use the book as a tool to help children talk about the experiences of COVID-19.I'm an image The Team went a bit further and developed an animated children’s movie. The movie serves as an innovative intervention and child-friendly approach to educate children about the COVID-19 pandemic and to give children the opportunity to share their experiences of living in the era of COVID-19. The animated short movie will be released in 11 South African languages and is likely to further enhance children's educational and psychosocial needs! You can watch the video here and if you would like to support the work and find out more about the book, drop us an email (info@amani.africa) and we will connect you with the Team.

Maud
“We have used the children’s rights as a lens for the conceptualization and delivery of psycho-social needs of children during the COVID-19. Our understanding is that children are influenced by multiple factors from their environments, including culture, families, context, and events. Therefore, the information provided to children must be age-appropriate and context-specific. There is ample evidence suggesting that play, art, visual aids, and storytelling are valuable tools children identify with and facilitate a participatory response.”
- Dr Mthembu
stay_with_me-paperback-cover-9781782119609

What's inspiring us


Stay with me - Ayobami Adebayo                            Brilliantly written book. Set in Nigeria, it tells the story of Yejide and Akin and the challenges they undergo in their marriage including the clash between modern thinking and traditional culture. The characters are beautifully developed and both Yejide and Akin narrate the story. The story reminds us to reflect on what you let have power over your life and the importance of finding your own peace when tradition and family become an opposing force. Definitely, worth a rea

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Math Captcha
− 6 = 4