1. Loaves and Fishes
Network
An Overview
NPO Number: 050-574

2. Our Vision
Achieve effective and sustainable childcare and development
in the Eastern Cape by developing children emotionally,
physically, psychologically, and spiritually and to their full
potential.
Our Mission
Respond to the needs of children, especially those most
vulnerable by providing safety, nutrition, mental
stimulation, and intervention against abuse, discrimination
and illness
Please note that the Vision and Mission of LAFN is currently
being revised, however the essence of the Vision and
Mission Statements will not change.
NPO Number: 050-574

3. Our History
 LFN grew out of RESEARCH in 2003 of orphaned and poor children in
Duncan Village and surrounding villages.
 Revealed extreme deprivation, hunger, neglect and abuse. It also
identified community women who, “out of their own pockets”, took in
and fed these children.
 Dr Thomas and Dr Frost – needed to do something
 Until 2006, relied on East London community generosity & volunteers
delivered these donations.
 2006-2009: Dept Soc Dev funded. Opened a depot/office, bought a
vehicle, employed staff.
 2006: 5 centres supported.
 2009 to date: Gov funding withdrawn, private funding.
 2012: 24 centres, 1000+ children, 2 meals a day
NPO Number: 050-574

4. What we DO - overview
Feeding
Infra - Orphans &
Vulnerable
structure Children
LAFN
Fund -
Training
raising
NPO Number: 050-574

5. What We Do - Feeding and OVC
Support 26 child care centres in and around East London
1367 children fed on a daily basis – 2 meals per day at day
care centres
OVC – in order to reach the most vulnerable, those children
often not even at centres.
Required spend: R60,000 – R80,000 per month on food.
Design a food nutrition programme.
NPO Number: 050-574

6. What We Do - Training
Background:
Child minders at centres we support usually have no
childcare training.
Childcare techniques normally VERY poor and often
detrimental to children.
Children cramped into hot shacks and under-equipped
venues.
 Carers themselves grew up in these condition.
 Quality of the first 7 years of a child’s life = main
determinant of future social, psychological, intellectual and
spiritual growth.
NPO Number: 050-574

7. What We Do - Training
Have had a programme that caters for the above to turn
these conditions around.
26 centres divided into 5 clusters according to geographic
proximity.
Each cluster allocated a training officer.
Prepare child carers at centres for 1 year qualification -
Further Education and Training Certificate in Early
Childhood Development.
LAFN Training Support Officers provide support before,
during and after qualification for defined time period.
Ensure sustainability!
NPO Number: 050-574

8. What We Do - Training
 Ongoing development of LAFN training support officers
Provide weekly training sessions
Regular workshops
Work with psychologists – monthly case study groups
Demonstration teaching
Supports and supervises child-carers
Aim to achieve quality childcare in difficult circumstances
 Assessments of child carer development and centre
development to ensure quality control
 Centre “makeovers”
NPO Number: 050-574

9. What We Do - Training

10. What We Do – Infrastructural
Development
 Assess infrastructural needs of each centre supported
(buildings, play equipment, layout of centres, space
required according to numbers of children in centre,
other facilities)
Developing prototypes and blueprints of requirements.
Memorandum of Understandings signed with Centres
prior to offering support.
 Asset register maintained.

11. What We Do – Infrastructural
Development

12. Who We Are
10 staff members – employed on year to year contract (not
ideal):
Manager – Pateka Mtintsilana (Institute of Race Relations,
Operation Hunger, co-ordinator for detainees in Border area with
Amnesty International, Lawyers for Human Rights)
1 Training Co-ordinator
6 Training Support Officers
Receptionist
Handyman
 8 Board Members
NPO Number: 050-574

13. Our Board – the Executive
 Chairperson: Brendan Connellan – Operations and Compliance Director of NVest
Financial Holdings Group (incl NFB).
 Deputy Chairperson: Jayshree Thakrar – Director of Community Engagement –
University of Fort Hare.
 Secretary: Canon Lulama Ntshingwa – Anglican of St Martins by the Sea (Gonubie),
Eastern Cape AIDS Council. Chief Exec, Head EC Provincial Council Churches.
 Treasurer: Peter Connell.
 Education: Margarent Irvine – ECD Specialist
 Networking: Ntombazana Botha – Lawyers for Human Rights, MP, Dep Minister of
Arts & Culture, sat on National Executive, crèche in Duncan Village.
 Fundraising: Jenita Chiba – Social Work lecturer, UFH.
NPO Number: 050-574

14. Our Environment
 Socio-Economic survey in 2007 showed:
 less than 50% of children supported in care of mothers
 20% of children supported in household earning R240 per month.
 40% of children at centres from households earning R500 or less per
month.
 75% of all children supported (incl OVC) from households earning R500 or
less per month.
 35% children under-nourished.
 At least 6.4% of children were HIV+ and 16% of parents.
 The above were some of the better off children in the community! Hence
OVC / Special Needs programme.
 86% of fathers not present (dead, sick, unemployed or deserted).
 15% of homes – NO income.
 41% of rural children no receiving Child Support Programme.
NPO Number: 050-574

15. Our Environment
LAFN reaches poor children in
poor communities and makes a
difference!
NPO Number: 050-574

16. Our Needs
Operational Costs: R120,000 per month (to achieve
minimum)
 Currently extremely low on funding
 Embarked on various fundraising efforts - e.g. Debit Order
for Survival Campaign (1500 people in EL to sign a debit
order averaging R40 pm by end Feb)
Need:
People to donate time – fundraising, doctors, social
workers, psychologists, website maintenance etc
 Monetary donations – monthly or lump sums
 Non-cash items (food, toys, children’s clothes, furniture,
books etc)
Companies – choosing LAFN as a CSI project
NPO Number: 050-574

17. We need your help to keep
our doors open and hopes
alive...
Thank you!
NPO Number: 050-574