ABOUT NOAH
VISION
Thriving healthy communities, guided by our elders
MISSION
NOAH co-creates a thriving, interdependent community where elders live with a sense of purpose, belonging, contribution and hope. Offering access to communal housing, health services, community-building and enterprise development, elders live with a greater sense of freedom and are able to take up their rightful role in society.
TARGET GROUP
Social pensioners – over 60, income limited to the South African social pension (SASSA) grant of R2180 per month.
Started in 1981, NOAH is a registered NPO and PBO, a Level 1 BBBEE organisation and is committed to the Independent Code of Governance for Non-profit Organisations in South Africa.
NOAH is a unique, progressive, strengths-based solution to the ageing crisis. The uniqueness is in the integrated nature of the model, providing a full bouquet of services to facilitate active, healthy and independent living. NOAH is innovating new approaches to ageing and ensuring that those who have suffered most have an opportunity for self-discovery, healing, inclusion and participation in society.
At NOAH, despite their limited income our elders have their basic needs met, have a sense of esteem and purpose, and contribute to their own families, the NOAH family and society as a whole.
We believe that our elders are the tools to re-building ‘whole’ communities.
OBJECTIVES
HOME
To support residents to self-manage harmonious, affordable and secure homes.
HEALTH
To support clinic members to remain healthy and active
HAPPINESS
To grow value based community which strengthens mental, physical, social and spiritual well-being of elders and their families
SED
To co-create prosperous and independent social enterprises with and for NOAH elders and for NOAH (financially sound and healthy communities)
SUSTAINABILITY
To strengthen organisational learning, effectiveness and sustainability through staff development and organisational development (OD).
VALUES
PARTNERSHIPS
- SIFAR (Samson Institute for Ageing Research)
- Greenlight Movement (previously known as Poverty Stoplight)
- Elamanzi – ABCD practice, oversight and implementation
- UCT - Occupational Therapy students – strengthening ABCD practice
- UCT Knowledge Co-op – IS Honours students for digital literacy; ad hoc maters research projects
- Abalimi Bezakhaya – food gardens
- SOHCO – social housing pilot project
- TCB – Taking Care of Business
SUSTAINABILITY
NOAH is committed to implementing its comprehensive Sustainability Strategy centered around three pivotal facets: fundraising, self-sustaining revenue generation, and cost optimisation. At present, NOAH successfully generates 24% of its income independently. Our strategic vision encompasses the steadfast pursuit of financial sustainability, with the objective of reaching the milestone of 30% self-generated income by end 2025.
The overarching goal is to transform NOAH into a robust, transparent, and highly efficient organisation. We aspire to cultivate a dependable and diversified funding portfolio while maintaining cost-effectiveness as a guiding principle. This strategic approach empowers us to harness our self-generated income as a valuable resource for building reserves, thereby enhancing our long-term financial stability
METHODOLOGY
Asset-Based Community-Driven Development (ABCD) is an approach that recognises the strengths, assets, potentials, and capacities that communities inherently have to drive development.
This strengths-based approach has the ability to improve even further the quality of life of elders as it provides an enabling environment that harnesses their capacities, strengths and skills to solve their own problems and create a more positive older stage.
Assets include stories, knowledge, innovations, talents, associations and networks, local institutions, physical assets, and natural resources; financial resources; cultural assets; rights, claims and entitlements. The intention is to surface hidden abilities and grow a common vision and appreciation from which to move forward. ABCD is an organic, deeply respectful approach that supports development from the inside-out.
The ABCD project was launched in September 2020, located in NOAH’s Happiness Programme. The management team was trained to encourage uptake from the onset. Over time, NOAH adopted ABCD as its core practice. The project became a catalyst of organisational change.
The purpose of the ABCD project is to:
- Deepen knowledge and understanding of the development context and where ABCD can be applied;
- Deepen knowledge and understanding of ABCD as a paradigm (way of thinking) compared to the ‘needs or ‘problem’ based approach;
- Develop skills in ABCD facilitation and practical tools for asset mapping, visioning, and planning; programme design and monitoring/evaluation using ABCD as an approach;
- Monitor, evaluate and document the ABCD project including lessons, successes, and case studies.
reference documents
OUR FUNDERS
Everything is possible with your ongoing support and nothing is possible without you.
Thank you.
