This is a programme of the Grail Centre Trust where we aim to give expression to core Grail values in a local community setting.

Vision Statement

Enabling holistically healthy, connected and empowered communities

Mission Statement Mthimkhulu Community Development (MCD)

MCD helps to empower communities in the Overberg District Municipality and other rural areas in a just, sustainable and holistic way.  We do this by providing services, primarily aimed at women, children, young people and the elderly, that addresses

• Health: of the body, mind, heart and soul and environmental sustainability
• Learning: early childhood development and school support for children and skills for life and job skills and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people and adults
• Connecting and Collaborating: networks and events within and between communities and the world. In this way we aim to enable holistic community wellbeing, economic development, overall improvement in quality of life and ultimately, self-reliance 

The most recent employment report shows that South Africa has an unemployment rate of 42%.  The alarming rise in unemployment is has been a feature in our country for many years due to a stagnant economy that, even when it was growing, did not create jobs at scale.  South Africa’s current youth unemployment crisis also pre-dates Covid-19, but with the impact of Covid-19 the problem has been exacerbated even further.  Currently young people represent 75% of the 42% unemployment rate.  For this reason, our training programme is designed to face our youth unemployment problem head on.

We run a Job Readiness Centre for young people to enhance their chances of landing a job. We aim for young jobseekers to have professional presented CVs, compelling covering letters, the ability to conduct themselves confidently and articulately in an interview, whilst presenting themselves with the appropriate dress code and attitude.

 Services offered at the Job Centre:  

• CV preparation and printing
• Job Search opportunities online
• Job interview skills mentorship
• Computer literacy
• Social Media Etiquette
• Life-skills / soft-skills

We believe that community prosperity starts with community health and wellbeing.  Hence our approach to community health is holistic and also encompasses how highly the Grail movement values spiritual wellbeing that includes all expressions of spirituality.  We also emphasise our deep connection and dependence on a healthy ecology, and living in harmony with nature.

Community Health Service in partnership with the Department of Health

Education outcomes in South Africa are very poor.  This was verified in a shocking 2019 report presented to the IMF titled: Struggling to Make the Grade: A review of the Causes and Consequences of the Weak Outcomes of South Africa’s Education System. The report showed that while access to basic education is almost universal only 55% of children entering grade 1 actually made it through high school.  A further shocking revelation in the report was that 78% of grade 4 learners could not meaningfully read in any language. The performance in mathematics and science is similarly alarming. The damning report concludes: “As a result of low quality in education, South Africa ranks 127th out of 157 countries in the world in the IMFs Human Capital Index.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a further devastating impact on Education as schools were shut down during the hard lockdown.  Currently not all children are attending school every day.  The Early Childhood Development sector has been hit even harder and ECD many centres have been forced to close despite the fact that early childhood development is essential in ensuring that our young children are ready to face the rigours of formal education.

Mthimkhulu Smartkids is our Early Childhood Development Centre. It is registered to accommodate 42 young children between the ages of 2-5.  With Covid social distancing requirements, we can accommodate 22 children.  However, Covid-19 has resulted in large scale job losses and mothers have lost their jobs are now keeping their young children at home.  This means that our children are losing out on the benefits of quality early childhood care which does not just offer nurturing love, care and nutrition, but also the cognitive stimulation that young children need to thrive.  For this reason, we are taking Mthimkhulu Smartkids into the community. We aim to train community members to run weekly “in-community” playgroups for young children.  We will set up a community ECD Resource Centre to provide support for these playgroups so that all our young children can benefit from opportunities to grow and learn, in spite of not attending a formal ECD.

Mthimkhulu Community Development has partnerships with KidsCan and the Kogelberg Learning Centre which in provides after school learning support to primary and high school learners.

We provide career guidance and support to matriculants who wish to apply to university or colleges offering vocational training.

Mthimkhulu Village Centre was set up as an environmentally friendly centre. To this end, with the support of many partners we were able to install solar panels to reduce our dependence on the grid as well as install numerous water tanks and a borehole to supplement our water usage. We also installed a biodigester for clean energy to power the kitchen.

We have a community food garden which was established with the support of the Kogelberg Biosphere and today we have a partnership with Shoprite and Food and Trees for Africa for our permaculture food garden.

We have plans to expand the food garden with the introduction of an aquaponics project.

REPORTS

Click on the relevant reports to read our reports to society.

Annual Report 2019

Mthimkhulu Community Development Annual Narrative Report to the National Department of Social Development 2017/2018

SUPPORT

How you can support Mthimkhulu Community Development

You can make a donation directly into our bank account and you can indicate which of the above programmes you wish to support.  All donations will be acknowledged by the thank you letter and receipt.

You can provide in-kind support by donating any of the following:

• Non-perishable foodstuffs
• Educational materials
• Office furniture
• Crockery and cutlery for our kitchen
• Kitchen utensils suitable for a catering kitchen

You can also volunteer to work in our food garden or in any of the projects.

We welcome all the support you can give us.

Bank account details for monetary donations

Name of Bank: ABSA

Name of Account: The Grail Centre Trust – Mthimkhulu Community Development

Account No: 405191952

Branch Code: 632005

SWIFT Code: ABSAZAJJ

Please use your initials and surname as a reference.  In accordance with the POPI Act your personal details will be used only for receipting and for sending you a thank you letter.

The Grail Centre Trust is in good standing with the NPO Directorate and SARS.  It maintains the highest levels of financial accountability and probity.