The Thoughtful Path
Our achievements
Somewhere to Play — the Sports and Arts Arena
We have built the new sports and performing arts arena, supported by a donation from The Property Race Day. It sits next to the Hope Park Children’s Health Campus and is a multi-functional facility for children and young people is the only one of its kind in Munsieville’s fast-growing informal settlement. It boasts a beautiful arts arena so that young performers can express themselves through dance, theatre and music.
Improving Health for All at Hope Park
Opened in 2017, Hope Park offers separate health posts for infants, young children and teenagers. Its Child Nutrition Centre is sponsored by law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. The health posts and community hall, sponsored by The Property Race Day, offer life-saving and life-enhancing services to children and young people. Stakeholders, such as the Department of Health, use the facility for vaccinations and workshops.
Safety — Making Home a Safer Place
Across South Africa, many children lose their lives in informal settlement fires. Since launching our home safety campaigns in Munsieville in 2013, very few lives have been lost in this way. Our campaigns include simple, cost-free steps to reduce the risk of fires such as hanging paraffin bottles up on hooks and placing a candle in sand in a glass jar. Safety workshops are held regularly at Hope Park.
The Opening of Munsieville TloTlo Arena in 2019
A Much Needed Sanctuary at the Children’s Embassy
The Children’s Embassy is a place for children to come to when they feel they need our support or when they just need to relax in a happy, safe environment and talk to people who care about them. Many visitors seek advice concerning the rights of children to basic health, education and social services, particularly for those who do not have identity documents.
Early Childhood Development
When The Thoughtful Path was established in Munsieville in 2010, hundreds of pre-school children would spend their days in poor conditions, with no trained staff and no educational toys, books or play equipment. Now things have changed. We have delivered professional training to over 50 creche operators who now provide a high-quality service and the best preparation for success when children subsequently join school.
Growing Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Malnutrition is a significant public health challenge in South Africa, particularly among young children. Lack of a nutritious diet affects a child’s mental and physical well-being, and impacts on their educational potential. Our food gardens provide healthy, fresh food and have been established in over 750 homes.