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Our Approach

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Our approach to creating a hopeful future:

Butterfly House, is an independent NGO, operating in the Drakenstein sub-district, is a community resource centre which aims to address the needs of children and youth, with an expectation of living, infected and affected by life threatening illnesses and / or life-limiting conditions.  We address the challenges of poor education and nutrition, rampant crime, sexual, physical, emotional and drug abuse, poverty, neglect and lack of role appropriate models through our programmes and activities so that our children may effectively participate in a future healthy life and embrace optimal living.

Providing comprehensive Cultural Support Programs and Activities in an economically disadvantaged community

We see culture as that which is meaning making for an individual, family or group.  Culture is conveyed through activities, relationships and interactions, which define individual, family and community values and ways of living.  We aim to celebrate and acknowledge that which is good, sacred and traditional within the cultural diversity of the youth and children in our programmes.  Our aim is also to expose youth to different or alternative cultural and behavioural attitudes and ways of being which could be utilised to build on community transformation towards achieving a healthy, hopeful future out of poverty.

Cultural diversity and social cohesion is celebrated at Butterfly House, where our motto is: doing care in the community, by the community, with the community… No end to hope.  We are situated in the community we serve and employ the community as our cultural consultants and our volunteers (local and international) and staff provide access to diverse experiences and thinking; the building blocks of societal transformation.

 

Holistic approach

Effective community or societal transformation strategies should impact on every aspect of the individual but also every aspect of the community.  This includes e.g. physical (health and the environment), social (relationships and safety), emotional (self-worth and community support), intellectual (academic achievement and civic responsibility), cultural (meaning making, religion, race, heritage) and spiritual (quality of life and living).

Our formula for positive change:

1) Pillars of change 

2) Programme wings of change

3) Development Principles

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Our Pillars of change

Our pillars of change have been identified to overcome our community barriers. These pillars are used to guide our practice, develop our programs and evaluate our progress and outcomes.

Programme wings of change

Our programs wings are based on the Danish Youth School concept focusing on Academic Support, Professional Skills and Social Skills.  In response to the vulnerability of our community we have developed a Therapeutic Support program which is our unique speciality brought by the partnership with DPH.  

Development Principles

Taking inspiration from Wanagri Maathai (Nobel Peace Prize winner from Kenya) and palliative care practice, we developed a set of principles to address the soft skills that are identified as stumbling blocks to a progressive, healthy hopeful future. 

Need more details? Contact us

 Contact us by phone or email.

Contact 

109 Breda Street (Head Office)

Paarl 7646

Physical Address:

Cnr of Sunmaid and Rainbows End,

Fairyland, Daljosaphat

Postal Address:

PO Box 6130, Paarl 7620

Tel: (021) 872 4060

Emergency: 082 200 4221

Email: butterflyhouse@drakensteinhospice.org.za

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