Centurion NPO keeps children safe, fed

Trust Hope Faith (THF) has been a blessing to the underprivileged residents of Centurion for almost 15 years.

Blue-O Community Development, a nonprofit organisation trading as THF Youth Development works hard to keep the children in Olievenhoutbosch fed.

Founder Themba Maluleke said he started the project to make a difference in the community.

“The dream became a reality in January 2010 when I established an after-school care centre at the Olievenhoutbosch Christian school,” he said.

He added that the THF’s vision is to establish a self-sustainable community and feed the children and the community.

“We don’t believe in charity but we believe in developing and empowering people.”

Maluleke said through this project, children in difficult circumstances could dream of a better life, and learn about Jesus and his love for them while they develop their talent and potential.

This project also provides underprivileged youth with the opportunity to develop themselves, while they bring hope to those that are affected by poverty, abuse and unemployment.

THF feeds 180 children a day and became one of KFC’s Add Hope beneficiaries to ensure each child attending the after-school programme gets a nutritious balanced meal in the morning and afternoon.

THF youth volunteers read Bible stories with the children during the week.

“We have a specific curriculum that we follow with them, we also sing a lot of worship songs with them,” Maluleke said.

“This project offers a lot of activities such as assisting the children with their homework, sports coaching, computer classes and mentorship.”

Maluleke added that the project mentors a group of 12-15 young adults to help them realise their dreams including interning at a company.

It also takes the youth to camps to help them grow emotionally and spiritually. The most recent project included a JD Group-sponsored retail training project for 76 unemployed youths in Olievenhoutbosch.

The youth received certificates that will help them apply for retail jobs.

The project takes around 70 children that have failed their school grades on an annual motivational camp.

“We try and give them hope again, the main reason they fail is social challenges they don’t get support from their parents, and teenage pregnancy and poverty also play a big role,” he said.

THF also has a support group and outreach programme in which it takes teenagers from Hop (Home of Peace) shelter through a workshop about how to stay hopeful and positive.

Maluleke recently started a school holiday programme because he felt that a lot of kids in the community are left unattended during holidays.

“We, therefore, have a holiday project for the kids, we also include teenagers of the community in volunteer work on the holiday activities. Not only does this provide opportunities to build positive relationships but also keeps the youth busy in a positive manner,” he said.

Maluleke is a 2015 winner of the SA Young Community Shapers Award.

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