Sisanda FunDaytion

About us

Sisanda FunDaytion, founded in 2009, is a volunteer-based non-profit organisation that makes a difference in the lives of disadvantaged and neglected children in South Africa by reaching out to them through educational, empowering and uplifting activities.

The word sisanda means "we are growing" in Xhosa and, in South Africa, it is a popular name for a girl. Sisanda FunDaytion was named after a particularly special little girl who took part in the first ever Fun Day!

Our vision is a world in which all children can experience the joy of being children and have the chance to have fun through various learning and uplifting experiences. Through our various programmes we ensure to harness the energy of volunteers to help our children enjoy the wonders of the world they live in.

Mission
• To provide vulnerable children opportunities, through recreation, to learn, laugh, be inspired and connect with others in situations that are ordinarily inaccessible to them.
• To offer adults from diverse backgrounds fun and accessible volunteer experiences that encourage active citizenship.


We currently run 3 different programmes.
• Our Fun Day programme involves taking a group of children along with a group of volunteers for a day out and an experience that is new to them. Our Fun Days have involved exciting adventures such as a hike up the mountain, days out at the beach or an afternoon at the Circus. By ensuring these days are fun we can continue towards our goal of creating opportunities to learn and facilitating interactions between Cape Town´s different communities.
• Our Sisanda Circles programme runs over an extended period and helps to bring together volunteers, who have a specific interest or skill, together with disadvantaged and vulnerable children who have similar interests. The Sisanda Team will work with the volunteer to develop their idea into a realistic project and they will then be connected with an appropriate group of children to share these skills and impart their knowledge. Our aim is to broaden the impact we have on children by empowering them to develop interests and acquire new skills of their own.
• Our newest programme, Sisanda Connect, is about connecting primary school students and high school students from various backgrounds in order to build relationships and facilitate learning from each other. The individual projects will focus on small groups to allow a one to one connection between the teenage volunteers and the children and will be related to current topics being covered at their schools or guided by local events. The main aim is to nurture leadership skills in the older students while exposing the younger groups to new role models and enlightening experiences.

Leandra Mendes is a Programme Manager on behalf of Sisanda FunDaytion.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.