Focus on iThemba

General information

The core pillars that lead and drive the organisation are as follows:

iThemba Community:
Focus on iThemba believes in the power of education, it is generally recognised as one of the most powerful transformational tools. The iThemba Schools Enterprise Development Model upgrades exisiting (or new) creches and pre-schools in the Embo Valley to become legal and sustainable businesses. The children receive quality Early Childhood Development care enabling them to thrive at later Foundation Phase schooling. Principals and teachers receive support, training and mentorship. The strength of the programme is our Field Worker who ensures the creches and pre-schools receive support and that core educational principles and routines are instilled correctly.
The creches will eventually produce well prepared and educated children for the Valley of 1000 Hills schools and Waterfall Prep and Waterfall College which are based on the iThemba Campus.

iThemba Scholars:
Focus on iThemba currently offers eight scholarships to learners from our ECD partners who demonstrate the potential to thrive academically. Located on the iThemba Campus Waterfall Schools, encompassing Waterfall Pre-Primary, Waterfall Preparatory and Waterfall College, offer quality education from 6 months to Grade 12. These centres of excellence provide quality holistic education with a caring, innovative, personalized approach interwoven with Christian values, community outreach initiatives and affordability. Recipients of our iThemba Scholarship programme receive 12 years of funding to attend the Waterfall Schools from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

iThemba Homes:
For over ten years, Focus on iThemba has been involved with cluster foster care for orphaned and vulnerable children on the iThemba Campus. From 2016 the iThemba Homes concept was adapted into the Esther Model. This model allows families who wish to foster an iThemba child to do so in their own home. Focus on iThemba provides professional support for the family through our Social Worker and the funds required for education, clothing and food. Our original iThembaKids (foster children) have mostly completed their schooling with a few finishing their Grade 12 studies. We continue to support and love our Fledglings who are currently completing their tertiary studies.

iThemba Campus:
Our offices are located in KwaZulu-Natal near Hillcrest, the 48 acre campus overlooks the Valley of 1000 Hills, strategically placed on adjacent to the rural Embo community which is marked by unemployment, poverty and the effects of HIV/AIDS. The landscaping philosophy for the iThemba Campus is to work towards having a ‘Natural Estate’ that is 100% indigenous and will showcase the many indigenous medicinal, bulbs, shrubs trees and the unique grasslands. There are over 2500 indigenous trees and 1000s of shrubs, aloes, grasses, flowers and ground covers planted on the property.

iThemba Friends and Donors:
Our friends and donors continue to be the catalyst that enables Focus on iThemba to achieve our goals. We are extremely grateful for each and every gift we have received and we are committed to ensure that your gifts will bear much fruit in the lives of children in the years that lie ahead. All our finances are externally audited and we are proud to mention that once again this year we received an unqualified audit from Baker Tilly Morrison Murray. Focus on iThemba is a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) this allows donations received to be tax deductible. In addition we are BBBEE compliant and have up-to-date BBBEE certificates available to donors. Our Friends from the USA are able to donate through our accredited 501(c)(3) educational foundation company, Friends of iThemba, which provides an opportunity to receive tax deductions.