Partners...Umthombo

SOUTH AFRICA – the context

The new South Africa has been described as the world in microcosm. This can be seen in its population mix, its wealth gap, and above all the impact which the powerful new forces of globalisation are having on it both internally and in its relationship with the rest of the African continent.

The political transition of 1994, and the introduction of a democratic system liberated South Africa from the throes of extended colonialism, but the country remains a divided society characterised by economic, political, social, racial and class division. As a consequence poverty and inequality are abiding features for the new democracy. The major socio-economic legacies of apartheid included high rates of unemployment; abject poverty among more than 50 per-cent of the population; sharp inequalities in the distribution of income, property and opportunities; and high levels of crime and violence.

The extreme social tensions that continue to exist in South Africa today have long captured the intension of NGO’s and agencies involved in tackling the countries uneven development. Alongside the socio-economic ‘un-even’ development in South Africa, the continued increase of HIV/AIDS remains one of the biggest challenges.

These intractable challenges are intrinsically linked to the rise in the number of street children arriving on the city streets. Today, tens of thousands of children are living on South Africa’s streets due to a multiple of poverty related issues. HIV/AIDS has also redefined the issues of street children in the country. With Southern Africa now forming the global epicentre of the pandemic, the disease will fundamentally change the context from which children come to the streets, as well as the resources available to assist them. The impact that the disease has had upon traditional community structures has meant the practice of the extended family taking in orphans does not always prevail. As a result of the orphan crisis, children turn to the streets where they’re physical needs and financial desperation makes them vulnerable to crime, substance abuse and sexual orientation.

UMTHOMBO - the organisation (www.umthombo.org)

Umthombo is a unique street children organisation in South Africa run and predominantly staffed by former street children.Umthombo's ultimate goal is to change the way that society perceives and treats street children in South Africa. It has two main programs (and a number of other smaller ones), one focusing on grass roots action, the other on strategy development:

It has two main programs: The Durban Street Team (DST)This is a street based outreach team operating in Durban that identifies children on the streets, builds relationships of trust with them, assists them and empowers them to be able to be able to leave the streets and become reintegrated with their families and/or communities. It also has an extensive aftercare and monitoring program for those children who have left the streets. Many of the DST staff are also former street children.

The Street-child Consciousness Team (SCT) is a voice from the streets.SCT is a think tank consisting of and led by former street children which educates society as to the realities of the street child experience and develops city-wide strategies and other strategy and policy proposals around the the issue. It is the advocacy and policy wing of Umthombo and a powerful voice from the streets. They lead Umthombo with their experiences, ideas, spirit and example.

Through these programs and others Umthombo's goals are:

• Implementing and supporting strategic and pioneering grass-roots programs relating to street children in Durban and beyond.

• Developing holistic and informed strategies to address the changing context of street children in South Africa.

• Engaging in advanced and informed advocacy on behalf of street children as well as providing strategy advice and consultancy through workshops, presentations and road-shows on the issue of street children for all sectors of society including municipalities, government departments, key policy makers, service providers, national street children related alliances and forums as well as institutions such as school, churches and local community groups.

• Facilitating research and explaining the issue of street children in light of the HIV/AIDS crisis within South Africa providing an accessible information base.

• Empowering street children and former street children to think philosophically, politically and theologically about their situation and to develop critical consciousness as to the importance of "street children" as a social justice issue.