Project: Children of the Dawn (COTD) - Lenyenye 
MAMA: Nabila
Started in: 2008
Partner since: 2016 
Location: Lenyenye, Limpopo 
Number of children: 35 (supported by MAMAS), 102 (total)  
Special because: The children of COTD can join join spelling bees, arts and crafts programmes, and various sports codes such rope-skipping and hiking.  

In Lenyenye children are hampered by poverty, illness, unemployment and a lack of education. They live in survival mode, where tomorrow barely features. Children of the Dawn ensures that the basic needs of 102 children are covered and gives them access to meaningful development opportunities in order to grow into responsible, contributing and happy citizens of South Africa.

Households in Lenyenye are  traumatized by poverty, illness, unemployment and a lack of education. The children typically face a long list of issues that hampers their physical, social and emotional development such as: lack of (good) nutrition, extreme poverty, illness and denial surrounding medical issues, lack of committed and able guardians, lack of access to modern infrastructure and lack of access to sport and social networks. Children of the Dawn Lenyenye is giving 102 daily care and support. Of these children, all aged between 5 to 12 years, 83 percent is living in a household where no mother is present.

Through 4 care centers which are open throughout the week, Children of the Dawn Lenyenye provides the beneficiaries with basic necessities such as a monthly food parcel, daily intake of fortified nutrition, school uniforms and related items, household goods and toiletries and clothing. The MAMAS also offer homework support, psychosocial support, family counseling and support in terms of health and social grants. Once the children’s basic needs are covered, they are able to appreciate the many educational and leisure activities that Children of the Dawn offers. It is the vision of the organization that each child should be given access to meaningful development opportunities in order to grow into responsible, contributing and happy citizens of South Africa.

Children of the Dawn was set up in 2002 to support and strengthen rural communities in the remote rural areas in taking care of vulnerable children. Now, the project has grown into a professional initiative which operates in eight different places in 5 of the 9 provinces of South-Africa, namely: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal.

Children's Fund MAMAS supports 4 of Children of the Dawn's projects: Matatiele and Mpumaze on a large scale and Ermelo and Lenyenye on a smaller scale.