I am an ambassador for Child Welfare South Africa.



NPO Registration: 000-834 PBO Registration: 930009521

Nataniël says: There are 2 important numbers to remember:
If you would like to help the children of our country, phone 0861 4CHILD. If you are suspecting that a child is in need of protection contact Childline on 08000 55555, where a trained counsellor will assist you and link the child with a child welfare organisation when necessary.

Physical, Sexual and Emotional abuse is a daily reality for many children living in South Africa. This is very clear when we hear estimations that 1 in 4 children will experience abuse at sometime within their childhood. Child Welfare South Africa is a national non-profit organisation that together with its members provides care and support to child victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Join, CWSA in the fight against child abuse, and lend your support to protecting and healing our children.

CWSA is the largest Child Protection and Welfare non-government organization in South Africa. It is currently busy with a turn around strategy to strengthen its role to provide support and care to orphaned and vulnerable children in SA.

Contact CWSA:
0861 4 CHILD (0861 425563)
www.childwelfaresa.org.za
info@childwelfare.org.za

I am proud to announce that I have been appointed as a national ambassador for CWSA to speak out for the protection of children from 1 June 2007.

      

This website is a guide to assist you with:

• Understanding the concepts associated with vulnerable children and child protection
• Identifying a child in need & doing something about it
• Supporting a vulnerable child
• Becoming an advocate for children – speaking out for their rights.
• Becoming a donor to CWSA, while claiming back your donation from SARS (tax exemption).

For you to be involved, all you need to do is to complete the pledge form, call 0861 4CHILD or visit www.childwelfaresa.org.za to make a donation. Read this information, and use it as a tool to empower your children, your community, and the nation to make South Africa a safer place for children.

Nataniel: “A child is the greatest gift, a soul arriving in this world, already with a calling. We do not own or possess our children; they are not from us but through us. Our greatest responsibility is to give guidance, love and protection.”

How to identify a child who may be abused or neglected.

Step 1: Look for physical signs of abuse: bruises, cuts, burns etc.
Step 2: Consider the possibility of abuse if the child has difficulty walking, sitting or performing other daily tasks due to soreness.
Step 3: Note the child’s weight. Weight loss may be a sign of neglect, while an overweight child might be overeating because of feelings of worthlessness.
Step 4: Look for developmental stalls, especially in infants, such as not having age-appropriate language or social skills.
Step 5: Consider personality: Distrust, excessive efforts to please, shyness or introversion (playing alone), fighting (a call for attention) or not getting along with others could all be signs of abuse.
Step 6: Watch sleeping habits: A child who's often tired (due to lack of sleep) or who frequently has nightmares may be a victim.
Step 7: Look for signs of drug or alcohol abuse in the child and his or her parents.
Step 8: Monitor the child's performance at school. Missing school, falling grades or underachievement could indicate abuse.
Step 9: Consider any self-destructive behavior, such as suicide attempts or self-mutilation, as an indicator that the child may be a victim of abuse.

(Information obtained form www.ehow.com)


What is abuse, and how is CWSA involved?

Child Physical Abuse

• Physical abuse refers to a non-accidental injury inflicted on a child.
• This can involve hitting, shacking, squeezing, burning, biting including giving a child poisonous substances, inappropriate drugs, alcohol and attempting to suffocate or drown a child. Even excessive force when feeding or nappy changing.
• During 2005 CWSA member organisations provide care and assistance to 5003 child victims of physical abuse.

Child Sexual Abuse

• Sexual abuse in relation to a child means:
  - Sexual molesting, assaulting or allowing a child to be sexually molested or assaulted
  - Encouraging, inducing or forcing a child to be used for the sexual gratification of another person
  - Paying for the sexual use of a child or allowing a child to be bought for sexual exploitation or in any way participating or assisting in the commercial sexual exploitation of a child.
  - Exposing a child to pornography, explicit sexual activity, and/or explicit sexual remarks
• During 2005 CWSA member organisations provided care and assistance to 6637 child victims of sexual abuse.
  Nataniel says “Emotional abuse is as bad as physical abuse. The scars of the soul take even longer to heal than the visible ones. Think before talking o a child, use patience, kindness and respect, remember that the impact of cruel and irresponsible words will be much bigger and more lasting than you think.”

Child Emotional Abuse

• Persistent or severe psychological ill-treatment of a child.
• The child is denied normal human respect and a sense of personal dignity.
• The abuse may take the form of persistent verbal denigration, humiliation or negativism.
• The absence of any unconditional positive interest, concern and affection
• When affection and basic emotional care-giving, warmth have been withheld and criticism is common.
• Domestic violence exposes children to extreme emotional abuse as they are constantly in fear of their own and/or the abused parent’s safety.
• During 2005 CWSA member organisations intervene in 1656 cases of domestic violence.

Child Exploitation

• When advantage is taken of a child’s innocence, naiveté, need and/or immaturity contrary to that child’s best interest and well-being and for the benefit of the exploiter. This may take on the following forms:
  - Child Labour – hard/harmful work activities inappropriate for a child’s age
  - Child Trafficking – buying and selling of children
  - Child Prostitution
  - Child Sex Tourism – pedophiles traveling to SA for the purpose of having sex with a child
  - Child Pornography – involving in or exposing children to pornography
• Statistical information regarding the incidents of child exploitation is limited. Funds are being sort to conduct intensive research and implement programmes within the field of CSEC (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children)

Nataniel says: Not every person qualifies to be a parent. A child is a full-time responsibility, not a belonging that just fits into somebody’s schedule or plans; neglect is a serious crime and should be rooted out.

Child Neglect

• Neglect is the failure by those responsible for a child to meet his/her basic physical, emotional and intellectual needs. This may take the following forms:
o When those responsible for the child, despite having the means to fail to meet the child’s needs.
o When those responsible lack the necessary material, practical or intellectual resources to meet the child’s needs.
o The unlawful and intentional exposure and abandonment of an infant in such a place or circumstances that its death from exposure may result.
• During 2005 CWSA member organisations provided care and assistance to 19187 child victims of neglect.
• During 2005 CWSA member organisations provided care and assistance to 10830 children who are abandoned.


Nataniel says: This is such a practical programme… if children are in need; they don’t know where to go. Where can they be safe immediately? The Eye creates this network of safety in communities, and is a very worthy project to support. Remember that children can also call Child Line, on 08000 55555. Make sure that your child knows this number!


CWSA’s response – flagship projects
In providing protection to children CWSA has developed two flagship programmes that are rolled out nationally. Isolabantwana was started 10 years ago by Cape Town Child Welfare Society and that 3yrs ago it was piloted nationally.


Isolabantwana, Eye of the Child (proudly sponsored by Barclaycard)

• Community based child protection programme that advocates the collaboration of communities and formal resources when protecting children against abuse, neglect and exploitation.
• Adult volunteers who have compassion for children are trained to assist social workers in the prevention and management of child abuse by identifying, supporting and counselling families and children at risk and when necessary providing a safe environment for children.
• The end result being a 24 hour child abuse, community based service to vulnerable children and families by trained Child Welfare volunteers.
• Presently, Isolabantwana is being implemented in 74 communities nationally. Statistical data reflects that within 2006 more than 1440 community volunteers (Eyes) were trained and deployed resulting in a minimum of 8300 children at risk being assisted.
• Children in the communities know that they can call on The Eye at any time, and be safe.

Nataniel says: People don’t know the reality of AIDS orphans… These are children without parents, and they do not live all together in some dark, hidden place!! They have homes where they fight alone to exist, and this project ensures that they are cared for in the best possible manner where-ever they are, in their homes, in their communities.


Asibavikele, Lets Protect Them

• The programme aims at equipping community volunteers, through professionally developed training materials and workshops, to intervene with children affected by HIV/AIDS within the local community.
• Volunteers receive support and guidance through the strong infrastructure of Child Welfare South Africa. They are then able to interact meaningfully with children and families in need, assisting them to develop strategies to resolve difficulties and improve quality of life.
• This programme has provided invaluable in providing care and support to orphans and vulnerable children, reaching 8524 children and training 696 professionals and community volunteers in 21 CWSA member organisations
  Nataniël says: I need to give my time and money to an organisation that really assist children in a way that is effective and transparent rather than simply making a few random contributions and hoping for the best. I need to know that I am really making a difference.

You can deduct your donations from tax payments (Tax exemption).
CWSA is registered with SARS as an 18 (A) organisation. What does this mean?
If you make a donation in your personal capacity or as a company, you will receive a tax certificate. You can hand this receipt in with your annual tax returns, and will not be taxed on the amount. You thus give money to charity in stead of the tax man!

The process:
• Ensure that you give money to an organisation that has 18 A tax exemption status, like CWSA.
• Make sure that you are issued with a receipt.
• Hand in with tax returns and deduct from payable taxes.

For more information on this, you can contact the CWSA Financial Manager, Sonnyboy Lukhombo.

HOW YOU CAN GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED, click here

In order to make a donation, please sign the monthly debit form: Click here

To donate R5, sms the word child to 36560
To donate R10, sms the word 4child to 38585
To donate R30, sms the word 2child to 42220

NON-CASH WISH LIST - click here

FOR MORE CHARITIES, CLICK HERE