Human Rights
Example of a Southern Africa Ashoka Fellow working in the Human Rights sector
Lesley Ann Van Selm
Project Name: Khulisa Programme
Lesley Ann van Selm is the founder and Managing Director of Khulisa Programme. This programme centers on the reintegration and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. It used a holistic crime prevention programme and operates a wide array of programmes from awaiting trial programmes, community crime prevention initiatives, community service projects, diversion (alternatives to prison) projects, dysfunctional/aggressive behavior change sessions, HIV/AIDS education, life skills workshops, offender rehabilitation trainings, offender pre-release, restorative justice training, staff development, street children programmes, substance abuse awareness, and youth leadership.
.jpg)
The programmes are run in Gauteng, North West Province, Northern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo. Programmes have been introduced in over 35 correctional facilities around South Africa, benefiting over 25,000 offenders through In-Prison Peer Education Programme and at least 900 restorative justice processes mediated by Khulisa staff. In March 2007, Khulisa launched a Justice and restoration project (JARP) to promote conflict resolution and peace-making initiatives. In 3 months, over 300 cases resolved through meditation and courts backlog was reduced by 40%. By in Oct 2007, the Department of Justice in South Africa declared the Phoenix JARP to be a “best practice” model. Khulisa has introduced the “Make It Better” (MIB) programme to 29 areas nation-wide, trained 600 youth leaders worked with 160,000 members and MIB programme cited as Best Practice Model by UNODC in publication released in late 2006. This programme equips young leaders with range of competencies to implement community based capacity building and poverty alleviation projects. Diversion (alternative to prison) programmes are running in 18 areas in 4 provinces and over 6,000 children successfully diverted from criminal justice system since Khulisa’s inception.
