Every year, being an Idaho-based non-profit, SMC participates in the Idaho Gives campaign. In honor of this, we wanted to share some of the things that are happening at the SMC Partnering Projects.
The region of the Transkei and specifically, the area around Mthatha, South Africa, has experienced extensive periods of drought in the last decade. Along with lack of natural rainfall, faltering infrastructure, and high prices for utilities, the area has experienced long periods without water.
During periods without access to water, the staff and trainees are forced to collect water from cisterns at a significant distance from the dormitories. The complex nature of the student’s disabilities make this effort incredibly difficult and even impossible at times. Due to financial support from SMC, water collection tanks have been purchased and installed for each of the dormitories. This will allow for natural water collection during the rainy season enabling vital water supplies for activities of daily life including, cooking, bathing and operation of the workshops.
In the words of the Director of Ikhwezi Lokusa, Sister Cecelia,”It has been my dream to harvest water due to water problems and the high cost of water. It is difficult to see our special people without water for bathing and washing. When water was available, they had to carry water from one tank next to the dining hall just for flushing toilets. It’s quite a distance from the hostels and workshops due to the students’ different disabilities. Harvesting water will bring a massive change.”
Please consider supporting SMC during Idaho Gives and the efforts happening everyday at Ikhwezi Lokusa including the recent water collection project. Your support provides instant and impactful change to the students and young adults we support.
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Ikhwezi Lokusa is a rehabilitation facility committed to providing a high standard of service for young adults who are physically and/or mildly mentally disabled. The organization assists them in reaching a optimum physical, mental, and social level of functioning through skills training.
The aim of the society is to offer the beneficiaries rehabilitation and training to prepare them for life in their home environment. This is achieved through a skills training program within four workshops. The students learn trades such as pottery, leather work, craft, and sewing. Daily life skills are developed through on-going training and therapy to support each trainees independence. The 64 trainees stay for up to five years, living on site.