About Sonneblom Foundation
Good day!
As one of the directors of the Sonneblom Foundation (NPC 2025/422686/08), I’m proud to share what we stand for and how we came to be.
We are a South African non-profit company devoted to teen suicide prevention, offering life-saving support to young people in crisis, and the counsellors serving them. Our services are specifically available to teens who are already in counselling with pre-approved suicide prevention counsellors. We don’t just aim to respond—we aim to intervene early, provide stability, and ensure no teenager ever feels completely alone.
Our Story
The Sonneblom Foundation was officially registered in May 2025, but our work started long before that. Since 2023, we’ve been collaborating with counsellors working on the front lines of suicide prevention. What began as a shared concern among six close friends has grown into a structured, purpose-driven organisation. The six founding directors—Riaan Hattingh, Neil van der Merwe, Dhelia Kirstin, Heidi Saunders, Natalie Edward-Graver, and Melissa Thompson—brought together their experience, passion, and deep commitment to protect vulnerable teens.
What We Do
Our mission is summed up in three powerful words: Light · Hope · Life. These guide everything we do, across three core pillars:
- Awareness
We spread information about free suicide prevention resources available to South African teens and their families. - Counsellor Support
We assist suicide prevention counsellors through funding and operational support, ensuring that their vital services remain free to teens. - Emergency Care
- We take care of the immediate needs of teenagers in counselling to ensure their crisis is averted, and that they remain in contact with their counsellors for extended periods.
- In extreme cases, we cover the costs of emergency interventions and transport, help create safe, nurturing spaces to keep teens away from harm and in contact with trusted support, and we work alongside social workers, authorities, and children’s courts to remove children from abusive environments and ensure proper care.
Our Vision
We imagine a South Africa where no teenager feels invisible—where support is always within reach. Our vision is fuelled by public awareness and free access to help, beginning at sonneblom.org.za.
Where We Are Now
- We are a registered NPC, with NPO status in process. Our FICA compliance is complete, and we’re now fully set up with FNB and Payfast for donations. A second account with Capitec is underway. We awaiting verification from BackaBuddy, and we will run some campaigns on them. We are also registered with the Information Regulator (2025-055818) under the POPIA Act.
- We’re actively looking for volunteers and donors—people who care about teen mental health. Whether you can offer time, expertise, or funding, your help is deeply valued. We will announce specific needs on our website and social media pages.
- We’re operational, we’re growing, and we’re here to stay—for the teens who need us most.
Kind regards,
Riaan Hattingh
SONNEBLOM FOUNDATION NPC 2025/422686/08
Tax Number: 9170811286
Information Regulator (South Africa) Registration Number: 2025-055818
Directors: CJ Hattingh, NS van der Merwe, D Kirstin, H Saunders, N Edward-Graver, MC Thompson
DONATIONS: Bank: FNB | Account Name: SONNEBLOM FOUNDATION NPC | Account Number: 63157202995 | Branch Code: 250655 | SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ | Please use SF-Yourname as reference.