Malamulele Onward is a non-profit organization that has taken on the substantial task of identifying and helping caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in some of the most deprived areas of Southern Africa. The project started out in the Malamulele area of Limpopo province and rapidly expanded to the Eastern Cape. As a group of volunteer health professionals, over the years we noticed that children severely disabled by cerebral palsy survive, often into adulthood, but they and their families are neglected by the health and education systems. This results in children whose potential is often compromised while their families struggle on in ignorance of interventions that would ease their own lives and the lives of the affected children.
Malamulele Onward’s programmes aim to address the rehabilitation needs of children with CP living in the most disadvantaged areas of the country through the provision hands on therapy and equipment to children, training and empowerment of caregivers and local rehabilitation workers, and the provision of training to therapists caring for children with CP in southern and central African countries (notably Rwanda, Tanzania, Lesotho; Mozambique, Swaziland and Botswana).
Malamulele Onward has been operating for five years. We became a more formalized organization when we were registered as a Section 21 Company in October 2006. To date ten outreach projects in Limpopo and in the Eastern Cape have been completed involving nearly 200 children and their caregivers and over 25 local rehabilitation therapists
Our vision is to meet the rehabilitation needs of children with Cerebral Palsy in disadvantaged areas of Southern Africa through access to sustainable support services.
Our mission is:
- To reach children with Cerebral Palsy living in disadvantaged areas of Southern Africa.
- To improve the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy and their caregivers.
- To help maximize the potential of children with cerebral palsy.
- To support and empower those involved in the rehabilitation and care of children with cerebral palsy. This includes the children’s families as well as the rehabilitation staff responsible for providing services to the children.
- To raise public awareness and thereby mobilize resources for the needs of the children and their families
- To engage local and regional authorities, local communities and community based organizations in the ongoing needs of the children and their families.
- To constantly monitor outcomes and conduct research to determine ‘what works best’ in terms of rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy living in poorly-resourced areas.
Operates in: Johannesburg, Gauteng
Established in: October 2006
Non-Profit Organisation Number: 056-807
Public Benefit Organisation Number: 930025084
Section 21 Company Number: 2006/032287/08
Trust Number:
Contact person: Gillian Saloojee
Phone: 011 484 9456
Fax: 011 484 9456
Email:
Website: www.malamuleleonward.org
Physical address: 2nd Floor, Children’s Memorial Institute, 13 Joubert Street Ext, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Postal address: P O Box 52641, Saxonwold, 2132
