When we were social worker students, most of us quickly realised that our jobs will be completely different from all other jobs. We grasped that our input and dedication will have a direct influence on our clients’ lives. This job is not a ‘nice to have’, but a desperate need that millions of people are dependent on. In practice, the requirements from social workers are often incredibly demanding, but because we chose our career, we [...]
Executive Mayor of Drakenstein Municipality, Alderman Conrad Poole, with City Manager, Dr. Johan Leibbrandt. Valcare is excited to partner with Drakenstein Municipality in providing much-needed food relief to the most vulnerable communities in the area during this time. The Municipality is contributing R1.8 million towards providing about 7200 monthly household food parcels or essential grocery vouchers to approximately 28 800 vulnerable beneficiaries in our communities. Given the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Executive [...]
Nonprofit organisations often need to achieve great goals with limited resources and capacity available. This includes effectively running projects to achieve intended outcomes, and to do so on time and within budget. Whether you're a fieldworker on the ground, a specialist in your area, or the CEO - almost everyone in a nonprofit organisation will need to manage a project at some stage. In the current reality of Covid-19 and the long-term effects of the [...]
Ivan Swartz, CEO of Valcare; Simoné de Wet, MD of Val de Foundation, and Ryk Neethling, Val de Vie Estate Marketing Director and Shareholder, helping the volunteers pack food parcels. Valcare is collaborating with multiple stakeholders in the Cape Winelands to provide food to vulnerable families due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thousands of people in the region are unable to work, have lost their jobs or can't get to feeding schemes during [...]
During the coronavirus lockdown period and probably for the next couple of months, all of us will be starting our days feeling uncertain about the future. Some of us are still optimistic, maybe even excited about new opportunities, while others are struggling to adapt to the restrictions. Although we might react differently to the crisis, we all have one thing in common: we are grieving losses. Weddings and special gatherings have been postponed, trips are [...]
Nonprofits in South Africa, and around the world, are faced with the reality of digitally transforming their operations due to the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown restrictions. Our friends at TechSoup South Africa have compiled this list of tech tools that your organisation can use to work remotely during the lockdown period. Some of the solutions are offered as a donation (free of charge) and some are heavily discounted. Security 1. Bitdefender Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security [...]
Every day brings new opportunities to celebrate, even in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances. We just need to recognise those moments. Corrie ten Boom, who survived imprisonment in the Ravensbruck concentration camp during the Holocaust, shares this story of hope*: During morning roll call that often lasted several hours in shivering cold weather conditions, Corrie faced a time of crisis. Prisoners who couldn’t remain standing, were mercilessly beaten by the guards. During [...]
President Ramaphosa used the Zulu phrase "Thuma Mina" in his coronavirus national address on Sunday 15 March 2020, and it couldn't have been more fitting. It means "send me" - words that Isaiah spoke centuries ago when he said: ‘And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”’ – Isaiah 6:8. As a nonprofit membership network, the time is now [...]
World Hearing Day (3 March) is an initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to create awareness about the importance of hearing. This year’s theme is – “don’t let hearing loss limit you”. Unfortunately, South Africa only has approximately 2.4 audiologists per 100 000 residents, compared to the UK’s average of 16.4. The need in South Africa is great. About t 1 in 10 children in our country is likely to experience educationally significant hearing problems. [...]
Most nonprofits are passionate about the programmes they manage and focus predominantly on how they can serve their beneficiaries best. It is however critical to have proper, professional communication in place to establish strong relationships with stakeholders and build your profile to maintain and attract social investments. If your funders don’t understand what you are doing or if they are unsure if their investments are making a real impact, it may be difficult for them [...]
