About Us

On this Page:
   - The Anna Foundation Mission, Vision and Identity
   - How did the Anna Foundation begin?
   - Who is Anna?

MISSION
The mission of the organisation is to assist disadvantaged schools and communities by providing academic, social and environmental support and equipping children with skills for life long learning. We recognise each child as unique and special and aim to support the holistic development of the child.

VISION
Inspired youth with a positive vision for their own future and the future of our country.

OUR IDENTITY: An NGO of Excellence
The Anna Foundation prides itself in being an organisation of excellence. This excellence is born from dynamic passion for the work we do, absolute pride in how we do it and professional approach to design and planning

HOW DID THE ANNA FOUNDATION BEGIN?

The Anna Foundation was started in July 2005 by Anna Brom who was volunteering as a remedial teacher on a disadvantaged farm school and township school in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Remedial education at these schools largely entailed teaching basic literacy (i.e. reading and writing) to learners of all ages. A vast number of learners aged 15 - 17 years, still attending primary school, were identified as unable to read at the level of an average age 9 child. No special needs teachers are provided in these schools and no support supplied for these slower learners. It became clear that the need for greater support to these isolated and underprivileged schools in South Africa was crucial. Challenges faced by these schools include overcrowded classrooms, limited educational resources, lack of library facilities, language constraints, isolated geographical locations and poor transport availability. The Anna Foundation was created to provide support to these schools and to help create a stimulating environment for these children.

Anna started by providing support classes in English and Maths to learners from Ipani Primary school. The school had no library facility so Anna started a ‘library-in-a-box’ system, providing children with their first ever taste of reading their own book. There were also no sports facilities at the school so Anna started a running group. These reading and running activities were then combined and became the start of the Anna Foundation “3 R’s: Reading. Running. Right-ing” programme. The 3rd R: Right-ing was introduced to address the importance of positive self esteem and self worth, and help teach children different life skills.

The 3 R’s programme is currently being implemented on farms in the Western Cape, directly influencing over 300 children and training 18 community staff members.

The Anna Foundation has been a registered nonprofit organisation since 2005 and working on farms in the Western Cape since 2007.

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WHY FARMS?

Farms are spread over a large area, are isolated and unlike the townships, there is no central community area with shops or reliable public transport system to connect one with 'civilisation'. In relation to the farms the dorp or town is a quite a distance away. The nearest corner store is often quite a distance from the farm and most definitely not an ideal place for a child to hang out. A farm child's daily routine involves leaving the farm for school by bus, truck or foot and returning directly to the farm in the afternoon. As one can imagine this routine becomes tedious (especially for an active child!) and having parents who work on the farm means that there is no supervision upon returning from school - no one to insist that homework gets done and no one to ensure that a child stays out of mischief.

In the farming communities there is often a sense of helplessness, apathy and farm workers often suffer from low self esteem. The Anna Foundation aims to teach farm children that through dedication, persistance and hard work each one can become a master of his or her own destiny. In addition, women living in the farming communities are empowered by being trained and given the skills to impliment the daily running of the 3 R's Programme. We want the women to feel proud about their role as an educator, enthusiastically grow and grant them with an opportunity to better themselves.

Through our 3 R's "Reading, Running, Righting" Programme we aim to uplift farm children with much needed literacy/numeracy assistance, encourage a love for all kinds of sports and healthy lifestyle as well as teach children how to intergrate values into their day to day lives. With the Anna Foundation running afterschool clubs in the afternoons, parents and farm owners have peace of mind knowing that their children are in a safe and beneficial environment.

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WHO IS ANNA?

Anna Brom grew up on a small farm in the Boland. She is passionate about sports, animals and children. She is very conscious of the importance of healthy living and wellness, being raised by parents who are both health practitioners. Anna is a strong believer in the strength of positive thought and the power of a smile and a little tender care.

Educational Background:
Anna studied a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Stellenbosch. She then went to the Netherlands to complete a Masters degree in Social, Political and Economic Development at the Institute of Social Studies. She later completed a Post Graduate in Education through UNISA, focusing on special-needs learners. Anna also has a diploma in Entrepreneurship and Business Management as well as a certificate in Motor Skills Development for children.

Qualifications:
Psychology BA (US), Social Development MA (ISS Netherlands), Post Graduate Certificate in Education (UNISA), Business Management and Entrepreneurship (Cape Technikon), Certificate in Motor Development and Rehabilitation (Association of Motor Development Therapy SA)

About Us

We're PROUDLY South African