Ubuntu is leveraging our seven years of continuous growth to propel our communities toward new horizons. As part of our commitment to addressing the needs of a growing population of vulnerable children, Ubuntu is developing The Ubuntu Centre, a multipurpose community centre on our grounds in Zwide Township. Set to open in 2009, The Ubuntu Centre will be a state-of-the-art education and health complex – the first of its kind in our township communities of Port Elizabeth.

Offering empowering and supportive services to the 400,000 residents in the area, The Ubuntu Centre is a statement to our communities that they deserve quality health and education facilities and services. It is a robust initiative that ushers the community toward a new level of hope and aspiration. The creation of the centre represents a profound moment of achievement, not only for Ubuntu's leadership, but also for the people of Port Elizabeth who have been systematically denied access to quality resources and services for decades. Not only has enthusiasm for the building poured in from donors and major foundations, but every staff member has also made a financial pledge to make the building a reality. Their commitment is powerful.

The centre will allow us to expand and strengthen our existing service. The Ubuntu Centre will enable us to provide:

• 15,000 children with essential lifeskills classes
• 40,000 youth with HIV prevention outreach services
• 600 families with comprehensive case management services
• 600 orphans and vulnerable children with after school programmes and school holiday day camps
• 2200 children and 160 families with a daily, nutritious meal from our community gardens
• 1200 clients with HIV counselling, testing and treatment support each month
• Clinic management and capacity building in 5 clinics serving 400,000 people
• 4,000 youth with career guidance
• 15,000 children with weekly computer education
• 7,000 children with regular access to libraries
• 2,000,000 condoms to local communities

A world class educational and health facility in the middle of Zwide Township is hard to comprehend for many people. But we are confident that we have the right team in place to create and maximise The Ubuntu Centre, and we know our communities deserve such a complex - especially every young child who is vulnerable to abuse, HIV and poverty.

Health Wing
The health wing will consist of an HIV, tuberculosis and pregnancy testing site and laboratory, family and child-friendly counselling rooms, support facilities for HIV management, a health resource library and a confidential reception area. These services will allow us to better integrate testing and care services in a de-stigmatised environment. Staff will be equipped to reach larger numbers of families with comprehensive case management services and vastly improve and increase voluntary HIV counselling and testing services. Additionally, staff at local clinics will benefit from training received at The Ubuntu Centre to better manage clinic capacity.

Empowerment Wing
The empowerment wing will house a multimedia education room, computer laboratory, group study areas and career/bursary administration centre. At present, there is a dearth of career and education support facilities within the townships. Thus, the creation of a multimedia resource centre open to the community will have a powerful impact, and the addition of computers will not only provide a much-needed resource, but also aid in staff, volunteer and client capacity building around computer use and technology.

Multipurpose Hall and Theatre
The multipurpose hall and theatre will accommodate up to 250 children and serve as a training space for schools, clinics and NGOs. It will provide space to host after school and holiday camps for orphans and vulnerable children with self-esteem and self-efficacy building programmes. An industrial size kitchen with catering facilities, for groups up to 250, will help improve our ability to provide food service for children attending our holiday camps or for those attending our community functions. The multipurpose hall and theatre will provide a safe and welcoming environment for the children in our community and allow Ubuntu to offer expanded services to continue to meet their complex needs. That our children will also be able to come together in positive ways to celebrate and mobilise, rather than to come together only in crisis, is a shining example of how The Ubuntu Centre will have a lasting and profound impact on our communities.