Family Name: Shabalala Family

Area: Known to TCF

Area Development Facilitator: Agnes Mkhize

Family Composition

Sindisiwe Shabalala, Female, 32, Care giver

Sbusiso Shabalala, Male, 13, Orphan

Nokuthula Shabalala, Female, 10, Orphan

Thulani Shabalala, Male, 9, Abandoned

Thokoza Shabalala, Male, 5, Care giver’s child

Mpilwenhle Ndlovu, Female, 9, Care giver’s child

Family background

This family was identified in January 2009 by our volunteer. Sindisiwe is caring for two of her own children and is step mother to two children from her late husband (She was married to their father who passed away in March 2008. Their biological mother died in March 2003). In addition, she cares for an abandoned child from her late husband’s extended family.

Basic Financial security

The caregiver receives child support grants for 3 children (R690pm in total) but, as this is the only income the family has, they are struggling to meet all their needs. Our Social Workers will be visiting the household in the next few weeks to help them secure the documents required for them to be able to apply for foster care grants for Sbusiso and Nokuthula.

Basic housing and accommodation

The family is living in a mud house which is in a very bad condition. The walls are falling apart and in some places you can see through the walls.

Basic environmental health

The household is clean and tidy inside and outside.

Basic household equipment

The family have very little in the way of basic equipment. They are using a home made electric wire stove which is unsafe and are sleeping on the floor with the children sharing blankets and mattresses.

Basic food and nutrition

The household income is not enough to adequately provide for the basic nutritional needs of this family.

Basic physical health

All the children are healthy except Nokuthula and Sbusiso who are HIV positive. According to the care giver they are not on treatment yet but they are scheduled to start classes on ARV in the middle of February.

Cognitive Welll-being

All children are at school and their performance and behaviour is good. Sbusiso is doing grade 7 at KwaMpungose Primary, Nokuthula is in grade 4 and Thulani in grade 2 both of them are at Snathing Lower Primary. They all have school uniforms but these are not in good condition.

Emotional well being

According to our observation the caregiver requires support as she is struggling under the burden of care she has been left with. Under the circumstances the children themselves seem fine.

Below are images taken by the Development Facilitator of the current house situation. This household received a once-off sponsorship to buy a two plate electric stove, cooking pots, cuttlery, sleeping foam mattresses, blankets and pillows. However they are still in great need for a continual sponsorhip as their situation still seems too far from getting resolved and improving.