From 2015 CAN has provided both the courses in Lesotho and Eswatini (then called Swaziland). Initially they were provided to government social workers and members of relevant NGOS. Training venues and facilities were kindly provided by those in the countries concerned.

The Ministry of Social Development of Lesotho organised and paid for the facilities of a conference centre and also the transport, accommodation and meals involved in enabling District Social Workers from every district in Lesotho and from some NGOs to attend the CAN training courses. It provided our accommodation as well. They also arranged for our CAN training manuals to be photocopied for each participant.

In Eswatini, our partner NGO organisation, Super Buddies, initially provided the venues, refreshments and travelling expenses for their youth mentors and participants from other NGOs to attend the courses. They also photocopied the manuals for us. Later venues and manuals were provided by The National University of Lesotho. However, as the numbers attending the courses grew over the years, photocopying manuals became impractical and we arranged for them to be professionally printed in South Africa in advance of our arrival. CAN paid for this with funding from Festival Medical Services who also provided most other funding, although the Universities made venues available.

The idea of providing the courses to The National University of Lesotho was suggested by the Director of Lesotho Red Cross (an excellent organisation which had been very helpful in enabling CAN to research their projects and use their powerful photography). As the University had the facilities and students on site, this saved the expense of a conference centre. This proved to be an excellent move, and the courses were greeted by the final year undergraduates on the 4-year BA in Social Work course with great enthusiasm and gratitude. They welcomed an African community-development approach to providing services for children in need, which they reported had been lacking from previous lectures based more on a western model. They reported feeling enthused and empowered to develop projects for children. With few employment opportunities for graduates in Social Work in the country, they also felt that starting their own projects, and once successful, applying for aid funding for them, presented exciting opportunities for their future.

When the courses were offered to undergraduates at The National University of Eswatini, we met with similar enthusiasm.

The Universities quickly incorporated the CAN courses into their official curriculum and, since our aim is to eventually hand over the work to those in Africa, they were enthusiastic in taking over the Methods Course and continuing it for the future. This should enable CAN's work in Africa to be sustainable for the future to benefit children in need and to continue to empower the African community-care system for the benefit of future generations.

CAN Extension Workers

All course participants in both countries became CAN Extension Workers, committed to using what they had learnt on the courses to benefit children in need in Africa. This will enable the work for children to continue as CAN gradually hands over to those in Africa.