Ikhwezi Welfare Organization

1. IKHWEZI DISABLED HOME

HISTORY

Ikhwezi Welfare Organisation was established in 1979, by the late Mrs. Ethel Mthiyane, who saw the need to help mentally, physically disabled children, abled children but from disadvantaged families, and Senior Citizens, Through various donations a Disabled Home was built and it accommodates 80 disabled children, a special School was formed to provide formal Education according to the specific needs of disabled children, the School is named after the Founder Ethel Mthiyane Special School For The Disabled, within the children we have two categories: In category 1 we have orphans, those disabled children who were abandoned by their relatives or parents and they reside at Ikhwezi Home 24/7 even on Holidays. Category 2 of disabled children are those that have parents or relatives but from disadvantaged communities within and outside Mandeni areas. There is also a Day Care Centre called Buhlebesizwe Creche meaning (Beauty of the Nation), which accommodates Babies and Toddlers. There is also an old age home called Ekuphumuleni KwaMaShandu Old Age Home and it's supposed to accomodate 30 senior citizens and currently there is no furniture because it is a new building that has been donated.

THE AREA OF OPERATION

Ikhwezi is situated at Mandeni in Sundumbili Township at kwaMathonsi Reserve area.

It has Ikhwezi Board of Directors who comprises of parents and community members, and they are responsible for policy formations and major financial matters control, next to the Management committee that make sure the day to day operations run smoothly and according to structures put in place. Then we have staff members that interacts with children every day, working shifts even on Holidays.

2. BUHLEBESIZWE CRECHE

HISTORY

As it has been mentioned above, Buhlebesizwe Creche was established in 1995 by the founder of the umbrella body Ikhwezi Welfare Organisation, Mrs. Ethel kaMasinga Mthiyane, she saw the need to assist the community of Mandeni Sunbumbili of whom the This Creche got to be situated at site A 1325 Sunbumbili Township at a section called Dark City which is behind Sunbumbili Plaza. It is registered to take 100 children.

3. EK UPHUMULENI KWAMASHANDU OLD AGE HOME

It is a new building structure that was donated by Operation Jumpstart Organisation in Durban. We are supposed to accomodate 30 senior citizens and currently there is no furniture, yet there is a need to have these essentials in order to start operations.