ABOUT
Our Aims
HOKISA (Homes for Kids in South Africa) was founded in 2001 in Cape Town as a South African nonprofit NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) to contribute in the fight against AIDS by creating examples of care especially for those who are most vulnerable – the children.
It is the aim of HOKISA to empower members of poor communities where HIV/AIDS is most devastating. No money is spent for office buildings or costly administration. Donations go directly to the HOKISA Children’s Home and the care of the children. All childcare workers are residents in the same township community and have had the opportunity to grow and develop their skills.
We understand this as a concrete way to promote openness around HIV/AIDS, and to educate against the stigma and denial around the disease by setting examples of effective care and honest communication.
On December 1, 2002 (World AIDS Day) the first HOKISA Home was opened in the township of Masiphumelele, south of Cape Town, by Archbishop (em.) Desmond Tutu. This HOKISA Home was named by the community: HOKISA IKAYA LETHU – HOKISA OUR HOME.
How It Began
HOKISA was founded in March 2001 in Cape Town by Karin Chubb, then a South African senior lecturer at the University of the Western Cape, and Dr. Lutz van Dijk, a Dutch-German writer. The starting point was their common work in reporting on the youth hearings of the South African Truth & Reconciliation Commission (1996-98).
Realizing that HIV/AIDS was becoming a more and more devastating threat to the people of South Africa and the new democracy, both decided to dedicate the royalties of their books on human rights and HIV/AIDS to projects for children affected by this disease. Since then, Lutz van Dijk has written more books published in South Africa, all royalties going to the HOKISA project. His novel Crossing the Line (Themba) has been made into a major motion picture.
History
In the first year of its activities (2001-2002) HOKISA did research and tried to learn from other organisations active in this field. We supported five projects financially in the course of this year:
- A Group of HIV-positive mothers in Kayelitsha (Western Cape)
- The Emthonjeni Learning Project in Gugulethu (Western Cape)
- The Lizo Nobanda Day Care Centre of Nazareth House (Western Cape)
- Sparrow’s Nest – Rainbow Village in Johannesburg (Gauteng)
- HIV/AIDS awareness workshops (Western Cape and Gauteng)
In March 2002 the HOKISA board endorsed the decision of the directors to create a home for children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in one of the poorest communities in the Western Cape – the township of Masiphumelele, about 25 km south of Cape Town. The idea was to plan and build this home together with members of this community – and thus also to create jobs for at least some of them in the long run.
The First HOKISA Home
Already as early as February 2002 a HOKISA support group met regularly at the Day Care Clinic in Masiphumelele to decide on the character, design, building and finally personnel of the first HOKISA Home in South Africa. The Support Group was generally open to everyone from the community who wanted to contribute and could offer some experience and advice in the field of children, health care, education and/or HIV/AIDS awareness. Regular members were health care workers, teachers, nurses from the clinic, members of youth and women organisations and church groups. Sometimes also HOKISA board members took part in the meetings.
Statement by the HOKISA Support Group in Masiphumelele:
“A possible future HOKISA Home shall not be an orphanage, but a home for those children affected by HIV/AIDS whose families are unable to care for them for a certain period of time. Efforts will be made continuously, to reunite the children with their (wider) families, to maintain family values and to encourage spiritual and emotional growth. While at a HOKISA Home, children will receive educational, nutritional and medical care as well as counselling where possible.”
This statement has become a guideline for our practical work: To do all in our effort to work against discrimination around HIV/AIDS and to support those caregivers who take responsibility for the children and speak out against stigma and denial of the disease.
Organisational Structure
From 2001, Karin Chubb and Dr Lutz van Dijk served as executive directors in a voluntary capacity for HOKISA. In 2009 they handed over the directorship and day to day management of the organisation to Lungelo Nqojana and Robyn Cohen but continued to be involved as board members, directors and ‘grand parents’. In 2011 we added the skills and experience of a Social Worker, Susan Purvis, to our team - Susan brings essential expertise and knowledge to HOKISA. We have also appointed team leaders (Eunice Mbanjwa and Simphiwe Nkomombini) from within the organisation and the home is now run by a combination of the Founding Directors (Lutz and Karin),Executive Director (Robyn), Social Worker (Susan) and team leaders (Eunice and Simphiwe). HOKISA has been assisted from the start by HOKISA board members, who are experienced in human rights work, education, labour law and community development projects in South Africa. They supervise the activities of HOKISA independently as volunteers. The HOKISA bookkeeping is controlled by one of the board members on a voluntary basis.
Children’s Home Executive Director: Robyn Cohen
Founding Board Members/Directors: Karin Chubb, Dr. Lutz van Dijk
Board Members: Mr Hugh Clarke, Mr Mandla Malgas, Ms Di Oliver, Mrs Marycke Roche, Mr Perry Tsang, Ms Ingrid Rode
Social Worker: Susan Purvis
Childcare Workers: HOKISA has a dedicated team of childcare workers who are committed to providing love and care for the children. They are…
Eunice Mbanjwa (team leader):
I started to work as a childcare worker at HOKISA in 2003 and I enjoy working at HOKISA. The reason why I like my work is because I am working with kids. I have some skills and I am busy with an Early Childhood Development course now. I also attended an HIV and AIDS management course for a week in 2009 and a first aid course. I am also supervising the medicines at HOKISA.
Simphiwe Nkomombini (youth leader):
I started working for HOKISA on 18 November 2002 and I live in Masiphumelele. I enjoy working for my community and especially with the kids and the youth. HOKISA has been a wonderful example to me and to the youth of this community in taking care of the people affected by HIV. I am also the youth group leader in our community and what we are trying to achieve is to fight stigma and ignorance and we try to promote openness in dealing with HIV and Aids.
Mandisa Mahlumba:
I am a childcare worker here at HOKISA and I started from the begining when HOKISA first opened. I am doing stock taking for the house and I monitor medication and school transport for the children. I enjoy working at HOKISA and also working with children. I’m happy to work at HOKISA because I am learning new skills.
Nosipho (Onwaba) Ntutyu:
I started to work at HOKISA on the 15th November 2002 as a childcare worker. I enjoy working at HOKISA and I love to work with children. HOKISA is giving to us skills, e.g. computer, first aid and I am now busy with an Early Childhood Development course.
Sinazo Khanyile:
I was born in Durban/KZN, in a place called Kwamakhutha. I grew up in Lamontville where I attended primary school and then moved to Chatsworth for High School. When I first came to Cape Town I was a volunteer at the Ocean View Children’s Clinic for 2 months and then started working at HOKISA as a childcare worker in 2006. I have learnt a lot of new things since I started working for HOKISA, especially related to HIV and AIDS.
Nobanzi Somtsewu:
I was born in Butterworth and I am 27 years old. I started working at HOKISA in 2005 and I am a Child Care Worker and also a driver. I like the children so much. Since I have worked at HOKISA I have learnt a lot of new things, especially about HIV and AIDS. Hokisa has also helped me a lot because I have done a lot of courses to improve my knowledge and my skills and in July I am going to start an Early Childhood Development course in Fish Hoek. Hokisa is everything to me.
Nomfundo Lubanga:
Nomfundo joined our team last year and is a wonderful addition to the HOKISA family. Nomfundo has good working experience and a natural ability to work with children and bond with them. Welcome Nomfundo!
Phumlani Dlongwana:
Our newest member of the team - welcome Phumlani! It is great to have another Bhuti on the team and another driver…
