Constitution

 

The Name

The Name of the Organization is “Help Us Hope”

LOCATION

Help Us Hope operates from Ga Sekororo – Limpopo – Republic of South Africa

STATUS

•  Help Us Hope is a non-profit, non-political, non-governmental organisation established to serve the public benefit.

• The Organization is registered with the South African Directorate of Non-Profit Organization. NPO Registration number 71341

• Help Us Hope is a Public Benefit Organization recognized by the South African Revenue Services PBO registration number 93003245

MISSION

Our mission is to increase and expand access to comprehensive health care and sustainable socio-economic support for people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

VALUES

•  Belief in the essential dignity of people and in their capacity to overcome the problems and pressures that can exploit them.

• The Organization as the expression of the humanitarian obligation to exercise charity and to promote social justice.

•  Development as an empowerment process, focusing on people’s participation and the creation of autonomous groups and associations.

• Pride in the efficient delivery of services and in attaining the planned results.

•  Commitment to non–authoritarian structures and to democratic decision-making processes within the Organization.

GOALS

• To improve the quality of life of widows and children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and mitigate the health and socio-economic impact of the diseases.

• To attain a sustainable environment and natural resource management and utilization in relation to social and economic activities that promotes development for both present and posterity.

• To attain a food self-sufficient household both quantitative and qualitative to ensure adequate dietary intake for all its members in a gender sensitive, socially acceptable and environmentally friendly manner.

•  Sustainable provision of clean, safe and sufficient supply of water within easy reach and hygienic sanitation facilities, based on management responsibilities and ownership by the users.

OBJECTIVES

• To increase agricultural productivity to ensure food security and self-sufficiency.

• To contribute towards the improvement of the healthy status of the population with special emphasis on mothers and children.

• To contribute towards the improvement of the literacy rate (status) of the population with more emphasis on women and the girl-child.

• To increase awareness and understanding of the need for improved hygiene and sanitation.

• To increase accessibility of safe water sources to the community within easy reach.

• To create a source and solicit for funds and other contributions, by which the Organization can afford to run its affairs and satisfy all its objectives.

• To be involved in infrastructure developments.

• To promote advocacy and mobilization for HIV/AIDS education.

• To promote AIDS and sex education, voluntary counselling and testing, home based-care and psychological support.

• To build the capacity of orphans and vulnerable children to support themselves.

• To promote safe sexual behaviour among particular population categories, especially people aged 15-24 years.

• To promote social and economic development of low income – earners to become self-reliant.

• To engage in activities designed to improve the physical quality of life of low- income earners, such as women and children, through improving their levels of agricultural production, general health, educational literacy and income.

• To strengthen and support community development groups.

• To establish training facilities in form of a training centre, workshops, seminar, and retreats aimed at empowering the people with skills, information and knowledge that will stimulate development.

• To promote the reduction of the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, other than HIV.

• To promote the reduction of the risk of mother to child HIV transmission

• To increase and expand access to comprehensive health care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.

•  To promote and provide social and economic support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children, people living with HIV/AIDS and affected families of those in need.

• To create a supportive environment for the affected children and families.

•  To contribute towards the construction of permanent shelters for the most vulnerable affected families by HIV/AIDS.

• To contribute towards the improvement of the nutritional status of the affected/ infected families with special emphasis on HIV/AIDS positive persons and young children.

• To increase awareness and understanding among the community of the need to manage the population growth and health in such a way as to match people and resources in an economically productive, socially acceptable, environmentally sound and gender sensitive manner. 

GOVERNANCE

Help Us Hope is a non-membership service organisation governed by a Board made up of individuals supporting and endorsing the Cause.

Powers and responsibilities of the Board are as follows:

• The Board is the highest authority of the Organization.

• The Board shall engage in consultative processes.

• The Board shall adopt and oversee the policies and procedures of the Organization including staffing structure, financial and personnel policies.

• Board shall approve the annual work plan and estimated budget of the Organization each December.

•  The Board shall work to support staff in achieving the goals and objectives of the Organization.

• The Board shall recruit, appoint, suspend or remove an Executive Director with due process.

• The Board shall endeavour to make the Organization an effective, efficient and credible organisation. The Board shall, in all its actions and deliberations, be accountable to the South African Public at large, and serve the needs of the people.

• The Board shall supervise the opening; operation and closing of bank accounts for the Organization, including authorising appropriate persons to operate such accounts.

• The Board shall direct all other business that is legal and deemed necessary for the activities of the Organization.

COMMITTEES

1. The Board shall create any committees, which the Board deems necessary to carry out specific and specified functions including but not limited to an Executive Director recruitment committee, CBO selection committee, and recruitment committee for new Board members.

2. Committees shall comprise three (3) to five (5) members.

3. One member of the Board will chair each committee.

COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD

1. The Board shall consist of an odd number of voting members with a minimum of Three (3) and maximum of Five (5) voting members.

2. The Board shall elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer.

QUALIFICATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS

1. The Board members:

• Shall be honest and of good reputation;

• Shall be committed to the mission of the Organization and be available to carry out the responsibilities of the Board;

• Should not be related to possible beneficiaries of the Organization;

2. The Board shall reflect broad experience including among them some or all of the following:

•  Knowledge of sexual health and STI/HIV/AIDS;

• Knowledge of gender issue;

•  Experience in civil society development;

• Experience in training;

• Experience in working with the media;

• Experience in organisational development;

• Experience in financial management;

• Experience in fund raising.

FINANCES

The funds of the Organization may consist of:

1. Grants, donations, gifts, bequests and other transfers from individuals, businesses, organisations, Government, non-government bodies or any other legal source;

2. Income from mission-related services, programmes, publications, sale of assets or other activities.

• All donated and other funds shall be the property of the Foundation. Assets provided by international programmes and projects shall be subject to internationally accepted rules and regulations of the funding agency. No member of the Board or staff of the Organization shall conduct any financial or economic activities using the Organization’s assets or finances for his/her personal gain.

• The funds may be used only for activities related to the mission of the Organization. The use of the funds will be subject to the financial Regulations in South Africa. The funds may not be use for any activities that breach the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and other laws.

• The staff and Board members shall not, whether in an official or personal capacity, misuse the funds. No staff or Board member shall use the funds for their personal benefit or benefit of Organization from which they derive any income.

• The funds of the Organization shall be kept in a bank account or accounts with the signatories of any accounts determined by the Board.

• The Board shall be responsible to ensure that staff manages the funds of the Foundation properly and in a transparent and accountable manner.

• The Organization will be accountable to its donors for the use of funds according to conditions stipulated for the use of those funds.

• The Foundation will not take responsibility for any liabilities incurred on behalf of people under service contract while doing work under these contracts.

• No members of the Board shall receive any funds or property as remuneration by virtue of being a member of the Board. Board members shall only be reimbursed expenses incurred in carrying out the official business of the Organization as authorised by the Board.

FINANCIAL YEAR

The financial year of the Organization shall be the calendar year, that is, it commences on 1st January and ends on 31st December.

AUDIT

•  The Organization shall appoint an Auditor or a firm of Auditors who shall be responsible for execution of the above duties and or any other duties, which may be assigned to the same in writing.
• The remuneration of the Auditors shall be determined and fixed by the Board at its meetings.
• Every Auditor so appointed shall have a right of access at all times to the Books and Accounts and Vouchers of the Organization, such information and explanation as to take performance of the duties of the Auditors.
• The Books of Accounts shall be kept at the Center of Operations of the Organization or in the Office of its Auditors subject to any restrictions as the time and manner of their inspection imposed by the Organization’s meetings.
  Regulations
• The Board shall enact by simple majority all regulations relating to procedure and other matters, as may be necessary for the implementation of this constitution as well as for the accomplishment of the task of the Organization.
•  Within the framework of this constitution in force, and subject to the approval of the Board, the Board and other organs of the Organization as are necessary for the accomplishment of their respective tasks.

DISSOLUTION

• The Organization can only be dissolved by the law of South Africa or by a decision Taken at a special meeting of the Board called for that purpose and at which a quorum of 75% of all members shall be present. The resolution must be supported by at least 2/3 majority of members present and voting.
•  If upon dissolution of the Organization there remains after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the founding members of the Organization but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having objectives similar to the objectives of the Organization to be determined by the Board of the Organization at or before the time of dissolution or in default thereof by such Judge of the High Court of Justice as may have or acquired jurisdiction in the matter.

AMENDMENT

•  The Constitution of the Organization may be amended at any time by a resolution of the Board at a meeting duly convened for that purpose and supported by not less than 2/3 of the full complement of voting members.
•  At least three members of the Board must agree to sponsor the resolution of amendment.
• The text of any proposed amendment and the existing text shall be circulated to all Board members with notification of the meeting at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendments are to be considered.