Khulisa is a Zulu word meaning to nurture.
Our programmes were developed in South Africa over several years and address all aspects of the crime cycle and community regeneration.
Cycle of Crime and Violence – CSIR (South Africa)
The approach includes diverting youth from the criminal justice system - providing alternatives to imprisonment, helping to foster personal transformation for those in prison and assisting with their transition back to society.
“Cannibal” mask, made and named by participant of a Silence the Violence programme delivered in the Waterval Correctional Centre, KwaZulu Natal, SA, 2009
Khulisa breaks the crime cycle by providing training and support within communities, schools and correctional facilities. Programmes are offered to offenders who wish to make amends, helping victims with the process of healing and ultimately building community cohesion.
Khulisa now works across all 9 South African provinces with funding from both local and national governments as well as international donors, delivering almost two-dozen different programme models adapted for each local population and audience.
There were 153,000 beneficiaries to Khulisa’s programmes in the year 2008-2009.
Khulisa UK, incorporated in 2007, spent over 18 months developing contacts, researching the field and refining the programme models for British communities before launching a number of pilot projects in 2009. In October 2009 Khulisa was invited to pilot Silence the Violence under the Home Office’s Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP).
In February 2010, Khulisa UK was awarded a capacity-building grant by The Monument Trust to provide a base of support for further development of its programme offer and partnership delivery.
At the heart of our organization and principle founder is a social entrepreneur with a huge vision, Lesley-Ann van Selm. As Managing Director of Khulisa SA and UK, Lesley Ann is based in Johannesburg, South Africa (see Lesley Ann’s biography 'our people' page). Giving a recent speech about escalating violent crime in South Africa she said -
"I must admit talking about the causal factors associated with violence makes me feel overwhelmed. Where do we start? How can we stop it? From personal experience, I believe in the power of one. Each person’s life that is changed, each person that sees the light and realises that violence is not a solution is one less person who is trapped within the cycle of violence. Like the ripple effect of water in a pond the example set by groups adhering to pro-social and non-violent behaviour may set a positive example at home, in schools and society in general. It is my dream that eventually we will get there, but until then it is our task to make a difference in as many people’s lives as possible."
Lesley-Ann Van Selm, MD and founder, Khulisa SA