Dear Deputy Minister Lindiwe Daphne Zulu

Deputy Minister, my name is Mc Donald Keetsamang and I currently employed at Ethembeni Community Centre in De Aar, Pixley ka Seme District of the Northern Cape. Ethembeni is one of the two organisations implementing the SBCC programme in the province; however we are experiencing major funding and communication challenges with provincial DSD office.

1. Every year we receive funding late - as I am typing this, we have not yet received funding for the financial year 2022/23 and this impacts negatively on staff morale, programme implementation and retention of staff.
2. Programme funding funding is decreased annually this include funds for FMP that cannot be implemented without refreshments for the parents/guardians.
3. The province does not consider the amount of work that goes with the programme and decided to scale the programme down to the level of CHCW's and equated the stipends to that level.
4. I am of the opinion that NC DSD staff does not have an understanding of the quality work that has to be done and regard this as a general outreach programme and thus does not see the importance of the interventions that has to be implemented and all the resources needed to enable us as implementers to successfully do our job
5. I suggest that the DM should intervene and engage the NC DSD on the programme design, intended outcomes and implementation approach including costing.