help2read is a developmental organisation which was founded in 2005. Although our beginnings were based on an established UK child literacy charity, over the years the programme has been adapted to meet the needs of South African society. help2read is working to address national development in South Africa in two ways.
Firstly, help2read addresses child literacy, a key component to national development. help2read works in public primary schools with learners in grades 2-4 who are struggling with literacy. We pair each learner with a trained volunteer from the community who provides twice weekly one-on-one tutoring.
Secondly, help2read address the lack of skills development and unemployment statistics within the adult South African population. We are currently piloting a version of our programme in which we specifically recruit literate, unemployed adults. This pilot includes extended skills development trainings and other incentives for our Literacy Tutors who then in turn help a larger amount of struggling learners than those volunteers in our standard programme.
help2read currently operates in communities throughout the Western Cape and parts of Gauteng using a largely volunteer workforce. We are currently active in 100s of schools and have helped thousands of children. We are actively working on expanding our programme to the more rural provinces of South Africa.
Our vision
An empowered Africa where everyone is literate.
Our mission
Our mission is to motivate the literate adult population to pass on their skills to the next generation, helping children to succeed in education and be confident, self assured individuals.
Our model
help2read’s model is straight forward and effective. Working in developing countries, we recruit, train and support literate adult volunteers from local communities to help disadvantaged primary school children who struggle to read.
The help2read volunteers work one-on-one basis with each child for two 30 minute sessions per week. The volunteers are provided with help2read book boxes which contain ability-appropriate reading material, workbooks, dictionaries, stationary, and pens/pencils. These book boxes provide all the resources for the volunteer to follow the help2read methodology which emphasises working at the speed of the child.
www.help2read.org

The Down Syndrome Association of the Western Cape (DSAWC) offers support to people with Down syndrome and similar disabilities, with support services extended to their families.
Established in 1976, we aim to improve the quality of life for people with Down syndrome and similar disabilities. We help them to take their place in society, develop to their full potential and use their skills to contribute to their communities. Support to the families of those with Down syndrome is provided through education, early intervention and information regarding medical aspects, employment and civil rights.
DSAWC offers a wide variety of services to people with Down syndrome and their families.
Through the years, we’ve realised that very little is being done for adults with Down syndrome and similar intellectual disabilities.
With the focus in the disability sector being more on the young child, we’ve decided to shift our focus slightly and put more emphasis on the young adult.
DSAWC offers on-going services such as counselling, social services, assistance with grant applications, social and fundraising events, awareness events and parent evenings, etc.
We offer our parents support and services which include:

• Parent support information
• Counselling
• Training courses and conferences
• Support groups
• Outreach groups
• Parent evenings
• Dissemination to schools, hospitals and interested groups
• Recreational projects
• Referral service
• Inclusive education
• Government lobbying
• Networking with companies and schools

Apart from these on-going activities we have four main projects we are running:

• Outreach
• Skills development & Supported employment
• Leisure Library
• Umthi Special Class
• Parent support and counselling

http://downwc.co.za/

The South African Motor Neurone Disease Association was founded in late 1990, to bring together all those people with a family member with MND and who were concerned about the total lack of support in Africa. They had experienced the fantastic backup support system available in Canada & UK, and decided to form a Committee to help those in the Western Cape, which is where they all lived. The Association became affiliated to the Hospice Association of South Africa in 1994 and now has branches in Gauteng and KZN with the Head Office in Cape Town. It is a voluntary organization and its main concern is the welfare of the MND sufferer.
MISSION STATEMENT of MNDA of SA
“To provide the best possible support for people living with Motor Neurone Disease, their families and carers, via a support service of both physical assistance and psychological counselling. To loan patients the equipment required. To publish a quarterly newsletter for patients, family members, doctors, hospices, therapists and donors.”
HOW CAN I HELP?
By making a much needed donation or joining the MNDA of SA, or preferably both. We are always short of funds and appreciate help from a wider circle than our members, who contribute the backbone of our annual requirement to cover running costs.
Motor Neurone Disease is due to the degeneration of these motor neurones. Degeneration of the upper motor neurones causes both weakness, stiffness and resistance to movement in the muscles with changes in the reflexes which the doctor can elicit. Degeneration of the lower motor neurones causes wasting of muscles, weakness, fasciculations (flickering of small groups of muscle fibres occurring spontaneously) and muscle cramps.
Symptoms MND presents itself in various ways depending on the particular groups of muscle fibres which degenerate initially, Wasting and weakness of muscles of the hands, sometimes one side first, stiffness in the legs with dragging of one leg or the development of marked weakness in the legs may be the initial symptom. Sometimes the muscles of the tongue and swallowing mechanism are affected early with slurring of speech, difficulty in swallowing and coughing. The disease may remain relatively stationary for some time or may progress to other limbs to the tongue and to the breathing muscles. Death in MND is usually caused by the combined involvement of the swallowing and breathing muscles causing a severe pneumonia. Motor Neurone Disease does not affect the intellect, does not cause bladder or bowel symptoms and does not cause sensory, visual or hearing disorders.
Life Expectancy is variable from I year up to 5 years (or occasionally longer) after onset depending on the activity of the disease and the particular muscle groups that are affected.
Who gets MND? The majority of people with MND are aged 50 years and older but occasionally people in their 20’s and 30’s develop MND. It is not known why an individual gets MND. There is a male predominance of 2:1. There are rare familial types of the disease.
What causes MND? This is not known at all. Suggestions as to the cause include: (a) toxin from the environment. (b) trauma. (c) a virus which lies latent within the system for many years. (d) a premature degeneration of these nerve cells caused by some in-born defect in their constitution.
How is it diagnosed? Usually it is not difficult for the Neurologist to diagnose MND on the basis of the history and signs. Early signs may cause some initial difficulty. There is no specific laboratory test. Sometimes special tests (scans and myelograms) are necessary to exclude other diseases, Usually electrical tests on muscles and nerves are performed and a lumbar puncture may be done.
Treatment of MND While research is continuing worldwide, there is at present no treatment which will alter the course of the disease or affect its progression in any way. Treatments given are those which help the person with MND to cope with symptoms and disabilities and may involve drugs to reduce stiffness or resistance to movement. RILUTEK is the only licensed drug, which may help to slow the progression. The involvement of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and the provision of aids at home are all necessary to support the person with MND and the family.
www.mnda.org.za

History Community Medics started out as Camps Bay Community Medics (CBCM), which was officially registered as a Trust in 2007, however has been operational since as early as 1998. The organisation was established by 2 local paramedics, who identified that the response of Emergency Medical Services was lacking in the Camps Bay area. Since the involvement of CBCM the average response time in Camps Bay has been reduced significantly, to achieve beyond accepted international standards – CBCM achieved an average response time of 8 minutes compared to the international standard of 10 minutes.
Expansion In May 2013, through support from ER24, CBCM expanded its area of operation to include the City Bowl area and rebranded as Community Medics (CM). Community Medics is made up of a 21 strong team of highly dedicated professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure all patients receive a professional and rapid response to their life-threatening emergency. Through the financial and operational support of ER24, Community Medics is able to provide a full time salaried paramedic.
It is because of the partnership and support provided by ER24, Communications Hub and ADT that Community Medics has been able to expand into the City Bowl.
Services Community Medics operates a 24 hour contact centre to field any medical emergency in Camps Bay and the City Bowl. After receiving an emergency call, our contact centre dispatches an on duty Community Medic and coordinates the dispatch of any additional services required on scene.
Contribution to Society Community Medics is dedicated to providing the community with first world emergency medical care within a developing world environment. Our highly trained team of emergency medical personnel aim to deliver a rapid response to all members of the community. We strive to improve the standard of care for emergency medicine in South Africa and relieve the burden placed on state services to ensure a faster response to the community.
Community Medics is registered as a Public Benefit Organisation and relies solely on donations and partnerships to provide their service.
www.cbcm.org.za

LOFOB mainly serves blind and partially sighted people throughout the Western Cape. This service is also available to people from other parts of South Africa who are unable to access such services in their regions.
The adult independence-training programme is offered at the LOFOB Training Centre in Grassy Park on the Cape Flats. Clients who have been assessed by occupational therapists receive training at the centre. Regular rural outreach programs are conducted in the Western Cape to reach and provide services to those living further out of the Cape Metropole. The rural outreach programme extends as far as Beaufort West and Knysna. Our West Coast rural outreach programme extends as far as Lutzville, which is approximately 400km from Cape Town.
The Early Childhood Development Programme is based at the LOFOB centre. Children are collected from across the Metropole and transported to the Pre-school centre at LOFOB Monday to Friday. A home program is offered to children who are unable or not ready to attend the program at the Centre.
LOFOB has three main focus areas providing various services and expertise as well as other auxiliary services.
1. Independence Development Services
Onsite Occupational Therapists Onsite Social Worker Onsite Mobility Instructors Onsite Braille Instruction Onsite Basic Typing Skills Onsite Home Management Skills Training Onsite Personal Care Training Onsite Cane Work/ Sewing Skills Training
2. Early Childhood Development
Onsite and Home Visit Occupational Therapist Two Additional Teachers Assistants Full Onsite Pre-school Programme Home Based Intervention Programme Parent Education Parent Support
3. Wellness, Sports and Recreation
Onsite Biokineticist Goal Ball Tandem Cycling Cricket Gym Soccer Table Games Recreational Outings
LOFOB’s clients rely on the transport that is provided by LOFOB to ensure that they can participate in their respective programmes. LOFOB also provides temporary accommodation to prospective clients who live too far from the training centre to commute daily.
Auxilliary services
Corporate consultation for successful integration of blind and visually impaired employees or customers to your business environment Awareness and education lectures Corporate sport, recreation and team building days designed to include sighted and visually impaired persons participating in activities that highlight capabilities rather than inabilities
www.lofob.org.za