Umthombo

Umthombo News - Durban and Beyond...

Bombsurf Magazine and Umthombo host the first ever "Ubuntu Challenge" at the "Wedge" side of new Pier in Durban for Umthombo surfers: (23/08/10): Thanks to all at Bombsurf, Warren and Clayton from Clayton surfboards, Michael from SAEL and surfers John Wittle (Surfing Heritage South Africa) and Simon Nicholson. Check out the story: http://www.thebombsurf.com/thebombsurfslideshows/476/ubuntu-challenge
Umthombo surfers! (11/08/10): Umthombo's surf program is turning heads. Children once seen as the "write-offs" living on the streets and sniffing glue outside the notorious Tong Lok, in Point, Durban are now seen, fit and healthy charging the waves at Durban's premier surf-spot, the New Pier! Transformed and stoked! Check out the photos: http://www.epa.eu/en/article/62.html?CMSSESSID=e5d6684d23bc45f56ac84a7aaa82752e
Umthombo co-founder and former street child, Bulelwa Hewitt, finalist for the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year Award. (15/07/10): From the rubbish dumps to the streets as a child to the co-founding of Umthombo. Bulelwa is a survivor, a strong woman and a role model to many. She has spoken about her life in many places, even at Downing Street in London. She has now been selected as a finalist in Shoprite Checkers Women of the Year award. This is an incredible achievement in itself! For more info go to www.womanoftheyear.co.za You can vote for her there as well. Well done Bulelwa!!
Post-FIFA Press release: No round-ups during World Cup period itself -Well done Durban! Umthombo ends campaign against round-ups, congratulates City and launches new campaign to end glue sniffing among street children in Durban (11/0710): The World Cup is over. Umthombo is excited to announce that there were no round-ups (also called forced removals or sweeps) of street children during the FIFA World Cup period itself. At the 11th hour actions that we had long campaigned against changed. So...
Umthombo wishes to celebrate the way that Durban hosted the World Cup. Congratulations to the City of Durban. Most importantly, engagement programmes with street children ensured that street children were positively engaged throughout the period and included in the World Cup festivities. For many, the period was one in which they were able to leave street life and start a new future. Also, it must be said that Metro Police were a pleasure to interact with during the World Cup. Officers showed understanding and compassion. Umthombo hopes that this new relationship of cooperation with Metro Police can also be developed.

The need for round-ups has been proven redundant. There were no round-ups. There was no controversy around street children. Engagement programmes are widely acknowledged to be the way forward. Strategies around the urban phenomenon have returned being guided by social development thinking rather than safety and Security thinking. Durban has shown that it cares!

With this in mind Umthombo has decided end its campaign against the rounding-up of street children. There is a new era in Durban around street children and Umthombo wants to nurture this.

Umthombo is proud to announce its new post-FIFA campaign: Tackling glue addiction among street children and stopping the sale of toxic glue to children in Durban. This campaign will challenge manufacturers of glue inhaled by street children, seek legislation around the selling of glue and toxic substances to children and also provide upgraded therapeutic interventions to deal with the traumas that glue sniffing masks among street children in Durban. Ultimately we aim to end the phenomenon of glue use among street children and empower these children to be able to leave street life. Let's do this together!
Umthombo surfers surf alongside World Number 2 surfer Jordy Smith (01/07/10): story coming
Sunday Times SA piece on Umthombo's World Cup programmes: (27/06/10): http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article520967.ece/Speaking-Surf-African
England football fans from Hat-trick Project run football training camp with Umthombo during World Cup: story coming.
Scotland's Tartan Army visit Umthombo (15/06.10). Story coming.
Apologies but good news! (23/05/10): Sorry for the lack of news...the good "news" is that in about two weeks we will launch the ALL-NEW Umthombo website. This will be a multimedia website keeping you updated on Umthombo's work and the urban phenomenon of street children in Durban and beyond.
Deloitte Street Child World Cup Newsflash: Umthombo-Old Mutual Young Stars (South Africa) beat Ukraine 4-1 (17/03/10): After yesterday's 4-0 defeat to India, the SA team at the Deloitte Street Child World Cup won convincingly against Ukraine to keep their hopes of going through to the next round alive. The team was elated. For action from yesterdays activities see http://streetchildworldcup.org/
The Deloitte Street Child World Cup is now on!! (15/03/10): Follow updates on http://streetchildworldcup.org/ All the teams are now here. Today is the opening ceremony. The weekend was fantastic with the teams visiting Tala Game Park, learning Zulu dancing and body surfing on Durban's golden mile. The Umthombo-Old Mutual Young Stars play against the team from India first, today! There are updated web clips on the event website.
Newsflash - Brazil's Team for the Street Child World Cup arrive in Durban (10/03/10): There was great excitement in Durban when the Brazilian team for the street child world cup arrived in Durban this afternoon. The Umthombo-Old Mutual Young Stars met their Brazilian counterparts for the first time, sang Shosholoza and gave a demonstration of Zulu dancing. The Brazilians demonstrated Samba and Capoeira! It was a moving meeting as the two groups of street children communicated through translators. We will keep you up to date with the breaking Street Child World Cup news...
Follow Umthombo on twitter: Name: UmthomboDurban (16/02/10): Keep up to date on current affairs on the streets of Durban in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup. Focus on Metro Police round-ups of street children. Will they continue? Will Metro Police be instructed to stop the forced removals.
Durban Metro Police day of shame (16/02/10): Today Metro police rounded-up street children. That is not new, it happens most days to "clean-up" for 2010. However, perhaps in response to the Sunday Time articles over the weekend highlighting their actions, they came out with more force and spent most of the day rounding up street children. A Candian Broadcasting newsteam followed them with a local cameraman and Umthombo staff. Kids had been pepper-sprayed and there were children with bloody faces screaming from the vehicle. Another Metro Police vehicle intercepted Umthombo's vehicle firstly, to book one of the passengers for not wearing a seatbelt. However things took a turn for the worse when they apprehended the cameraman and confiscated his tapes. They beat him up at the station. Eventually after some high level interventions the Metro Police had to give the tapes back and also the car that they confiscated from Umthombo! Umthombo staff were also detained. Children were hurt today and further traumatized. Most officials in Durban are not involved in these round-ups, it is only Metro Police and one Captain in particular that is determined to carry on. Today over 15 officers were rounding-up street children. This MUST be stopped. Durban IS a caring city, despite this, and we need to pull together to ensure that it is NO LONGER acceptable to chase street children, round them up and forcefully remove them from the city. Say not to REMOVAL and say yes to a three step process: 1. ENGAGING THE CHILDREN - 2. THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS - 3. SUSTAINABLE REINTEGRATION (and aftercare). It works.
Metro Police Round-ups (forced removals of street children) focus of attention in Sunday Times articles (14/02/10): Sunday Times has reported on the Metro Police round-ups that are happening in Durban in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. See: http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article305799.ece and also, the video piece at: http://multimedia.timeslive.co.za/videos/2010/02/street-kids-rounded-up-in-durban/
Former street child and Umthombo staff member (and Umthombo Young Stars Soccer Coach), Vuyani "Biza" Madolo visits Downing Street In London on the invitation of Alistair Darling, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer. (11/02/10): Biza Madolo is in the UK this week as a guest not only of Alistair Darling but of Momentum Arts and the Amos Trust. Apart from visiting Downing Street, where he met many international heroes in soccer as well as SA Captain Aaron Mokoena, he will be visiting various youth programmes in the UK and partners of the Street Child World Cup. For more about the Downing Street event see the British Sun newspaper report where you can see Biza taking a penalty outside Downing Street against former England goalkeeper David Seaman: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2851140/Well-put-the-boot-into-poverty.html
Special message from Aaron Mokoena, South African (Bafana Bafana) captain and most capped player (11/02/10): 'I am proud that the first ever Deloitte Street Child World Cup will be held in my country in 2010. Football has the power to unite people from all over the world and gives young people the discipline and focus to let their true talent shine. No child should have to sleep on the street. I am delighted that the Deloitte Street Child World Cup will celebrate these children's potential and call for their rights to be realised. Good luck to all the teams but especially the South African team Umthombo from Durban!"
Umthombo CEO is guest on Mandla Shongwe's Saturday morning show on SAFM (23/01/10): Tom Hewitt (Umthombo founder and CEO) spoke on SAFM about Umthombo's programmes and his hopes around the urban phenomenon of street children in 2010. He also talked of of the dawn a "new era" in Durban which, he believes, is happening right now where it will become socially unacceptable to allow 'round-ups' of street children by enforcement agencies in Durban but where citywide strategies that empower children to leave street life will demonstrate Durban as a caring city.
Umthombo welcomes a fourth full-time social worker to its team (22/01/10): Umthombo welcomes social worker Sithembile Mbhele to the team. Sithembile, who will be overseeing the Reintegration and Aftercare programme joins Ashika Pramlall (programmes Director and senior social worker), Emma Sibilo (who runs the therapeutic programmes at Safespace) and Thandeka Mkhize (who runs the weekend programmes at Safespace). Very soon we will be appointing a fifth social worker to oversee the outreach programme at Umthombo. These social workers oversee teams of Child and Youth-care Workers.
Mail and Guardian article about the Metro Police round-ups of street children in Durban (21/01/10): http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-01-22-rounded-up-and-shipped-out SA media is starting to pick up on the rounding-up of street children in Durban. Remember that Danny Jordaan (head of the local organising committee for the FIFA World Cup 2010) recently said that he will not support any campaign that attempts to hide street children. When asked about whether they would be removing street children from the streets for the world cup he said:
"No, we can't be a society that misleads and creates a false impression. We are a country of diversity, rich and poor, employed and unemployed, and the world must know that we have massive challenges of poverty and housing and we must address these issues." For the IOL article with Danny Jordaan see: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=13&set_id=1&art_id=vn20090917103326640C229116
Metro Police round-up children and adults from the streets and dump them, all together, at a so-called "centre" in Hammersdale described by the children as "an ugly place" (18/01/10). Kheto is 13, Xolani is 20. They both live on the streets. One is a child, one is a young adult. They need different types of services in order to leave street life. They were amoung a crammed van of children and adults that were picked up off the streets in Durban by Metro Police (Licence plate number: ) and driven out of town, some hours, to a town called Hammersdale where they were dumped at a centre called "Nobuhle." The children said that there were babies, children and adults there and they described the place as "an ugly place". The children escaped immediately and jumped a train back to Durban. metro's actions are wrong in so many ways. Firstly, Metro police officers are not trained to be first point of contact with street children. Secondly, forcefully removing children from the streets to satisfy safety and security agendas and create a "clean" image of Durban around 2010 is a disgrace which heaps more trauma upon street children and is PR suicide for the city. Thirdly, detaining adults and children together is illegal and immoral. Moreover, street children and street adults need separate interventions of assistance. Mixing the two is extremely dangerous for the children. Fourthly, removing a child from the streets with no social working intervention completely ignores the therapeutic needs of street children in overcoming the traumas associated with their experiences. Fifthly, removing children from the streets on an almost daily basis plays havoc with the delicate processes that organisations like Umthombo are engaged in with the children to empower them to be able to leave street life sustainably. Sixthly, arrangements between so-called care facilities and Metro police as places where they can dump children that they round-up need to be investigated. What is the incentive for the care facilities? Any centre that admits both children and adults (other than mothers and babies) needs to be investigated. Umthombo CEO, Tom Hewitt followed the round-up on Sunday morning, taking pictures and communicating with Kheto through the bars of the van whilst the van was stopped outside the Elangeni Hotel. Ironically at the same time, at the back of the hotel, metro Police was escorting, with great fanfare, the South African national soccer team, Bafana Bafana. Umthombo recognises that eThekwini Municipalities other departments are NOT involved in the round-ups and it appears to be that Metro Police is acting unilaterally. STREET CHILDREN IS A SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUE WHERE CHILD FRIENDLY AND THERAPEUTIC SERVICES ARE VITAL IN THE PROCESS OF EMPOWERING STREET CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE STREET LIFE. ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES MUST BACK OFF. METRO POLICE - DO NOT LEAD DURBAN INTO 2010 SHAME. Umthombo will be posting the names of the Captain in charge of the round-ups and the ultimate chain of command so that concerned citizens and football fans both in SA and overseas can campaign for the ending of round-ups (forced removals.) Watch this space. Both Xolani and Kheto arrived back in Durban and came separately to Umthombo with their stories.
Umthombo Arts blog updated (13/01/10): Log in to http://umthomboarts.blogspot.com to see Umthombo's artist-in-residence, Mxolisi Sithole's latest entry on what has been happening recently in Umthombo's arts world.
Shameful: Metro Police round-ups (forced removals) of street children in Durban continue in run-up to 2010 FIFA World Cup (10/01/10): Street children continue to be harassed and rounded-up on an almost daily basis in Durban. Siphelele, 14, who currently has his broken arm in a cast, was removed from the city streets by Police and dumped in one of the townships on the outskirts of Durban. He walked back. Other times the children have alleged being dumped outside of the city. Umthombo is aware that SAPS (South Africa's national police) are NOT involved and have a generally good relationship with street children. It is the municipal police (Metro Police) who continue to do this. Once again, Umthombo states that street children are NOT to be "dealt with" through enforcement strategies based on Safety and Security philosophies but rather empowered compassionately to be able to leave street-life sustainably. This is a social development issue.
Umthombo on Fuel TV: Element Skateboards and US surf/skate shoe brand Tom's shoes visit Umthombo for a shoe drop and a skate/surf session (11/01/10): see video http://www.fuel.tv/TheDailyHabit/videos/view/15359 and photos: http://www.elementskateboards.com/oneforone/south-africa-shoe-skateboard-drop/index-umthombo.html# Thanks to Element and Tom's shoes for ongoing support!!!
Umthombo surfers get support from South African online magazine, Mahala (04/01/10): Mahala, who have supported Umthombo's surfing program in the past arrived at Umthombo with 12 new surfboards this weekend. For more info read the following: http://www.mahala.co.za/surf/stoke-street/ Thanks to everyone at Mahala and to surfer, Josh Reynolds, for collecting the awesome boards.
Umthombo to upgrade its website (02/01/10): in a few weeks you will see the new updated 2010 Umthombo website. Please be patient with us during this time. We are nearly there!!
Welcome to 2010: Happy new Year! (01/01/10) After a busy Christmas time at Umthombo it is dawning on us that the Street Child World Cup is two and a half months away! FIFA 2010 is only six months away!! Happy New Year to all our supporters and friends. Safespace is now fully operational and we are ready for 2010. Bring it on! Check out the Street Child World Cup webpage on www.streetchildworldcup.org
Street-girl hit by car whilst being chased by a security guard (25/11/09): A girl called Nonhlanhla was chased into the road by a store security guard after begging outside the tyre-fitting store. She ran into the path of a car and received injuries to her leg. The store phoned the police in order to explain their side of the story and had a "friend" tell police that she had tried to grab his bag. This was not true. A private "discussion" happened between the store owners and the SA police after which the police decided that they had the "real" story and there was no need to speak to anyone else despite there being many witnesses. Even the metro Police who were very helpful that day were left shaking their heads at the SAPS officers actions. When confronted by Umthombo the SA Police officer simply refused to hear anything and drove off. Thanks to Umthombo's medical team and the emergency medical team that came to the scene. Thanks also to Metro Police.
Umthombo co-founder speaks at gala dinner in London for the upcoming Street Child World Cup (19/11/09): Bulelwa Hewitt, former street child and co-founder of Umthombo was a guest speaker at a gala dinner in London, last night, in aid of the Street Child World Cup which is hosted by Umthombo and will be held next March. She shared the stage with footballers such as Eduardo, Jamie Redknapp, also football fan and former political advisor Alastair Campbell and popular British radio DJ and TV personality, Simon Mayo. It was a great evening and excitement is mounting for the actual event that will see nine teams of former and present day street children playing a football tournament in March in Durban. There will also be a conference and arts programme running alongside the football, which will celebrate the potential of street children around the world. For more info see: www.streetchildworldcup.org
FIFA 2010 Update: Round-ups (forced removals) of street children by Metro Police continues in Durban (04/11/09): The rounding up of street children by Durban's Metro Metro Police continues routinely as Durban prepares for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. Metro Police even come up to Umthombo's premises early in the morning attempting to remove street children who are outside. Children are then taken out lf the city and dumped. When questioned, the police tell us that there are municipal by-laws around loitering and sleeping on the streets and that they are tasked with upholding these. This week a street youth called Themba, 20, was chased by Metro Police and ran into traffic, being hit by a car and breaking his leg. Umthombo maintains that it is immoral to stretch city bylaws to fit Safety and Security agendas that view street children as a problem rather than victims of society. Umthombo wants no children living in the streets but this will only happen by embracing strategies that are in the best interest of the child and that focus on overcoming the traumas of their lives with therapeutic processes that see them reintegrated with communities. Although Durban Solid Waste (DSW) is often spotted with Metro Police on the round-ups, they are the only municipal departments involved. ALL OTHER MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY INVOLVED IN THE ROUND-UPS HAVE LONG SINCE DIVESTED AND NO LONGER HARASS AND HURT STREET CHILDREN. Umthombo applauds the municipality and knows that Metro Police will soon follow suit. Noone wants to let the side down around human rights for 2010.
Umthombo surfers in music video...Check this out! (25/08/09) Members of Umthombo surf-club star in music video for Durban rock band Rambling Bones. Thanks so Mahala Surf. The surf program is one of Umthombo's programs providing alternatives to streetlife for street kids in Durban. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eORumzMiD30
Umthombo Fundraiser (Durban): Dancing Queen! 17th September, Barnyard Theatre, Gateway, Umhlanga Ridge. (20/08/09) Umthombo is having a fundraiser at the Barnyard theatre. Although the Umthombo fundraiser was scheduled for a play that fuses African and African American music...it was cancelled and...we got Dancing Queen, a celebration of the music of Queen and Abba! Tickets are between R150-R210 and tables of 10 are available. It will be a lot of fun. There will also be a brief overview of Umthombo as well as raffles and prizes! Umthombo staff are just lining up to rent Freddie Mercury outfits for the event! Please email us on bulelwa@umthombo.org to book tickets.
Report on Umthombo's SAFESPACE and the Street Child World Cup featured on front page of BBC News! (11/08/09): Check out the BBC report on the Street Child World Cup that will take place in Durban next year (in March 2010...not June as they say in the report!!) and the work of Umthombo: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8093501.stm
Umthombo moves office but phone lines down due to Telkom strike (10/08/09): Umthombo's head office in Durban has moved. We are no longer in the Embassy Building. We are now situated next door to SAFESPACE, our new therapeutic drop-in centre in Durban's Point district. However, because of the Telkom strike, we have not been able to get our phone lines transferred yet. So, apologies to those trying to get through by phone. Our numbers will remain the same though and should be on again next week.
Metro Police rounding up street children and homeless adults daily (08/08/09): Durban's municipal police have stepped up their round-up campaigns in the run-up to 2010. Scores of street children in Durban's Point area are telling stories of being chased and rounded-up, sometimes alleging that they are beaten (and showing bruises to back this up) bundled into Metro "walla-walla" vans. From the streets they are taken briefly to the Metro Police offices in Parkview, Marine Parade and then driven out of town to near Stanger and dumped, often in the sugar cane plantations. The children walk back to town on foot, usually arriving back in the early hours of the morning. Umthombo has followed a number of these round-ups, with international observers. A group of visiting business people from the UK were horrified this week and went in to the Metro Police station to ask what would happen to the children that they saw detained. They were told that they would "return them to their families!" This did not happen. The children are charged with loitering. This is a classic example of stretching a city bylaw to fit the agenda of removing the "unsightly" from the city. Children are well aware of which Metro Captain is ALWAYS behind the round-ups and often part of the round-up teams. Umthombo says: Street children is NOT a Safety and Security issue (which leads to enforcement strategies), it is a Social Development issue which calls for compassionate social working strategies that recognise the trauma of the children's experiences and implement therapeutic processes that empower children to leave street life and return to community life. The Provincial Department of Social Development (who has the mandate around the issue) does have a Child Protection Committee. If you are concerned about the round-ups please contact them and ask what is being done to protect street children from Metro Police. Concerned people in Durban are collecting a photobank of round-up images. It must be stressed that Metro appears to be acting unilaterally. Other parts of the eThekwini Municipality have a much more progressive an dcompassionate approach to street children and Umthombo is excited to see this.
Street boy killed in Durban whilst being beaten (02/07/09): Jomo, a 17-year-old boy living on the streets, was killed this evening. He was being chased by a plain clothed enforcement official (it is still unclear which agency). He was handcuffed and being whipped at the side of a busy road. As they removed the handcuffs he tried to escape and ran off the curb into the path of an oncoming car. The enforcement official, who had a white Toyota Condor, was seen by the SAPS, his registration number taken, but left the scene soon after. He was identified as living in Chesterville. Police have yet to identify to us, who he is working for. Umthombo wishes to state that this is what WILL happen if enforcement strategies based on safety and security agendas are used instead of social development strategies around the issue of street children. Street children are human beings that have fallen through the cracks of society and need the best therapeutic interventions that will empower them to leave street-life. Beating them away from the city centre for 2010 is immoral and a disgrace. Jomo's friends were devastated and Umthombo staff spent the evening with the other children, many of whom were in tears. Hamba Kahle Jomo.
Umthombo says goodbye to long-time staff member Xolani Mnguni (01/07/08): Xolani, affectionately known as Snoopy, has worked with Umthombo for more than five years. He has worked on the street as part of the Durban Street Team, in aftercare and has been part of the team developing a new project for Umthombo called Umthombo Tours. He is moving on to set up his own events company. Xolani will remain a friend of Umthombo and we wish to thank him for his service and wish him well for the future. We definitely think he is going to make waves in his new career!
Umthombo's SAFESPACE extends! (29/06/09): Umthombo is about to open the new wing at SAFESPACE. This will increase the size of the facility dramatically. The new wing has been adorned with a fantastic mural painted by Umthombo's Arts Coordinator, Mxolisi Sithole, the children and two students from Durban University of Technology (DUT). The centre of the mural is a huge picture of a South African struggle hero Steve Biko whose thinking was influential in Umthombo's founding philosophy. SAFESPACE is a specialist mentoring centre for children living on Durban's streets. It is a therapeutic centre with an array of programs designed by Umthombo's social working team to bring the children closer to being able to leave street life and return to community life. Although operating already the centre will be fully operational by October 2009.
Top Japanese soccer star visits Umthombo (26/06/09): Children at Umthombo's SAFESPACE had a visit from an inspirational star from Japan called Tsuyoshi Kitazawa. Tsuyoshi met the team of children who are training for the Street Child World Cup to be held in March 2010 during a training session. He also played a game with them. He was most encouraging and also noted that street children was an issue that both South Africa and Japan faced but that in Japan, they are struggling to talk about it. It was a great day. Thanks to Tsuyoshi for coming and to Sandile Mqadi for setting it up. To read the article that appeared in the Durban Daily News follow the link below: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20090626114139799C928341
Durban street children take part in training program for South African Police (23/06/09): Two girls living on Durban's streets, one former street child from Umthombo and other Umthombo staff joined a training program that the British Metropolitan Police were running for SAPS. The training program was around working with young people. The children were able to articulate reasons that children come to the streets and what happens to them there. The police were very engaged and were genuinely interested in the issue. Thanks to the children involved, to the UK Met police and also to the SAPS. Umthombo also recognises that the SAPS generally have a good relationship with street children and even the children themselves recognise this. Allegations of bad treatment are almost always levelled against the Metro Police, the municipal police that uphold the city bylaws and the interests of the city.
NEWSFLASH: Police and Robbers in tragic shootout outside Umthombo's SAFESPACE! (01/05/09): There was chaos for hours outside Umthombo's Safespace when armed robbers robbed a car dealership across the road. Sipho, Umthombo's advocacy officer, was giving some advocacy training to staff when bullets started flying outside the window which went on for some time as police and robbers battled. Two police were killed as was one robber and one truck driver caught in the crossfire. The stand-off lasted from 11.30am to 6pm and the block was closed off. Staff and children at Umthombo remained safely inside the building (aptly named SAFESPACE!) during the incident. This is unusual and the first time this has happened around Safespace.
Durban street children make music! (23/04/09): UK born musician/composer and trumpet player Liz Price has just been in SA with Umthombo under the direction of Umthombo's Arts Director, Mxolisi Sithole. The children did small scale, informal recordings using her portable recording set up. These were both a-cappella performances and also freestyle - responding to musical tracks written especially. At the beginning the children were keen though often quite shy insisting on being out of earshot of other people and recording very quietly. By the end they were crowding around wanting to get their turn on the mike! In the run up to creating a public event, (which happened at Durban's Botanic Gardens) that set out from the start to be participatory, and community-building, Liz brought musicians Njeza Dlamini, Ian Van Tonder, Richard Ellis, Brian Watts, and Joseph Omo into Umthombo to perform. The response was electric! The musicians were also thrilled to have taken part. In the run up to the concert on the 18th T Bone Hlane worked on performance with the children. On the 17th april, 14 musicians of all ages including rappers, drummers, singers and instrumentalists all came to lend a hand coaching those young people who were interested in performing. One valuable spin off was via Yo TV who came and televised some of the show and interviewed Liz, Mxo and 15 of the children. Thanks to Mxo, Liz and all those involved. Liz is reported to be eagerly plotting the follow up. For more info see the umthomboarts blog.
A Durban street child in Umthombo's programs tosses coin at IPL Cricket league match (22/04/09): The Indian Premier League (IPL) is being held in South Africa after the attacks that happened in India. This has created great excitement in Durban. Thanks to Andrew at Slingshot Productions street children are able to watch the game. Recently, one of the boys in Umthombo's programs tossed the coin at the beginning of the match. The children have had great fun and are developing an interest ion the game as well. It is great to see street children included in a positive way in events that happen in Durban.
AIDS conference in Durban holds panel debate on 2010 World Cup and street children (01/04/09): A panel that included eThekwini municipal manager, Dr. Michael Sutcliffe and Umthombo CEO, Mr. Tom Hewitt, debated the issue of street children and the upcoming FIFA world cup in Durban today. The link to health was the fact that Umthombo and UKZN have been involved with a piece of research around the state of the health of street children in Durban. Researcher, Christy McConnell gave a brief overview of some of the results of this research. The debate was an important starting point for dialogue around the issue of what strategies would be used to serve/deal with (depending on your agenda!) street children in Durban during 2010. Umthombo is committed to partnerships that see a compassionate, informed and realistic city wide strategy developed based on excellent professional service delivery and recognition of the complexities of trauma. Moja!
Durban street children address KZN Alliance for Street Children meeting to explain their needs and to advise the Alliance on key street-issues (10/03/09): A group of street children from Durban joined other street children from Pietermaritzburg and Port Shepstone to explain street-life issues that face them. The alliance decided that in order to be really relevant, it needed to listen first hand to the testimony of children who still live in the streets. It was a powerful and moving meeting with some harrowing stories. All members present were deeply moved and appreciative of the honesty of the children. Umthombo and other organisations of integrity are members of the KZN Alliance. Ironically, when Umthombo staff went to get the children on the morning of the meeting, the Metro Police (the municipal police) and Durban Solid Waste (municipal refuse collectors) had just taken away all of the children's blankets and clothes. Some of the children allege the use of teargas and some allege being hit. Umthombo staff witnessed, that morning, many police trucks surrounding the children and a Durban solid waste truck in the middle. The children allege that this happens a few times a week and that they have been told by the police that it is for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Pregnant street girl alleges being beaten up by police and then threatened with death (10/03/09): A 17 year old girl living on Durban's streets has opened a case against a police officer who she alleges beat her up. Soon after opening the case, with the help of one of Umthombo's social workers, the girl alleges that the officer came to visit her on the streets threatening to kill her and Umthombo's social worker. Umthombo went straight to the police. In a new twist, the same officer is alleged to have beaten up one of the girl's friends on the streets. Umthombo has now taken the issue to the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), where complaints against the police can be made. Umthombo stresses that generally the SAPS have a good relationship with the children on the streets and this seems to be a lone case.
Street children in Durban meet with research team for feedback session at Umthombo (20/02/09): Last year Umthombo was involved in a UKZN research project focusing on the physical and psychosocial health of street children in Durban, including a focus on the HIV prevalence rate amongst the existing children living on the streets. Funded by the British Government's Department for International Development (DFID), it was conducted in partnership with the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal and Street Action UK. The aim of the project was to provide objective data to describe children's experiences on the street and to describe the range of services (or lack of) directed at them. The research intends to provide insights and perspectives that, even if not exhaustive, could update and better guide responses and services to these children. Prior to any public dissemination of results, the research team made a commitment to feed back the analysis of the data and a summary of the findings to the children who participated in the workshops and, where possible, to the children who participate in the health survey. On Wednesday 18 February over 70 children packed into Umthombo’s new Safe Space centre to participate in an especially designed evaluation session to feedback the results from the workshops held with the children last September 2008. The session was to enable the children to tell the research team whether they ‘agreed’ or ‘disagreed’ with the finding using interactive methods or drawing, painting and writing and conversation. The children were reminded that they remained the most important people in this study and without their input this research would not have become a reality. The completed study will be published later this year and Street Action.
Blog-news! Keep up to date with Umthombo ARTS!! (16/02/09): Please take a moment to have a look at the Umthombo arts blogspot. Mxolisi (Mxo) Sithole, who heads up the program, updates and designs this. It's an awesome blog and really demonstrates a very successful program run at Umthombo's SAFESPACE. There are some great pictures of the murals being painted by the children at SAFESPACE. The website is: http://umthomboarts.blogspot.com Thanks to Mxo for his dedication and to Greenbelt Festivals for their support on the program.
Ikusasa Lethu: Durban street children have a day of soccer, games and fun with Charlton Athletic Football Club, The British Metropolitan Police and British Airways (Umthombo's new partner) (15/02/09): Forty of Durban's street children had an incredible day in KwaMashu township yesterday which, involved a rigorous soccer training and lots of fun and food! The visitors from Britain invited the street children for what was a really memorable event. The children were all given Charlton kit and had a great time. Umthombo staff members Bulelwa Hewitt (Operations Director) and Vuyani Madolo (LIFE SPACE) had been assisting the facilitating of the Ikusasa Lethu (the Future Belongs to Us) workshops for the week. The whole week was fantastic. Local participation included SAPS, eThekwini municipality and Amazulu Football Club. Special thanks to the British High Commission, British Airways, the British Metropolitan Police and ofcourse, Charlton Athletic Football Club.
Umthombo's advocacy officer and soccer coach, Sipho Mfeya, trains as an FA Level 1 soccer coach with Charlton Athletic Football Club and Amazulu Football Club (14/02/09): Umthombo Young Stars, Umthombo's soccer team for the street children of Durban, which is used as a tool for empowering children to be able to leave street life, has received in boost this week. Coach Sipho Mfeya (Umthombo's advocacy officer) has been trained as a level 1 FA coach. This is a great achievement and Umthombo wishes to thank Charlton Athletic who were in Durban training local community based coaches. Charlton have an amazing community program in the UK and are active in South Africa as well. Umthombo was hugely impressed with the them! Thanks also to Amazulu Football Club in Durban. Well done to Sipho and Viva Umthombo Young Stars!!
Commissioner Paul Stephenson, head of London's Metropolitan Police visits Umthombo (14/02/09): Commissioner Paul Stephenson is the new chief of the Met. Police, in the UK. He has only been in the job a few weeks and this was his first international visit as commissioner. Straight from the airport, the first place he came to was Umthombo, to meet the street children of Durban at SAFE SPACE, Umthombo's therapeutic drop-in centre. He observed a girls program that was running at the centre and interacted with staff and children. Everybody remarked as to how friendly and encouraging he and his colleagues were. Umthombo has been assisting in "Delivery week," a soccer program around issues of "being safe" which the Met. Police, the British High Commission, British Airways and Charlton Athletic have been involved in here in Durban.
Are you a local Durban person or business that can donate sofas, office desks, cabinets and chairs? Umthombo needs these for it's two new centres: SAFESPACE (for street children) and LIFESPACE (for street youth). Here is a wish-list for these two projects: a photocopier/fax/printer, computers for the computer lab, office desks, office filing cabinets, office, chairs, beanbags and sofas. Please contact Nosipho, Umthombo's administrator, on 031 337 9222 or email nosipho@umthombo.org THANKS FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP!!
Durban street children allege harassment from Metro Police (05/02/09): Children living on Durban's streets reported Metro Police chasing them, allegedly beating them and stealing (and cutting up) their blankets and clothes earlier this week. It was obviously an "operation" as children all over the city were complaining and showing bruises on Tuesday morning. Umthombo has stated many times that this is a violation of their rights and shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue. Nobody wants to see children living on the streets and Umthombo's programs are geared towards getting kids off the streets. However, it is a PROCESS, as they are traumatised to different levels. Therefore these "quick-fix" solutions that pander to business, tourism and "national agendas" cannot be tolerated. Frankly, through such actions Metro Police endanger the image and reputation of Durban and they may have underestimated the effect of international media coverage of such activities when the spotlight is on South Africa.
Durban City Councillor, Vusi Khoza, who was recently given the portfolio of overseeing street children initiatives in the city, is charged with two counts of murder connected to a xenophobic mob attack and robbery and assault in a separate case (04/02/09): City Councillor for Albert Park, Vusi Khoza, has been charged with two counts of murder after an allegedly xenophobic mob attack which left two non South African Africans dead in Albert Park, Durban. A few weeks before he was charged with robbery and assault in a separate incident. Khoza has been a name that crops up around the issue of street children for the last ten years and was involved in the now-defunct Street Children's Forum (which ran the controversial Thuthukani Harm Reduction Centre). Umthombo was told that Khoza was given the portfolio of "street children" within the municipality recently. Khoza raised eyebrows in the child-care arena last year when it was reported in the media that, according to himself, he intervened in a "mugging" being carried out by street children. It was reported in the media that he drew his gun, fired shots and then promptly had it removed from him by the children/youth. For more information read: http://www.themercury.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20090203075620140C419136
Umthombo Young Stars boosted by FA soccer coach (03/02/09): Umthombo's soccer club, which is used as a tool for getting kids off the streets, has received a boost in the form of FA level 1 soccer coach Matt Dixon (UK) joining coach Sipho Mfeya (Umthombo's advocacy officer and soccer coach). Both Matt and Sipho will be part of a coach training week with Charlton Athletic Football club next week in Durban. Umthombo welcomes Matt to the team!
Umthombo's Lifespace to open shortly (15/01/09): Umthombo's new advice centre for street children who have reached 18 and over (street youth) will open at the beginning of February. This is a partnership project with YMCA-Durban. This is really significant as there are no programs for street youth in Durban who are o ver 18. The idea is to empower the young people to be able to leave street-life and ultimately become employed.
Umthombo busy over the Christmas and New Year period (27/12/08): Umthombo has been busy reintegrating children with their communities over the festive season. Just this week the reintegration team has taken children back to Hluhluwe and Pietermaritzburg in KZN as well as Centani, and Butterworth in the Eastern Cape. Each of these children will need aftercare (follow-up and support) to ensure that the reintegration remains smooth. The follow-up for the children who went back to the Eastern Cape will be done by Umthombo East London.
McDonalds Durban employs five former street children in Umthombo's mentoring program (26/12/08): Five of the young adults in Umthombo's mentoring program have been accepted for employment at McDonalds in Durban. This is great news. Umthombo staff and McDonalds have developed a friendship over the past few months. The young adults went through the interview process and were accepted on merit. Umthombo continues to monitor their progress. Thanks to the McDonalds managers for allowing them to come and interview and for believing in them.
Happy Christmas to all Umthombo's supporters and partners. (25/12/08): Umthombo wishes everyone a Happy Christmas and peaceful and joyous 2009. This Christmas, please do not forget those who are less fortunate and for whom Christmas in perhaps not peaceful or joyous. Let's pray that next Christmas there are even fewer street children having to live on Durban's city streets.
Umthombo's Bulelwa Hewitt featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine (16/12/08): Umthombo's Operations Director and former street-child Bulelwa Hewitt was selected by Cosmopolitan magazine as one of their Fun, Fearless, Females for 2008. They featured a write-up on her in the December issue (Africa). Well done to Bulelwa for showing that former street children can go on to do amazing things and also for getting the issue of street children out there in the media.
Umthombo's surf team competes in Umzumbe (15/12/08): Surfers from Umthombo's surf club travelled to Umzumbe to compete against the Umzumbe surf club in a competition that was held in good surf. Congratulations to Sfiso and Lucky who won their divisions!! The whole team had a great day. Thanks to the Umzumbe surf club and to Umthombo's coach Sandile for planning the day. Thanks also to Lizzard surfwear for sponsoring clothing for the team.
Umthombo opens SAFE SPACE (01/12/08): Umthombo's SAFE SPACE, the first therapeutic centre for street children in Durban is finally open! Launched on World AIDS Day, a group of Umthombo supporters gathered to hear the vision and see the facilities. Unfortunately the building work and refurbishing has taken longer than planned so the facility will only be properly ready in January. The centre's programs are run by Umthombo's senior Social Worker Ashika Pramlall. Lindelani Magwaza who has been with Umthombo for many years is centre manager. We will bring you more updates on the centre.
Umthombo hosts British High Commissioner (Ambassador) on the streets of Point, Durban (15/11/08): Britain's High Commissioner to South Africa, Paul Boateng, visited Umthombo and the street children of Durban on Friday. Umthombo introduced the High Commissioner to children on the streets of Point, close to Durban's international Conference Centre (ICC). They shared their life stories with the High Commissioner. The group then went to see Umthombo's work and spent time with the therapeutic art program before visiting uShaka beach to meet with Umthombo's surf club (a program designed to empower street children to leave street life). It was a great day and a tremendous encouragement to the children and the team. Umthombo is participating in a soccer program with the British High Commission in February 2009.
Umthombo Arts goes from strength to strength! (07/11/08): Umthombo's therapeutic art program is continuing to strengthen. For an update please visit: www.umthomboarts.blogspot.com Thanks to KZN artist and Umthombo Art Co-ordinator, Mxolisi Sithole, for pioneering this program. Thanks also to UK volunteer Annabelle Walker who is coming to the end of an eight-month volunteer period with the program. Also special thanks to Greenbelt Festivals UK and the Amos Trust UK who have supported the Art program.
Umthombo sends congratulations to its US supporters on the election of President Barack Obama (05/11/08): Umthombo has a lot of US supporters and whereas we cannot presume that all support Obama, nor do we normally comment on party politics, today is an extraordinary occasion! We certainly can be sure that the campus of our good friends at the University of San Francisco (USF) will be buzzing with excitement right now. So to those at USF we send congratulations on this historic election and the hope that it brings. There was a lot of emotion and tears of joy here in SA as well! YES YOU CAN!
Way to go, dude!! One of Umthombo Surf Club's (Point) young surfers enters competition at New Pier Durban. (14/11/08): Lucky has been on the streets for about 7 years. He has joined Umthombo's surf club which is a program developed to get street children off glue sniffing and to provide ways for them to leave the streets. The program has a therapeutic component provided by Umthombo's social workers. Lucky has been practising his surfing and was the first Umthombo surfer to enter a local surf competition. OK...so it was not easy, he got knocked out in round one but he is more eager than ever to train and come back and eventually be able to compete with other young Durban rippers! Umthombo salutes Lucky. Thanks also go to Sandile Cyril Mqadi, Umthombo's surf coach, to Shaun from JEEP at uShaka who has provided a base for the team and the equipment. Also big thanks to visiting UK surfers and surf coaches Joe and Dave Williams (Cornwall, UK) for their support of the program. Umthombo's surfers are a regular fixture at uShaka beach now.
Stop Press (03/11/08): Thursday 11.30pm: Metro Police (municipal police) and South African Police (SAPS) (Tourism unit based on North Beach Durban) round-up street children at Bay of Plenty on Durban beach front. Children detained and allege being sjambokked (whipped) and youths (adults) allege being arrested. Children also allege that hotel staff were involved as well as a 4x4 beach vehicle used by security from SunCoast casino. Details are coming, activity being investigated. there seems to be a familiar old guard that are behind these "operations." Some of them have quite a history of engaging in "clean-ups" of street children and are known to Umthombo. To them Umthombo says what image are you creating of Durban for 2010: a caring city or a city that brutalises children in order to appear attractive to visitors? You choose. Umthombo is committed to ensuring that street children are empowered to be able to leave street life now, during 2010 and beyond 2010. Umthombo is a proudly DURBAN organisation committed to ensuring that Durban can unashamedly stand tall with pride during 2010 knowing that it IS a caring city. VIVA DURBAN.
Soccer special! Umthombo Young Stars and Umthombo Staff do battle outside Umthombo's drop-in centre. (15/10/08): The Umthombo Young stars gave the Umthombo staff a lesson or two in a soccer match that took place yesterday in Durban. The event was organised by Mxolisi, who runs Umthombo's therapeutic art program. The Young Stars produced a team of children and youth whereas Umthombo staff produced a slightly unfit and out-of-breath team! Veteran street children activist Eugene Ngidi scored a surprise goal (and is still basking in the glory!) but the staff could not hold back the skill of the young stars who triumphed with a 3-1 victory. It was a great event and allowed everyone a moment, in what has been a very busy year, to simply have fun together.
"Safe Space" update (09/10/08): The building that Umthombo will be using for the much anticipated "Safe Space" Centre in Durban is not quite finished yet. It has been undergoing renovations and is looking fantastic. Umthombo hopes to open the new specialist centre on 1st November. The centre will offer therapeutic service and will be run by Umthombo's social workers alongside child and youth-care workers. It is the first time that such services have been offered to street children in Durban. It has been carefully planned over the last six months. If you or your business would like to be involved in supporting this centre please contact us at info@umthombo.org
Street boy hit by car in Durban (07/10/08): One of the street boys (aged 12) who lives in the Point area of Durban was hit by a fast moving car last night. According to eyewitnesses, he literally flew up in the air. It appears that it was caused by a combination of the fact that he was high on glue at the time and the fact that the motorist was speeding. Umthombo medical staff were called and the boy was rushed to hospital. Miraculously, although he was in a lot of pain there was no major damage. The hospital surprisingly discharged him within two hours (even though he received head injuries.) Umthombo is committed to ensuring that boys like this are empowered to be able to leave street life and return to community life. Thanks to the other street boys that alerted the Umthombo team and to the staff and ambulance team.
Umthombo attends annual Alliance for Street Children Conference in Cape Town (04/10/08): Umthombo staff including advocacy officer and former street child Sipho Mfeya attended this conference which was held at a wet, cold cape Town!! It was a great conference though with good representation from NGO's, city officials and national and provincial governments. There were only two bodies represented from KZN though (Umthombo and Themba Club, which works in Port Shepstone.) The three day conference touched on some important subjects related to the issue of street children and had an active Children's component to the conference with children from different parts of the country taking part. Thanks to the Alliance team for all their hard work. The Alliance has become the umbrella body for organisation of integrity that operate around the issue of street children in South Africa.
Representatives from the British High Commission and London's Metropolitan Police meet with the street children of Durban (15/09/08): Umthombo hosted a visit from the British High Commission, Met Police (UK) and British business people involved in a soccer event that will be happening in Durban. The event which sees Durban's SAPS and others playing a soccer tournament will take place early next year. Umthombo is busy preparing the Umthombo Young Stars for the event! The visit was great fun as the Met police arrived in uniform! The street children in Durban had never seen a British police officer. Umthombo gave the visitors a tour of the streets to meet with street children and hear their stories, as well as an overview of what Umthombo does. Thanks to the British High Commission for making this day happen!
Amos Trust UK supporters raise money for Umthombo through cycling across the UK! (03/09/08): Twenty-five people - 20 from Cambridge - aged 15 to 62 - cycled across England recently, to raise money for Umthombo. They rode from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. The ride was about 140 miles, various riders went off road - some very off road - and others got overtaken by a flock of sheep as they climbed Whinlatter Pass! The crew successfully raised well over £20,000 for Umthombo through what was a great challenge and hard work but lots of laughter. Adrian Reith, one of the organisers from Cambridge, said, "My lasting impression is cycling carbon-free through beautiful countryside, going over some steep climbs with wonderful people, having great conversations, creating new friendships while raising money for a project that brings real hope, Umthombo Street Children." Umthombo wishes to express its thanks for this wonderful event and appreciates every penny that has been raised for the work in Durban. Thanks Team Amos!!!
Durban Street Children in therapeutic art program (01/09/08): Thanks to a UK organisation called Trust Greenbelt, Umthombo has an artist in residence, Mxolisi Sithole. Mxolisi is a renowned local artist and has developed a street based art program as part of Umthombo's outreach programs. The children are loving it and it is proving to be a great part of Umthombo's goal of empowering street children to be able to leave the streets. Thanks Mxolisi and Trust Greenbelt! Visit Mxolisi's blog: http://umthomboarts.blogspot.com

Umthombo to launch new centre in Durban: Safe Space (15/08/08): Next month Umthombo will be launching a new early intervention program for street children in the Point area of Durban. Safe Space will offer therapeutic programs for street children and will be run by Umthombo's two social workers alongside a team of child and youthcare workers (many of whom are former street children). The centre is designed to empower children to be able to leave street life and to work in conjunction with the Umthombo/Icare Drop-in Centre. We will keep you posted as to when the launch date is. It is expected to open mid -Sept