Helping Orphans and Vulnerable Children in South Africa
Despite South Africa’s historic advances in democracy and development since 1994, widespread poverty and social exclusion, exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, has created a reality in which millions of children are in need of support and care. Collectively known as orphans and vulnerable children, in South Africa these youth are composed of the 1.2 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS; the 250,000 who are 19 years or under and who already head households and the 10.2 million children under 18 years old who live in conditions of poverty, homelessness and insecurity.
To respond to this crisis, the Leadership and Innovation Network for Collaboration in the Children’s Sector - LINC was launched in 2007 as a partnership between Convene Venture Philanthropy, Reos Social Innovation, Synergos, and the South African National Department of Social Development (DSD).The focus of LINC was informed by detailed research and deep-dialogue interviews conducted with stakeholders in the children’s sector.
LINC is made up of two key components: the LINC Fellowship and Bridging Leadership. Both components are underpinned by individual and group coaching, events, innovation processes, as well as the LINC portal and social network.
The Fellowship is made up of over 80 leaders from across the children’s sector who represent government, NGO, business and donors. Bridging Leadership is a joint project between LINC and the Department of Social Development where LINC will be supporting leaders of the DSD to enhance the department’s capacity in the areas of multi-stakeholder collaboration and management. Both the LINC Fellowship and the Bridging Leadership program address four challenges that effective service delivery: leadership, collaboration, innovation, and systems thinking.
For more information
Visit the LINC website at www.linc.org.za.
