The Sibanye Rustenburg Community Development Trust (SRMCDT) issued a Call for Funding Proposals in 2022, inviting Non-governmental (NGOs), Community-based Organisations (CBOs), Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSE)and organisations that provide  incubator support and training to hopeful entrepreneurs based in and working  around the Rustenburg’s Local Municipality to submit proposals on projects that satisfy the following areas of interest of the Trust:

• Education – Provision of skills training and bursaries particularly for mining careers and associated industries.
• Sustainable health and social development programmes for the community and its beneficiaries.
• Rehabilitation of the natural environment of the community through cooperation with the Rustenburg Operations rehabilitation Programme.
• Entrepreneurship in the community through skills programmes and empowerment projects and sustainable development programmes in the community and Upliftment of vulnerable groups especially women, youth, and people with disabilities in the community.

After careful consideration, review, and assessment of RFP1 submissions, the SRMCDT approved a total of R4 395,249.00 towards two organisations namely, Kitso Ke Lesedi and Khulisa Social Services. Programmes provided by these two organisations fall under the upliftment programmes focus area of the SRMCDT.

KHULISA SOCIAL SOLUTIONS

The SRMCDT appointed Khulisa Social Solutions, a non-profit company that empowers and assists vulnerable children, youth, and communities by unlocking   their potential through developing skills towards a positive future. They will deliver a three-year intervention on crime prevention targeting children, youth, and ex-offenders. Khulisa believes that a person’s past and circumstances should not determine the future and potential of an individual. The organisation has been giving change services for almost two decades and offers various interventions, two of which are accredited. The programme targets children, youth and ex-offenders for early intervention and crime prevention.

The Khulisa Programme looks to address the effects of crime on the youth, provide legal services for children and adults that are at risk and in conflict with the law. Their accredited programmes: “Silence the Violence “, a behaviour change programme and “Positively Cool”, a life skills programme is facilitated by Social Workers.

The “Break Through Life Skills” Programme which offers developmental opportunities for marginalised, socially excluded, and traumatised adults in conflict with the law, offers an opportunity that enables them to turn their lives around to become productive, responsible citizens and role models in their communities.

PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES

Khulisa has delivered change and early intervention activities over a 10-week period, and these are on-going. Once a group completes the programme, referring agents such as schools and others, receive reports and updates on the beneficiaries’ progress. Four sessions of Early Intervention have also been conducted.

Social Psychosocial Support Services’ Auxiliary Workers started nine early intervention previous quarter. Three groups have already completed four sessions of the early intervention programme.

Six of the nine groups are continuing with the programme. Khulisa will facilitate a post-intervention impact study on the complete roll-out of the intervention. To ensure that accurate records are kept, detailed client files have been prepared for every beneficiary.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

It is satisfying that Khulisa has thus far reached 699 beneficiaries in Quarter 1 and 824 in quarter 2. A total of 1523 beneficiaries were touched since the programme started. Three hundred and eight (308) children have also benefitted from the interventions.

SRPM Operations Area beneficiaries that have been reached include Thembelani /Khuseleka, Batho Pele/ UG 2 Concentrator, Siphumelele/UG 2 concentrator / WLTR Platinum Mile (Freedom Park, Tlhabane West, Paardekraal, Lekgalong, Marikana, Seraleng, Thekwane, Mfidikoe, Geelhout Park, Rustenburg Noord and Kroondal)

Adults who took part in the programmes have reported visible changes in their understanding of their actions, they can now control and manage their emotions better. Beneficiaries have also reported that there is an improvement in the way they see themselves amongst their peers and are enjoying improved self-esteems and restored family relationships. Educators and parents continue to request Khulisa services and interventions due to noticeable improvement in those that have gone through the programmes.