Afrika Tikkun - What We Do...

I was doing some research today about Afrika Tikkun while getting ready for my trip.  I found this great page on their website, www.afrikatikkun.org, that pretty much sums up what they do and why it is so important.  It also talks about the centers, which our group will be visiting during our trip.  Please read the entire page and visit www.africatikkun.org for more information.  The facts make my heart break: "South Africa’s disadvantaged children face unique challenges. For many such children, daily life revolves around basic survival. Often, South Africans struggle to provide food for their families and do not have access to basic health care.  In a country wracked by HIV/Aids and unemployment, one of the results is children with empty tummies and sick caregivers. How can a child grow to be an informed and contributing citizen when their parents are ill and they themselves are malnourished?"
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www.AfricaTikkun.org >> What We Do

Building our future

At Afrika Tikkun, we focus on empowering the next generation of South Africans with our unique model of interconnected core services.

Every child deserves a fair start in life, but South Africa’s township children are at an immediate disadvantage due to factors beyond their control. In order to break the poverty cycle, certain basics are necessary.

We provide essential services  that strengthen families and develop children from “Cradle to Career”. This a achieved through our purpose-built Centres of Excellence in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The essential building blocks of a good life

To give underprivileged children a solid start in life, we identify certain core needs that must be met. They are:

Early Childhood Development	Child and Youth Development
Nutrition and Food Security	Primary Health Care
Family Support Services	Children With Disabilities
Enterprise and Skills Development

South Africa’s disadvantaged children face unique challenges. For many such children, daily life revolves around basic survival. Often, South Africans struggle to provide food for their families and do not have access to basic health care.

In a country wracked by HIV/Aids and unemployment, one of the results is children with empty tummies and sick caregivers. How can a child grow to be an informed and contributing citizen when their parents are ill and they themselves are malnourished?

The essentials that Afrika Tikkun provides address the educational, health and social needs of children as they are growing and developing, giving them the opportunity to grow into well-rounded adults who are equipped to positively contribute to society.

Centres of Excellence

The majority of Afrika Tikkun’s programmes are run though our Centres of Excellence. These facilities act as the hubs which positively affect the lives of underprivileged children and their families.

There are currently six Centres spread across the poorest areas of Gauteng and the Western Cape.

In Gauteng we have Centres in Diepsloot, Alexandra, Orange Farm and Braampark, and in the Western Cape we have Centres in Mfuleni and Delft.

In two weeks, a group of seven associates from Belron (me included) will be traveling to South Africa to visit the charity, Afrika Tikkun.  There are four of us from Safelite and three from Belron's other companies in Europe.

I am honored to have this opportunity.  I have been supporting Afrika Tikkun for the past 5 years through the Safelite Challenge - an annual triathlon in Las Vegas.  I am passionate about Afrika Tikkun's mission because they are working with children...mentoring them, teaching them, and providing facilities and physical activities to end the cycle of drugs, violence, HIV, and poverty.

I am excited, anxious, and intimidated...I know it will be a heart breaking and emotional journey...a life changing event.  I hope to have an impact while I am there and bring the story of Afrika Tikkun back to share with my friends, family, colleagues...anyone I can reach.  I greatly appreciate the support of my friends and family...especially Liz and the kids.  I am also grateful to work for a company like Safelite that encourages its employees to help others, both inside and outside of work.