khulumani: a support group. a social movement. a strong voice.

In the post -TRC dispensation Khulumani shifted its focus from responding to the requirements of the TRC to addressing the felt needs of its members.The Needs Assessment Surveys provide the organisation with sound empirical data and exceptionally detailed and valuable information about the life circumstances of Khulumani's members.

To date, 21 000 of the estimated 54 000 survey forms have been entered into the database. The goal of the Database Department is to have every member's needs and situation included in the database by 2008.

The records on Khulumani's database provides the following information:

• a profile of each member;
• a description of the gross human rights violation experienced;
• details of the perpetrator/s where these are known;
• details about the participation of the individual in the TRC and any outcome from that process;
• and the psycho-social and other needs of the individual.

The information derived from these needs assessment forms is utilized for designing appropriate projects that are tailored to meet the needs of the members, as well as for documentation of a collective history of all those involved in the apartheid-era struggle.