Volunteers join forces for community work
Group to start forum to coordinate efforts of NPOs and NGOs
Agroup of volunteers aim to establish a forum to coordinate collaboration and empower all Ndlambe-based NPOs, NGOs and development organisations.
The idea for the forum came about when the group, under the leadership of Hyman Van Zyl, began compiling a database of organisations involved in community development.
“From the database it became clear that there are at least 50 organisations doing some form of community/volunteer/development work in the Ndlambe Municipal area,” said the organisers in a media release.
“It is also apparent that these organisations mostly work independently of each other and without some form of collaboration.
“This results in underperformance and repetition.”
There were some instances where coordination and cooperation were evident, though, and this resulted in high levels of efficiency and excellent outcomes.
A case in point was the coordination of Early Childhood Development Centres ably managed by Nemato Change a Life’s Jan Blom.
There are numerous categories of work going on in the fields of sport, education, health, poverty alleviation, environment and nutrition and food security.
“We could achieve better results if these activities are coordinated,” the organisers said.
The forum’s main goals are to develop the capacity of organisations to better deliver on their goals and to stimulate collaboration.
A forum steering committee has been established, which had held three meetings thus far, the organisers said.
“They developed an app that is available to all registered organisations.
“This app will allow organisations to record and map all their programmes and related members/clients.
”It is now the intention of the steering committee to register all organisations in the Ndlambe area.
“Once organisations are registered, we will convene a meeting where the forum will be established formally, and a leadership team be elected.”
The organisers said the proposed forum would strive for collaboration, provide access to expertise and training, liaise with stakeholders, and offer a platform to coordinate beneficiaries’ access to development opportunities.
To register your organisation or for more information about the forum, please contact: Hyman Van Zyl at 073-897-9279, or Mahoy Nkontso at 073-154-5715 or Alroy Taai at 072-482-0423.