Sinethemba Projects received funding from StreetSmart Knysna, towards an auxiliary social worker salary.

Bradley Brown (15) has been in foster care since he was nine years old. Both his biological parents are still alive, but he has no relationship or connection with either one of them. His anti-social behaviour changed for the worst when he turned 12. He would get into fights at school, bully younger boys and rebel against teachers. He was suspended on numerous occasions and referred to Sinethemba for the first time, three years ago. Over the past three years he was in two different primary schools, referred to a special needs school in George only for two months, before being expelled for smoking “dagga” on the premises. He was sent to a rehab in Worcester for drug addiction, which did not last one month. He stole valuable items from his foster parents and then sold it to buy drugs. After so many interventions his foster parents gave up and requested the child protection organisation, BADISA, to remove him from their care. It was then when he ended up on the streets selling fruit and vegetables for Traders.

Sinethemba was again approached by BADISA to render a service to both the foster parents and Bradley with the hope of rebuilding the broken relationship. With much persuasion and motivation his foster parents opened the doors again to him and he went back to them. In February this year he started attending the Sinethemba DIC program and showed much more enthusiasm and commitment. We introduced him to pottery making and he attended classes at a Pottery Shop. This was an ideal form of therapy but, unfortunately, had to be stopped due to the lockdown. During the lockdown he started his own little fruit and vegetable stall outside their yard using his foster grant.

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