The Motsa family consists of six members: Mpho, a Grade 3 student at Apex Primary School, her four siblings, and two adults. Originally from Welkom, the family has lived in Thembelihle for the past eight years. Despite facing significant challenges, they continue to support one another and remain resilient.

Mpho’s mother is currently unemployed and struggles to provide for her family. She often depends on extended family for assistance. One of the main hurdles she faces is her lack of legal documentation, which prevents her from applying for the child support grant, a crucial source of financial aid. This also means none of her children have birth certificates, making it difficult for them to access essential services and support.

The root cause of her situation lies in her missing identity documents. Mpho’s mother uses her late father’s surname, but Home Affairs is unable to assist her due to this. To obtain her legal identification, she would need to trace her father’s side of the family and locate the place of her birth. Unfortunately, she has no information about her father’s side and cannot pinpoint where she was born, adding more difficulty to the already complex situation.

To make matters worse, Mpho’s mother has a strained relationship with her biological mother. She has sought help from her biological mother in tracing her father’s family for documentation purposes, but her mother refuses to assist and insists that Mpho’s mother must resolve the issue herself. This leaves her in a difficult position both practically and emotionally, as she faces obstacles from both the government and her family.

In the midst of these struggles, we have stepped in to offer support to the Motsa family in the following ways:

• Successfully enrolled Mpho in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) program

• Reinitiated chronic medication adherence support for the family

• Introduced them to the Kids Alive program to emphasize the importance of medication adherence

• Provided clinic escort services for medical visits

• Enrolled Mpho at Apex Primary School, despite the documentation challenges (which may pose future difficulties)

• Provided school uniforms and stationery to help Mpho transition smoothly into primary school

In addition to these efforts, we have provided psychosocial support to help Mpho and her siblings manage emotional and mental challenges. We’ve also ensured they have access to food parcels, which are critical for the family, especially given the financial strain they face. These food parcels ensure the children don’t go to bed hungry, addressing one of their ongoing challenges.

Our support aims to address the immediate needs of the Motsa family, while offering hope, stability, and the resources they need to work toward a better future.