Zimele Molweni CentreFor Mentally and Physically Challenged Children

General
Headway-Natal, in the suburb of Westville 12 km outside the city of Durban KZN, is a charitable organisation dedicated to survivors of brain injury and stroke. As part of its Outreach Programme, Headway has been supporting Zimele Molweni for
some 7 years, sourcing funding for transport, a feeding scheme, a therapist, teacher training and salaries.

The 46 children and young adults at the centre are all classed as “Special Needs” and Zimele was established to provide diversional activities and life- skill training 5 days a week.
Until recently, funding from, largely, the National Lottery has ensured that the centre has remained operational. There has been no commitment from then for future support.

Zimele has been left with no substantial funding to sustain the Activity Programme.

The situation is critical. Unemployment in the Molweni area is rife and most of the children come from homes in which there
are no breadwinners, while some have lost their parents to the AIDS pandemic. Without the respite care, education and skills offered at Zimele, the children will have to remain at home and add to the burden already felt by the families.

Grants
The grants ensured that the children receive at least one meal a day, that they are able to reach the centre without a long walk (bearing in mind that some of the children are physically disabled as well as mentally challenged), and that a meaningful programme of activities was offered, with ongoing training for staff and volunteers.
At present it is costing approximately R15 000 per month for operational costs, and funding is urgently needed to keep the centre running.