Caring for Orphans in Rural Areas (CORA)

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CORA (Caring for Orphans in Rural Areas), a fully registered non-profit organisation, was founded by Kathy Schultz in 2009. The organisation´s roots lie in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, where abject poverty and lack of opportunities for both adults and children drove Kathy into action. Whilst schools and other education facilities do exist, there are glaring gaps for children of pre-school age. These early years are critical for a child´s development as they are a time of rapid physical, emotional and mental growth. CORA therefore believes in basic early intervention and addresses these needs by developing pre-school enrichment centres in disadvantaged rural areas, including basic numeracy and literacy, teacher training and feeding schemes.

Vision:
To provide basic early learning and development, stimulation, nurturing and nutrition to rural pre-school children.

Mission:
• To promote positive growth and create opportunities for rural children
• To replicate working models of CORA enrichment centres throughout the Eastern Cape.
• To train and empower teachers and carers

CORA Philosophy
CORA strives to take a holistic approach in supporting orphans and vulnerable children within their own communities.
In effect, CORA looks to fulfil the whole spectrum of children´s needs: education, nutrition, health, safety, life skills, community integration, as well as teacher/carer training.

Objectives:
• Identify and support child-headed households with pre-school-age members in rural areas, without further placing strain on already impoverished communities;
• Satisfy a significant amount of their nutritional needs by providing 2 meals per day
• Nurture, encourage, stimulate and teach children basic skills, thus preparing them better for entry-level schooling, including motor co-ordination, numeracy, literacy, and life skills.
• To create methods of sustainability at the centres i.e.
- community involvement (maintenance, gardens, caregivers),
- individuals (and corporations) to "adopt" a school or child,
- creating gardens to provide food on daily basis for centre,
- web-based funding.

Our projects:
CORA assists with fundraising, upgrading and developing existing structures, feeding scheme and vegetable gardens, management, awareness raising, mentoring and assisting centres to register with Social Development for ongoing ECD funding and support. Our projects include:
• Somila dcc – Tuba Village
• Nomphulelo day care centre
• Noluthando centre
• Mandela Park
• Peacock day care center

Kathy Schultz is the Founder of Caring for Orphans in Rural Areas (CORA).

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.