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Nosipho Sowetan Article

She was nominated for establishing Siyanqoba, an organisation dedicated to aiding and protecting those affected by HIV/ Aids and providing clothing and nourishment for abused and neglected children.

A widow with children to look after, Mayana took a gamble when she started Siyanqoba, a Non Profit Organisation (NPO) in 2002. Operating from an informal settlement in Honeydew in Gauteng’s West Rand, and with no funding, Mayana sprang into action to realise her dream. She approached various companies for assistance and was pleasantly surprised at the positive reaction she received.

“I couldn’t believe how generous the companies were,” says Mayana. “I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt though Siyanqoba is that if you don’t ask, you won’t get.”

She had the same experience with volunteers. She asked for assistance and got it. People have offered their services to help with the many projects that the NPO embarks on. They are dedicated to the organisation, giving up their weekends to feed children at  Siyanquoba’s soup kitchen, and to help distribute clothing and food parcels to the people and children on their beneficiary list.

Most of Siyanqoba’s beneficiaries are children. More than 700 benefit from its work.

“Being nominated for an award such as this is a miracle,” says Mayana. “I’ve been praying for something that will help raise awareness of the needs of the children in this community. There is so much more that we want to do, but without more funding, our hands are tied.”

With no grants from government, Siyanqoba relies on donations from the corporate sector and individuals.

“Some schools have started fund-raising initiatives for us too, which is very helpful,” she says. “Northcliff High School recently donated three boxes filled with hygiene products such as face cloths, soaps and toothbrushes. If every school could get involved in community outreach programmes, just imagine how many communities and children would benefit!”

Some of the exciting projects Mayana would like to launch in the informal settlement, but needs funding and donations of supplies are:

• Beadwork, sewing, knitting and wire artistry classes which will not only provide necessary skills to the children and the community, but will provide much needed income to the impoverished community.
• Planting vegetable gardens which will provide fresh vegetables to the community and improve their nutritional status, and
• A computer centre to provide training.

The NPO also needs funding that will cover its overheads and day-to-day needs. It requires a vehicle such as a bakkie which can be used to carry parcels, supplies and clothing it distributes. Currently Mayana and the volunteers use their own vehicles to do this.

She also hopes that her nomination for the Award may inspire others to get involved in their own communities. Mayana likes to lead by example and often helps people who are battling to start their own NPO. Mayana has helped others to launch NPOs and is happy to give advice and pointers from her own experience.

The most important piece of advice that she feels she should share with all who want to get involved in community projects is not to start with too many things: “Start small and build up on that. Use your strengths. Be honest,” she urges.

Mayana says that she’s grateful for all the help that she’s received in order to deliver on her promise to the Honeydew informal settlement.

“I really couldn’t have done it without Marcia van Aswegen from Sable Data Works (Pty) Limited, Bokomo Foods (Pty) Ltd, Edcon, The Kellogg Company of South Africa, Pick ‘n Pay, Fruit and Vegetable City, Food Bank, Fyfer Incorporated, Nestle (Pty), all of whom provide ongoing assistance to the programme. There are many others and although I haven’t mentioned them, please know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

November 2009

Philanthropists are nominated by their peers and members of the communities in which they work and by the non-profit organisations that they support. Nominations are made for a particular category such as Women in Philanthropy, Youth in Philanthropy, Philanthropy in Health.

The awardees are chosen according to specific criteria. Judges from various sectors – all highly respected individuals in their own right – go through each nomination in detail.

“The Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards give South Africans the chance to thank those people who have and are making a difference,” says Gillian Mitchell, Manager of Inyathelo’s Philanthropy Programme. “We had a good response to the awards this year with nominations received from all over South Africa. Every one was inspirational and we applaud all for their hard work and commitment.”

Mitchell says it is clear from the work done by the philanthropists that they are clearly making a difference to their communities and to South Africa.

The awards form part of Inyathelo-The South African Institute for Advancement’s work which aims to build a sustainable South African civil society by developing their own capacity to raise private investment towards advancing their objectives. Whilst working with organisations to develop their resource mobilisation skills, the institute promotes social responsibility, personal philanthropy, voluntarism and self-reliance.

Click here for further details about Inyathelo and the awards.

We thank everyone for their commitment so far, and hope and pray that you continue to believe in, and contribute to, our growing ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who we can reach.

We are in need of beads as well as tables and chairs to start this project. We have approached the sports club with this regard and they are very keen to buy our products as part of fundraising. We are appealing for funding as this will also provide job creation to the community.

We are also planning to do embroidery work on towels etc

Crèche Project

We decided to put this project on hold as there is no space for us because of the new road development. We approached the ward councilor but she told to support the existing crèches and get some of our orphans to attend those existing crèches.

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