Vision, Mission and History

Our Vision

Philani’s vision is a South Africa where every pregnancy is safe and every child can grow up healthy and well-nourished to fulfil his or her physical and mental potential.

Our Mission

Philani is committed to providing a caring and supportive community-based service where families’ and mothers’ health are protected, empowering them to raise healthy, well-nourished children. Our mission includes providing compassionate care for individuals with chronic illnesses and those who are bedridden.

Our approach to the many issues affecting maternal and child health is holistic and includes creating a stimulating environment for children to learn and play as well as providing skills development for income generation so that mothers may become economically independent.

Our History

The Philani Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Trust has been addressing family, maternal, child health and nutrition problems in the informal settlements outside Cape Town since 1979. There are approximately a million people living in Philani’s target communities, the majority of whom have migrated from the Eastern Cape. Their homes are often simple core houses or informal dwellings made of corrugated iron, wood and plastic – many of which are overcrowded and without water or sanitation facilities.

Philani has offered clinic-based health and nutrition services to the women and children of these communities for almost 40 years. As part of our service Philani also supports income generating projects and provides early childhood education through preschool and home-based early childhood development.

In the beginning of 2000 we realised that our clinic-based nutrition rehabilitation programme did not reach some of the worst cases of child malnutrition in Philani’s target communities. It was often the most destitute mothers who were lacking the means and energy to seek help. As a result, we extended our intervention beyond the clinics into the homes of mothers, resulting in what is today our flagship programme, the Mentor Mother Programme.