Hamba.Bamba.Funda

05/06/2026

🌞Last week, our CEO, Monja Boonzaier, hosted an inspiring workshop for ECD practitioners at Bright Beginnings Preschool entitled 𝐸𝑛ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. The session focused on supporting the development of babies aged 0-8 months, equipping practitioners with practical knowledge, tools, and strategies to nurture healthy growth during these critical early months🌸

03/06/2026

On 18 July 2026, Hamba Bamba Funda and Heartlineswill gather for 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞: 𝟔𝟕 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝟔𝟕 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰: a 67‑minute circle of presence, at the Meadowlands Welfare Centre – a heartfelt initiative that highlights the vital role fathers play in shaping the lives of young children...and you are invited!💚🧡💜

Find out more in this article by Good Things Guy
https://www.goodthingsguy.com/hamba-bamba-funda-mandela-day/

💐We can't wait to see you all there!🌞

This Mandela Day, Hamba Bamba Funda and Heartlines (Fathers Matter) will join forces to host a deeply meaningful event that honours Madiba.

01/06/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 – 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐞

Today’s Thriving Together session in Kliptown reminded us once again why community-centred support matters🤱🏾✨ Midwife Lungile Gamede guided the mothers through a gentle but powerful theme: 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬🎯👶🏾

Lungile began by inviting the group into a conversation about what goals are and why setting them matters - especially for mothers navigating daily pressures🌸 From there, each caregiver was encouraged to write down three personal goals they would like to achieve. The room softened as women reflected, paused, and put their intentions onto paper 📝💭

She then asked the mothers to write down goals they hold for their children🥰- hopes for growth, safety, learning and wellbeing. Lungile photographed each mother’s goals, creating a record she will return to next month during a follow-up check-in📅✅

The session held an honest truth:

💚 We can all write down goals — but the real shift happens when we begin taking action.

🧡This is where support, community and accountability become essential🤝🏾

💜Today was another example of how we empower caregivers to thrive — one intention, one conversation and one small step at a time. 🌟👣

29/05/2026

We are so proud of the beautiful creations made by the ladies attending our Crochet Course! 🧶🥳👏🙌

In the first video below, one of our participants proudly shows everything she created after attending just a single session. Her enthusiasm and sense of achievement are truly inspiring!🤩

In the second video, our CEO, Monja Boonzaier, shares how empowering it can be to learn a new skill like crochet. Not only does it build confidence and creativity, but it can also open doors to future opportunities🪡🌼

A huge thank you to Flower Foundation Retirement Homes for partnering with us and facilitating these valuable sessions💐

If you are able to assist us with donations of wool or crochet needles so that more ladies can learn this life-changing skill, we would be incredibly grateful💚🧡💜

📧 Email: [email protected]

📌Or support us via forgood here:
https://www.forgood.co.za/za/en/donate/goods/crochet-hooks-and-knitting-needles-and-wool-donations-our-caregiver-knitting-workshop-end-of-september

#𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

27/05/2026

💚This interesting article highlights how the effects of poverty on children may begin far earlier than many people realise. Drawing on recent research, it explores the surprising ways in which a child’s environment can influence early development, even within the first few months of life🌞

🧡It is a powerful reminder of why early support and intervention matter so much in shaping a child’s future:
https://medicaldialogues.in/pediatrics-neonatology/news/babies-exposed-to-poverty-show-delays-in-motor-development-as-early-as-six-months-study-finds-165801

💜If this article moves you to support our work, there is a simple way you can help our Thriving Together Marikana project. Simply click the social media icons in the link below and share the project. For every share, different.org will donate R5 towards supporting our work🫶💐:
https://different.org/projects/hamba-bamba-funda/thriving-together-marikana/

Poverty can affect babies' motor development as early as six months of age. This is the conclusion of the first Brazilian study to examine the quantity and quality of motor development month by...

25/05/2026

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 ✨🧶

Working with the caregivers from Kliptown, Soweto has been one of the most moving parts of this journey. Through HBF’s partnership with Flower Foundation Retirement Homes, we’ve hosted a small series of crochet workshops - and after only three sessions, these women have created the most beautiful pieces: beanies, handbags, shoes, hats, doileys 🧵👜🧣

What is even more inspiring is the craft the community forming around it. They stand together. They teach each other. They celebrate every small win 🙌🥰

One of the women has already begun selling her products and buying more wool to keep going — a quiet but powerful step toward independence 🌱

There is something deeply special about watching women discover their creativity, their capability, and their sense of purpose. You can feel the pride in the room. You can feel the possibility ✨

As an organisation empowering caregivers in under resourced communities we are incredibly proud of them - not just for what they’ve made, but for who they are becoming together 💚🧡💜

Which are your favourite items that our ladies have created?🤔

#𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

22/05/2026

In this video clip our CEO, Monja, shares an important message with our new Marikana Thriving Together group about one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children – love and connection💚🧡💜

Through simple everyday moments such as playing together, talking, cuddling and showing affection, parents help build the strong emotional foundations that children need to grow and thrive🌷🌞

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 - 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭.𝐨𝐫𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝟓 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤🙏🫶: https://different.org/projects/hamba-bamba-funda/thriving-together-marikana

20/05/2026

This interesting article, based on findings from a recent study, encourages us to look beyond toys and games and think differently about the role play has in a child’s development.

It explores how everyday moments of play may be shaping far more than we realise, with some surprising insights into the skills children build along the way.

It is definitely worth a read to discover why play is about so much more than just having fun💚🧡💜

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-06-23-beyond-toys-how-play-shapes-emotional-intelligence-and-social-skills-in-children/

Through play, children are given permission to be inquisitive and to gain new experiences and sensations first-hand.

18/05/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝🥳🤩🎉 - 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞!
https://different.org/projects/hamba-bamba-funda/thriving-together-marikana

💚We are so happy to share that our Marikana Project has officially begun with a beautiful group of mothers at Hope Village, just next to Kliptown in Soweto.

🧡Every Tuesday morning, caregivers gather in a safe, supportive space to learn, connect, and strengthen the foundations that help their babies thrive.

💜At Hamba Bamba Funda, we believe that when caregivers feel seen, supported, and empowered, their babies feel it too. Through movement‑based, trauma‑informed learning, we help mothers build emotional connection, regulation, and early developmental skills — the building blocks of lifelong wellbeing.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 - 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭.𝐨𝐫𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝟓 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤🥰🙏:
https://different.org/projects/hamba-bamba-funda/thriving-together-marikana

15/05/2026

In this video Monja, our Founder and CEO, demonstrates the best way to help a baby turn over 💚🧡💜