Thanda

Thanda is a non-profit organisation based in a rural community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Individuals living in this area face myriad challenges that interfere with daily life - households live on an average of $80 per month and only 12% of the population is employed. There are over 13 000 children between the ages of three and five living in the area, but only 9% of children are enrolled in pre-schools. To further complicate matters, the schools here are critically under-resourced and chronically low performing.

Thanda offers programmes centered around four core initiatives – Early Childhood Development, Education, Organic Farming, and Creative Learning. Our most unique differentiator is our emphasis on self-development within a larger interpersonal framework, which builds resilience and an understanding of the implications of each person’s actions and inactions. The common thread throughout our programmes is to develop five Game-changing Skills among individuals – Empathy, Creativity, Self-esteem, Critical thinking, and Perspective. We believe these skills are essential for a person to become a lifelong learner, have the ability to understand the interconnectedness and contribute positively to his or her community.