Facilitates human development by working in an integrated, participatory, developmental, long-term, sustainable and holistic way, addressing the core challenges of entrenched poverty, most often in highly dysfunctional and multiply‐wounded communities, through the following interventions:
Mobilizing community through large social mobilization processes and community organizing, advocating the needs and rights of the community – forming effective community and regionally based networks and partnerships. This also includes the formation of different social action and social support groups.
Utilizing the powerful influence of women in the communities by making women’s empowerment and leadership a key strategy of the broad programme approach. However, there is a consciousness of not allowing this focus to worsen the problem of the “absent male” in the communities. For New World Foundation gender work does not exclude men.
Focussing priority attention on “awareness raising programmes”, addressing the reality in which our own thinking as human beings determines so much of how we live our lives and approach our challenges. To utilize and integrate this awareness raising into all the existing programmes and activities of New World Foundation’s work.
Implementing development and business creation programmes to directly become involved in addressing the serious level of unemployment in the communities. To engage with national and provincial government and the business sector to research and explore ways to create employment in the rendering of services in the community.
Focussing priority attention on environmental awareness and creating sustainable communities that utilize their own resources and opportunities for addressing the environmental challenges of our time.
Integrating the new high priority focus areas within the established New World Foundation programmes like early childhood development, educational support, health awareness, prevention and care services, gender work and community development through sport. At the same time, within the new higher priority focus on partnerships, to integrate and even hand-over programmes that would fit better in other partner organisations who have a specific focus in that area.
Very consciously to strategically think through our progress and impact in such a way that we can measure our impact and also capture our learnings in order to contribute to the creation of “new knowledge” through the development of replicable models aimed at transforming the lives of communities – which could also serve other communities in our country and world.
To do thorough skills audits on a regular basis and when needed to bring in the skills and knowledge lacking to ensure that we have what is needed in order to have the desired impact we set out to accomplish in partnership with our community.
We judge that if we follow the above interventions, working with commitment and in an effective and efficient way, the following should be visible and evident within five to eight years:
Strong networks and partnerships will become an intrinsic part of the fabric of our society and community, which will lead to an enhanced sense of community. A new emerging hopefulness will begin to slowly replace the hopelessness and poor self-esteem and apathy of the past. There will be signs of evidence (stories of change) of the healing of the “multiple woundedness” in the communities and individuals.
As part of the new focus on networks and partnerships building a community driven initiative “stand together like never before” resulted in the establishment of a “Community Forum for the Facilitation of Human Development”. It fulfills a key role in the community.
A substantial decrease in unemployment in the area and evidence of new business opportunities and growing entrepreneurial spirit in the community that serves the community in more ways than originally anticipated.
Women’s empowerment and leadership as a key strategy has become one of the key pillars of the broad programme. Women are increasingly moving into leadership positions and into gender work in general. The “absent male” syndrome is showing signs of a turnaround and men increasingly “return” – however, the men “returning” come with increased gender sensitivity.
Drug abuse, alcoholism and substance abuse related to violence rates will be reduced.
An improved understanding of health related challenges, which results in healthier children, youths and adults – including a decrease in HIV/Aids and TB.
An increased awareness of environmental and sustainability issues. Communities are increasingly utilizing their own resources and opportunities for living a more sustainable life style and for addressing environmental challenges of our time.
Visible structural changes to the flats, houses and community facilities are taking place – all contributing to the enhanced sense of community.
Older, established New World Foundation programmes have integrated the new focus priorities in their own approach and work. In closer partnerships with other organisations and groups, new structures and integration of services are taking place, which adds to increased effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery in the area.
New World Foundation as part of the broader and more representative “Community Forum for the Facilitation of Human Development” is internalizing a strong culture of ongoing strategic reflection and learning. Work progress is monitored and evaluated on a regular basis – which informs the organisation to make the necessary adjustments and improvements to its plans, programmes and programme model. The effect on New World Foundation is an increased professionalism and a deep commitment to excellence in delivery.
New World Foundation in partnership with the “Community Forum for the Facilitation of Human Development” has captured its “model” and “real life stories of change” in a format and reaches a wider audience. There is clear evidence that what is happening on our doorstep is becoming an inspiration to a growing audience beyond the geographical areas of our work.
The skills audits on a regular basis are indeed happening and as new skills and knowledge are being added to our existing capacity, new creativity and opportunities open up. A new excitement and energy exists amongst the staff of New World Foundation and the bonds with the community are stronger than ever before.
All this contributes to the New World Foundation’s vision of the facilitation of human development that will blossom into self-sustaining, transformed and flourishing communities.