Experience Matlhogonolo Community Outreach Centre
Hope Is Where the Heart Is
Matlhogonolo Community Outreach Centre at a Glance
Background
Matlhogonolo Community Outreach Centre(MCOC) is a Non-Profit Organization (NPO) that was established in 2017 and it is based in Diepkloof, Soweto. The organisation was registered in 2017 as has since acquired a PBO status. Matlhogonolo was established due to a vast plethora of reasons. Being driven by the physical condition of township schools, lack of extra mural activities and mainly skills development and talent identification facilities in township schools and the community at large, the organisation saw a need to offer these services for the community.
We strive to alleviate poverty through a number of ways that include offering after-school classes, running mentorship sessions and teaching learners to use computers, ways to seek information and communicate using technology and also exposing the latter to extra-mural activities. We engage in these programmes as a way of empowering our beneficiaries with skills and knowledge so that they can capacitate themselves and also easily adapt to the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). We also offer support programmes related to health and hygiene services to the elderly and we do this by collecting medication for the latter as a way of bridging poor service delivery in disadvantaged communities of Diepkloof Soweto.
CORE PROGRAMMES
Making A Difference
Matlhogonolo Community Outreach Centre is NPO dedicated to changing and shaping lives through our core programmes. Our programmes are alignes to Sustainable Development Goals 1,2,3,4. The work we do at our Non-Profit Organization is aimed at providing a holistic approach to solving some of our society’s biggest challenges. We make sure our partners are empowered by creating opportunities for individuals and communities.
Mentoring Programme
When we started our programmes in 2017, our mandate has been to reach and mentor as many learners as possible so that we build their self esteem as well as increase their self development holistically .To date , we have managed to reach 350 learners in 2019. More so, within our programme we also aim to encourage good study habits as well as ensuring development of the lifeskills of these mentees
Afterschool Classes
The physical health of learners is of equal importance, we believe that it’s through such interactions where learners find their mental stimulation to perform in other areas of their life.We have chess games where learners participate and compete in. Our sports programme boasts a variety of codes for learners to choose from and these include tennis, cricket, netball and soccer. These, however are only played occasionally as recreational infrastructure remains a serious challenge in our community but it is an element of our project which keeps learners physically fit and active.Learners are also given an opportunity to display their diverse skills set, talents and abilities through the performing arts programme which is hosted quarterly and is also one of our fundraising strategies through which we invite the public to support our youngsters
Enrichment Activities
We recently partnered with Maponya mall. They launched the Ndlovu Ndalo drawing competition, as part of the Mall’s 10th birthday celebration. 53 schools around Soweto took part in the competition, to recreate their famous Maponya elephant logo. However only ten schools were selected. Each of the top 10 schools selected primary and high schools received R10 000.00 as part of showcasing their talents. Sometimes there is a significant gap between learners performance in school and their performance in tests, but excelling in other aspects of learning like fine arts, visual arts and crafts. These children may be bored in class and possibly act out because they are not being challenged enough. They may be labeled as “fall behind their gifted peers” Our aim as an organization is to identify these students and mentor them in our arts and culture program
Support Services for Senior Citizens
As a way of increasing our footprint and expanding our services to the needy community, we have also ensured that we support the senior citizens in the community through aiding them to collect medication as well as delivering medication for them. Although this is one of our support programme, we aim to reach more elderly people who are chronically ill and or face complications that hinder them to go and collect their medication. So far, from 2018 to 2019, we have managed to reach 50 elderly citizens through this programme.
“The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation.”
Nelson Mandela
Contact Matlhogonolo Community Outreach Centre
Quicker Recreational Centre/Thibogang Street/Zone 4 Diepkloof, Soweto South Africa
076 699 0677