South Africa

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The Challenge

South Africa is a country of extreme beauty with metropolitan cities such as Capetown, Durban and Johannesburg.  Developed, thriving industry and tourism might lead the average on-looker to believe that all is well, yet in the shadows of theses cities are all the challenges that exist in other African nations.  HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, tuberculosis and death are a way of life for the nearly 3.4 million orphans of South Africa.

South Africa has been significantly impacted by HIV/AIDS.  An estimated 5.6 million people in South Africa have the disease (roughly 11% of the population).  Up to 18% of the population age 15-49 is HIV  positive, and in 2009, 310,000 people died from HIV/AIDS.

The nation of South Africa has the distinction of being the wealthiest most developed African nation, yet 18% of its people still live on less than $1.25/day.  In this post apartheid era millions of South Africans eke out an existence and survival is an everyday struggle.

The HopeChest Solution

In response to the significant challenges facing the nation of South Africa, Children’s HopeChest approached Focus on the Family, US to begin an orphan care initiative in partnership with Focus on the Family Africa.

We will employ a three phased approach of survive, thrive and succeed.   Our approach will take orphaned and vulnerable children in our care, from assistance with most basic necessities of life (food, clean water, and proper sanitation) to opportunities to break the cycles of poverty through job training and micro-enterprise opportunities.

We will look to develop CarePoints in communities with high orphan populations and partner with local community leadership to ensure that those who are in the most desperate of circumstances are offered access to food, clean water,  proper sanitation, and spiritual development.

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