Khumbulani can rely on a broad network of partners and funders. They have successfully applied to the Department of Social Development, the Department of Education and MSAT which serves as a funding institution and a forum for networking and coordination in Cape Town. Khumbulani also liaises with NGOs such as the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Abalimi Bezekhaya, the Volunteer Centre and are a long term associate of Community Connections. Gloria Bebeza, Khumbulani's coordinator, was part of our first training course in 2001. She consequently served on our board until her resignation in 2007. She is currently the chairperson of the Masikhulisane working group. Khumbulani has also been part of Community Connections Organisational Development Support Programme as from 2006.

Asked about their relationship with Community Connections, Mama Gloria and her deputy, Nondumiso Xintolo agree that the organisation has provided good support. Since 2000, Khumbulani has continuously sent their volunteers to our trainings, which both, Mama Gloria and Nondumiso, have also attended. They will continue to do so, as they feel the training addresses relevant issues and are very helpful. "The training is wonderful, but the problem is that we don't have the resources to implement what we have learnt", states Mama Gloria, giving lacking computer equipment as an example as to why Khumbulani's staff and volunteers have been unable to practice and further improve on the computer skills that they have learnt in our Computer Literacy Course. "The resource centre could be helpful for people to come and do their work and in order to get information", Mama Gloria adds.

At the same time, she maintains that this would require one of Community Connections' staff to be present at the centre to assist with technical aspects that they might have forgotten, such as how to send emails. As mentioned above Mama Gloria is the chairperson of the Masikhulisane working group, which consists of community workers associated to Community Connections and Community Connections' staff. Mama Gloria explains that it is not clear as to whether the Masikhulisane campaign is a Connections' programme or an entity on its own. She maintains that it is important that one or two staff members of Connections are permanently working for Masikhulisane. As all working group members are involved in other organisations, she feels that there must not be too much reliance on the working group. "Sometimes, it is not possible for working group members to attend, as they are preoccupied with commitments by their own organisations".

Both, Mama Gloria and Nondumiso see Masikhulisane as an important aspect of Connections' work: "Masikhulisane is really helpful due to the relationships that we have built with funders", says Mama Gloria. And Nondumiso adds: "There is a lot of information coming from Masikhulisane and it opens minds". At the end of the our conversation, the two Khumbulani staff members have a few words of advice for Community Connections: They emphasise the importance of Community Connections to screen CBOs before entering into a partnership with them. "Don't just take on any organisation, make sure they don't just come for the resources and then go. Ensure, that partnerships are being built between Community Connections and the CBOs you work with. Associated CBOs must also assist Community Connections.", Mama Gloria says.

Both, Mama Gloria and Nondumiso agree that they will continue to make use of Community Connections' services. They always receive new volunteers and after these have received skills through Community Connections' training courses, they receive job opportunities. Khumbulani sees it as important to not only empower Khumbulani's leadership, but to also invest in its volunteers, as in the long run, these are then able to run the organisation. Volunteers leaving Khumbulani to take up employment elsewhere is not a problem for the organisation. "There are always more volunteers coming", the two women say energetically. If fire is the main comfort of the camp, these incredible women are the fire of Khumbulani. They create a secure environment filled with warmth, hope and joy.