Thrive

Helping youth in institutionalized care with academic and occupational efforts.

Do you know why this is so important?

For every three months spent in institutionalized care, a child loses one month of linear growth without proper intervention. The lack of individualized care and attention, due to limited resources and caregivers, makes it challenging for adolescents to receive the proper guidance needed to navigate their academics and plan for the future.

In 2022, Spence-Chapin created THRIVE.

This program is designed to minimize these effects
by equipping young adults in the program with:

 

 

  • Technical Skills
  • Higher education goals
  • Resources for navigating academia and job seeking
  • Independent living skills
  • Vocational skills access
  • Employment
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Donation Total: $250.00 One Time

The people behind thrive

Through partnerships with two South African institutions, THRIVE improves the lives and academic achievements of youth. We currently serve over 78 young adults ages 14-21.

THRIVE leaders provide connections to universities, internships, and future jobs, and offer stipends for youth actively participating in the program so they can learn the critical skills of independent living and budgeting with their mentors. 

Additionally, Spence-Chapin provides essential workspace materials including computer stations, printers, backup generators, and more.

Benefits of mentorship

Local mentors undergo thorough recruitment, screening, training, and evaluation to ensure the highest quality mentorship for THRIVE.

These mentors offer one-on-one guidance in academic, educational, and leadership pursuits, preparing mentees not just practically but also mentally and emotionally for their transition to independence. 

Before the implementation of THRIVE, the school-aged mentees lacked academic support. Now, all participants benefit from mentorship and see improved marks in school. 

Thrive participant testimonials

Hear from THRIVE youth about their experiences in the program.

Thrive participant Stories

Meet Martha, a THRIVE Participant

Martha (19) had lived at the Othandweni children’s home since 2016. She completed high school, but she did not have the funds to complete university applications and aged-out of the institution without linkage to work or higher education.

Although she was fortunate to have some extended family to stay with, they were not supportive of her desire to continue her studies and would not support her financially as she pursued this goal. THRIVE launched shortly after Martha’s discharge from Othandweni in 2022, and Martha enthusiastically joined the program, taking advantage of the program’s post-discharge services.

Martha was interested in a career in journalism or politics, but did not know where to begin. Martha and her mentor discussed the importance of networking and gaining exposure to professionals in the field, and the THRIVE program connected her to job shadow a journalist. This opportunity strengthened her academically and professionally.

Through a stipend from THRIVE, Martha was finally able to apply and get accepted to attend the University of South Africa (UNISA) where she is now pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Leadership and Citizenship.

Meet Sphiwe, a THRIVE Participant

Sphiwe is now a confident young adult, but he was once a lonely boy in the Othandweni children’s orphanage. When reflecting on his life’s trajectory, he thanks the THRIVE program, specifically program specialist Ray, for the wisdom and guidance he was given. Sphiwe is planning on using his $200 stipend from THRIVE to buy land in South Africa that will create generational wealth for his family and local jobs for those in his community. He thanks the funders of THRIVE for changing the lives of children like him.

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Donation Total: $250.00 One Time

RELATED PROGRAMS

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Granny Program

The Granny Program connects children in institutionalized care with trained caregivers, ensuring 
one-on-one attention and developmental support that fosters emotional and cognitive developmental growth.
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Step Up

The Step Up initiative empowers children in institutionalized care by allowing them to choose their own new pair of back-to-school shoes and book bags each year.
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Project Play

Project Play is a program dedicated to building new structured outdoor playgrounds and providing birthday and holiday gifts for children in institutionalized care.
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Our Global impact

Learn about Spence-Chapin’s domestic and international initiatives aimed at providing targeted humanitarian aid and sustainable solutions to address community needs worldwide.
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Waiting Children Profiles

Thank you for your interest in adopting through Spence-Chapin! We are able to share the profiles of children who are considered to be the most in need and are waiting internationally to be matched with an adoptive family. The children featured on this page have been waiting for the longest to find families and consist of children who are older, part of a sibling group, or children with a diagnosed medical condition. In order to respect the privacy of these children, this page has been password protected.

Spence-Chapin takes the privacy rights of the children that we are seeking to place very seriously, and share the profile with you under the following conditions:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PASSWORD ACCESS
That you acknowledge and understand that

1. Misuse of the content, and/or linking to any sites that reflect practices that involve the sale, abduction, exploitation, or trafficking of children is strictly prohibited.

2. You have been given limited access to confidential information in the form of images that you will not disclose to any person or in any manner that is inconsistent with applicable policies and procedures of Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children.

3. The confidentiality obligation shall continue indefinitely, including at all times after my association with Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children.

4. You are not permitted to release, copy, distribute, or sell any of these images to third parties in any form.

5. Impermissible disclosure of the images may result in legal actions being taken against you, by or on behalf of that person.

6. You are doing this freely, voluntarily and with a full understanding of what you are agreeing to by entering/accessing this blog.

7. Thank you for your interest in providing a loving home for a waiting child! We look forward to connecting with you soon to continue discussing adoption paths at Spence-Chapin. We hope that you like us on Facebook, follow us on twitter, and keep up with our families through our adoption blog!

Warm regards,
The Adoption Team at Spence-Chapin

Phone: 212-400-8150
Email: [email protected]

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