Actions currently underway include:

• Long-term, multiple-media, advertising campaign to make South Africans more conscious of burn prevention;
• Designing effective fire and burn prevention education programmes for schools and high risk communities.
• Implementing support groups for burn survivors and family particularly at hospital facilities providing burn treatment;
• Supporting research to improve the rehabilitation of burn survivors and their families;
• Lobbying fire department priorities toward prevention, with an emphasis on educational programmes;
• Encouraging regional cooperative arrangements amongst organisations with similar priorities;

Vision Statement

The World Burn Foundation of Southern Africa strives to be the premier support for burn trauma.

Credo

The statement of belief

We believe our primary responsibility is to prevent burns. In meeting this objective everything we do must be of the highest quality. Additionaly, we constantly strive to develop innovative and meaningful activities; programmes and interventions that serve the cause of those who suffer from burn trauma.

We believe that we are responsible to the communities in which we live and work and to the world community as well. We promote good citizenship and encourage civic responsibility - especially in initiatives that will assist people who have experienced burn trauma.

Burn Injury awareness

Through the sharing of critical information, support networks, advocacy, and networking with hospitals and government agencies, we are bringing about unprecedented awareness. The Burn Foundation of Southern Africa is preventing needless injury and promoting support for burn survivors on a national scale.

Burn and Fire Prevention

Burn Prevention Education in South Africa is paramount. The Burn Foundation of Southern Africa has facilitated and developed several programmes with the same goal in mind, educate to prevent! In South Africa living in an informal settlement (shanty town) is a high risk for being burned for thousands of people. Young children are faced with hazardous environments every day due to poverty. In more developed communities children also face challenges in escaping when there is a fire due to security bars and gates.

The Burn Foundation promotes the use of battery operate smoke alarms to improve fire survival in formal and informal family dwellings.

Conferences

We assist burn survivors and their family, fire fighters, and medical professionals, through facilitating workshops and conferences. These workshops enable experiences and knowledge to be shared in a forum that advances the prevention and rehabilitation process and aids in a better understanding of the effect that burn injuries bring about in our society.

Burn Survivor Camps

Burn Survivor Camps have long been known to have an incredible positive effect on young burn survivors. In October 2003, the Burn Foundation facilitated and co-ordinated the first burn survivor camp ever to be held in Southern Africa.

The therapeutic value of recreational camps for children with disabilities or differences is well recognised in the literature. There are many such camps designed specifically for burn-injured children around the world today. The camping programme aims to provide a safe and supportive environment where the development of self-esteem, and a sense of community and peer support is the primary focus.

Donations

These services and all our work is available and involves all role-players and burn survivors, regardless of race, gender creed or affiliation. Any donations of course would be gladly accepted. All funding is accounted for through independent audits.
Any questions may be sent to info@burnfoundation.org.za