Kids with Attitude
We believe in… inspiring children
Sikhanyisiwe is a female sibling-header from Bulawayo. By the time she was 18, she had lost both of her parents to AIDS-related illnesses. She nursed her mother through a long illness, and was left with five siblings to care for. She soon became pregnant herself, but was left with no support from the father, who quickly deserted her.
Sikhanyisiwe struggled to parent, feed, clothe and educate her family. They had no financial or material resources and Sikhanyisiwe had to drop out of school to try and earn a living for the family.
In 2008, Sikhanyisiwe was asked to join a pilot intensive mentoring programme set up with funding from the Big Lottery Fund in the UK. The project has so far helped 75 families to access parenting training, counselling, startup materials for income generation such as chickens and maize seed and vocational training, through the support of a community-based mentor.
Sikhanyisiwe’s life has changed dramatically since she began receiving support from her mentor. Her mentor has helped her deal with some of the grief and trauma she was carrying and she has developed parenting and practical life skills that have equipped her to care for her family.
Thanks to vocational training recommended by her mentor, she gained work experience at a local garment factory, and is now permanently employed by the company. The US $200 Sikhanyisiwe earns each month means she can now pay her siblings’ school fees and buy household goods. The holistic support she receives has empowered her to be the best she can be as the head of her household.
You can help us support children like Sikhanyisiwe by partnering with us at LifeLine Network. With our local connections, we’re able to help sibling-headed families through projects such as the intensive mentoring programme. Together we can help vulnerable children get the protection, support and education they need to build better futures for themselves, their brothers and sisters and their own children.
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