Background and Inception
KwaZulu-Natal was under disturbing political unrest during period of the 1980/90s. The civil movements, faith, businesses, political parties in NATAL saw need to initiate social and economic change that could support the national initiated changes.
In February 1992 Operation Jumpstart Association NPC was established as a grant maker that was formed by Roland Starkey, Terry Rosenberg, G Tyler, M Khumalo, Peter Christianson and East Coast Radio.
The source of OJA grant funding was accumulated for charitable purposes from the Natal Lotto established under the umbrella of OJA in September 1992, the main purpose was to run a lottery of which part of the proceeds were to be used to “jumpstart” local initiatives in (Natal) KZN as a catalyst to economic development.
Overview and Timeline
1992: Establishment
February 1992: OJA was founded as a grant maker with the goal of funding labor-intensive projects aimed at community upliftment in KwaZulu-Natal.
September 1992: The Natal Lotto was launched under OJA to generate funds for local initiatives, aimed at stimulating economic development.
1993-1998: Project Funding
January 1993: OJA issued its first grant of R29,000 to the Valley Trust Project, employing 106 workers for three months.
1992-1998: Funded 1,407 projects, including the construction of 4,120 classrooms, 154 pre-schools, and 120 community halls, benefiting over 200,000 children. Each project included essential facilities like toilets and water tanks.
1998: Shift in Focus
April 1998: OJA began focusing on charitable causes, establishing the Community Care Centre (CCC) to support crisis intervention for women and children. Community Care Centres was started in April 1998, with the support of the SAPS, with the purpose of establishing or developing one-stop centres for the care of abused women and children. To date, a total of R25 million has been allocated to fund 65 different projects spread across the province.
June 2000: Wheelchairs KZN was formed to provide wheelchairs to individuals with disabilities in KwaZulu-Natal. Wheelchairs KZN was formed in August 2000 with the purpose of donating wheelchairs to people in the province who could not afford to purchase their own. To date over 2,000 wheelchairs have been donated to deserving people throughout the province at a cost ofover R3 million.
2000: Transition to Charitable Focus
February 2000: The KZN Lotto was closed due to the launch of the National Lottery, concluding a successful run that raised R896 million, with 50% allocated to prizes.
During the seven and a half years of its existence, KZN Lotto’s sales totalled R896 million, of which 50% (448 million) was paid out in prizes.
Over 100 players became instant millionaires and many thousands benefited from the smaller prizes handed out each week.
With the launch of the National Lottery in March 2000, Lotto KZN was forced to close on 24 February 2000, in terms of the new Lotteries Act.
Post-2000, OJA redirected its efforts towards supporting various charitable projects, including funding for community care centers and wheelchair donations.
2000s: Continued Impact
2000-2024: OJA has continued to fund numerous projects, including renovations of community facilities and support for health-related initiatives, such as the McCord Hospital and the Cancer Association.
