CINDI’s History.
Founded in July 1996, CINDI is a multi-sectoral network of civil society organisations and relevant stakeholders working with vulnerable children. CINDI mainly worked in in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) but in recent years have created a National and International footprint.
Since 2006, CINDI has been coordinating advocacy work amongst its members to address barriers to the accessing of children’s and caregiver’s rights. We are a non-political organisation that works with all vulnerable children and caregivers irrespective of class or creed.
CINDI uses various models to achieve its goals:
- Cluster Model: This is when Members are clustered together in groups that reflect common activities to enhance collaboration. The Cluster Model is an effective strategy for a Network as it accommodates the diverse nature of the membership and also encourages the spirit of working together not against each other.
- Joint Programme Model: Where CINDI is the lead managing agency for Members work together on donor funded programmes.
- District Working Groups: Community based networks that are created to operate independently and efficiently to resolve local child protection and social protection issues.
- Children Helping Children Model: Where CINDI works with children through schools to collect resources for learners Members work with.
- Singatha: CINDI raises funds to buy uniforms for children that Members work with.
- Gifts in Kind: Any donations of food, clothes, books, etc. that we receive are distributed to our Community Based Organisations.
How do we achieve this? Through implementing our four Programmes:
- Networking: To ensure communication forums and networking opportunities exist at all levels for members around key Sector issues.
- Capacity Building: To build relevant organisational and programme capacities of CINDI members.
- Advocacy: To work with CINDI members to advocate for children’s rights at local and provincial level; to work in partnership with members in contributing to strategic policy development and practice at provincial and national level on an ongoing basis. CINDI would advance vulnerable children’s rights by:
- Providing tools and information to members.
- Facilitating and coordinating member response to key issues at local and district level.
- Representing the network and key issues affecting children at provincial and national level.
- Resource Mobilisation: To support CINDI members in accessing technical, material, and financial resources on an ongoing basis.