Reaching, Resourcing and Reforming society towards improved social conditions.
RivLife International is a Section 21 Company, non profit organisation operating under the auspices of River of Life Christian Ministries (ROLCM). Rivlife is a multi faceted community centre representing the social reconstruction and development program of ROLCM. Poverty is a historic problem in South Africa resulting in destitution, disenfranchisement and the lack of access to economic and social privilege.
RivLife's three main focus areas include:
HIV/AIDS
Vulnerable Groups
Economic Empowerment
To create a better society by improving the living conditions of individuals and communities through the implementation of holistic and sustainable interventions addressing physical, economic, social and spiritual needs.
RivLife Programmes
Drop In Centre-
The Drop In Centre at Riv Life Community Centre currently serves from 80-100 meals to the orphaned and vulnerable (OVC) children in Cinderella Park. Most of these children have lost one, if not both parents to HIV/AIDS. At the newly opened Drop In Centre in Tamboville there are between 60-80 OVC children receiving a meal from Riv Life. The children come to the centre after school on each school day where they are greeted and cared for by community care workers and a RivLife Social Worker. The children receive a hot cooked meal and are assisted with schoolwork and participate in life skills programmes. The Drop In Centre operates daily from around 2 pm until 4 pm.
Creche-
Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a priority in terms of education in South Africa. The value of solid foundational learning concepts at an early age cannot be overemphasized. The RivLife Crèche is now awaiting final accreditation and will also be registered as an ECD centre offering Grade R.
The provision of such a facility also serves the purpose of allowing parents, especially mothers, to seek employment knowing that their little ones are being taken care off. Children of preschool age are often left with neighbours, a granny, or on their own just because the parents have to work and there is no other place for the children. The provision of a crèche/ ECD facility is therefore also a poverty alleviation initiative.
Nutrition-
RivLife addresses the issue of nutrition within the area by doing monthly food parcels and on an as and when need. Future plans for the community nutrition is to move to a storehouse concept and to be readily able to provide food to those in need.
Post Matric Job Readiness Programme-
Another initiative run by RivLife is the Post Matric Job Readiness Programme. A significant number of matriculants do not enter into some form of study or training upon completion of matric. These may be due to academic, personal or financial reasons. Given the current unemployment situation in the country it is virtually impossible for this cohort of matriculants to enter the job market.
The Post Matric Job Readiness Programme provides this group of young people with additional skills such computer literacy, customer service skills, communication skills, entrepreneurship skills, etc. The idea is to equip the person to at least get a foot into the door in the job market. The programme has had very good success in that almost all of the candidates become employed within a year of completing the programme.
The Big Four Workshops-
What is the big four? Any organisation working with the youth of today will know that amongst a myriad of other social problems, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school drop out and HIV/AIDS are the main issues that need to be addressed with urgency. RivLife has named these the ‘big four’. These issues are not only having a detrimental effect on the youth right now but it has major ramifications on their future and the future of our nation. To address these issues RivLife has designed four high impact workshops that are aimed at getting into the minds of our youth with the intent of seeing behavioral change.
Isibindi Project-
The Isibindi Model was designed by the National Association of Child Care Workers, a non-profit organization working in South Africa, and is implemented in over 55 sites in 8 provinces by over 40 partner organizations. RivLife is proud to be a partner organisation in this great initiative. The Isibindi Model responds holistically to the needs of children, youth and families who are vulnerable and at-risk. Unemployed community members are screened, selected, trained and deployed as child and youth care workers servicing families in their own communities. They work under the mentorship of experienced social service professionals, blending practical household support tasks with care and development opportunities.
Isibindi projects have shown a range of benefits for all involved. Organizations are assisted to grow and access further resources; communities are strengthened through the injection of skills and resources; and workers are set on a career path in a recognized profession. But the ultimate beneficiaries of all Isibindi projects are desperate children and families who would not otherwise have had access to formal care and assistance.
Azusa Pacific University Partnership-
RivLife has had a relationship with Azusa Pacific University for the past few years in which students from the university in California, USA to work with RivLife. Students come throughout the year to volunteer whether by helping at the drop in centre or nursing students doing home visits.
