England NPO brings hope for local youth
ENGLAND-BASED non-profit organisation, the Vulnerable Children in Need of Education in South Africa (VINE), celebrated 10 years of operations in Mtunzini on Saturday.
Dozens of VINE beneficiaries, mainly from eSikhaleni, joined the celebration. Almost all of the beneficiaries are orphans, some living with their siblings and others with their grandmothers.
The organisation’s Treasurer, Patricia Chase, said when they first visited South African in 2002, they saw a need to help senior citizens who were struggling to obatin state benefits such as old age grants.
‘While we were focusing on assisting the elderly, we discovered there were many young people on the verge of dropping out of school because they had no parents.
‘We opted to do something after discovering that they were facing difficult situations because their parents had died and no one was supporting them.
‘Some of these youth were responsible for taking care of their siblings and had nothing to eat, and this was where we intervened to help them complete their high school education and help fund their tertiary education as well,’ said Chase.
Operating from England, the organisation visits South Africa twice a year.
Chase said she is responsible for visiting their beneficiaries in January and February to ensure all learners are registered at school and that university students are also accommodated at the universities of their choice.
‘I spend two months here until the end of February, and in October colleague Sonia McCann arrives to check the readiness of learners to write their exams.’
One of the beneficiaries, Anele Mthembu (19) of Mabuyeni outside eSikhaleni, said she first met with VINE officials in 2008 while she was doing Grade 4.
‘They have supported me and my sister since then.
‘I will be going to university this year and they will be funding my study fees,’ said Mthembu.