Independent Living Programme

In September of 2009,the Adonis Musati Project opened the Musati House, an emergency shelter for the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, including unacommpanied minors, single mothers, and the disabled. The main objective of the shelter was to accommodate and care for these vulnerable individuals until they got back on their feet. The home accommodated around 30 individuals during the span of its operation and all were provided with full board and lodging, counselling, tutoring, medical care, and the services of a social worker. AMP helped adults and youths transition on to independence, whether this meant placing them on training courses to make them more hireable, networking within the community to find them employment, or simply giving them a place of refuge where they could receive the support needed to get on their feet. AMP found sponsors for the school-aged residents so they could continue their primary or secondary educations.

Realising that these school-aged residents would be a longer term commitment, AMP has now placed them on our Independant Living Programme. The main aim of the Independant Living Programme is to facilitate a smooth and beneficial transition for our beneficiaries into life in South Africa. We aim to assist in every way possible to enable them to live an integrated, happy, successful and independent life. The 6 boys who are currently part of the programme have been moved into individual homes with foster parents or mentours, where we are hoping their developmental needs will be met. AMP will continue sponsoring their education costs, food, rent, pocket money and other living expenses.

Last month, Tafadzwa and Carmelle, two youth involved with the Adonis Musati Project (one of whom is part of our ILP Programme), went to Wilderness to attend a Project Colors Youth Mentorship Programme. Sunyata Choice is the founder and director of the programme, which is an experiential youth leadership programme that helps participants build CVs, learn new skills, volunteer, and learn how to make a difference in their communities. Over the course of the 10 day workshop, Tafadzwa and Carmelle gained direct community development experience, learning from local women who have started their own community projects. The two were then required to design their own community project, thinking outside the box to come up with new solutions to community issues. Tafadzwa designed his project to help street youth and Carmelle designed hers to assist the asylum seekers and refugees.

Since the restructuring of the Musati House into the Independent Living Programme, we have seen a very positive change in the lives of the ILP participants. Here are some relfections from the youths on the programme.

‘It is actually a great experience. I love our life style...living as guys only and so few. This makes it so easier to understand each other and simply get along. Things have changed slightly as compared to Musati House (Fishhoek). It feels like now I'm more independent and I've got so much responsibility. It's challenging though but I understand that every household has got its downs and ups..I'm digging it big time.’ -Constantine

Musati House was born when AMP found 11 teenage boys living under the Culemborg Bridge.  After various unsuccessful attempts to find suitable accommodation for them, AMP resorted to the mind-blowing action of renting a house in Kommetjie and starting a residential shelter.  Now, a year and a half later, the project has been transformed into a Foster Care and Independent Living Programme run in the southern suburbs from the AMP Observatory office.  Since its opening in September 2009, the shelter has assisted 30 people, consisting of 15 youths, 8 children, 4 women, 2 men, and one small business.

Nine of the youths and the 4 school-aged children returned to school.  This included a 7 year-old disabled boy who is now at a school for the disabled and is a patient at the Red Cross Children's Hospital - the first time he had seen a doctor in his life.

Every day at our AMP offices we meet courageous men, women and children who have undergone tremendous hardships and survived –they continue to struggle daily never giving up. Sometimes you meet someone who not only survives but also makes use of every opportunity given to them and then gives back to others. Tafadzwa Dube is such a young man.

At age 14 Tafadzwa’s world in Zimbabwe fell apart and he lost his home and his family –to try and survive he went to live on the streets 1st in Zimbabwe, then Mocambique then South Africa moving from city to city untilhe ended up in Cape Town. We first met Tafadswa in about June 2009 when he was homeless and sleeping under the Culemborg bridge in Cape Town. We picked him up and put him in a temporary shelter until Musati House was opened in September 2009 when we moved him and 10 other teenage boys from Zimbabwe into the house.

There has been plenty of movement at Musati house in the last 2 months. We welcome 2 new young boys who are currently in Grade 11 and grade 12  as well as Lydia and her 2 babies and we bid farewell to Nancy and her son Prince as well as Mayo, Beauty and the twins Bliss and Blessed.

AMP helped Nancy to start a small business selling goods at Masiphumelele and  she is now able to support herself and Prince as well as her other children in Zimbabwe. AMP has organized for Prince to continue receiving the best possible medical care and in addition he has been enrolled in a school for special needs children. He gets collected from home in the mornings and returned in the afternoons. This is the first time in his seven years of life he has been able to attend school and is so thrilled to be learning with other children.