The Sithand'izingane Care Project of Geluksdal, South Africa addresses poverty,
the impact of AIDS, violence, and the legacy of apartheid in the local
townships of Tsakane and Geluksdal.
Women from St. Paul's Catholic Church and St. Martin de Porres Catholic
Church formed Sithand'izingane to
reach out to needy children. The women had a dream of providing care for
AIDS orphans. Step-by-step this dream is coming true!
The Fools are grateful to the work of the
Thabong Community of Catholic nuns in Geluksdal, South Africa for
sustaining this essential project and its activities.
South Africa is faced nationwide with very critical issues of employment,
lack of income-producing skills, education, and healthcare.
The specter of HIV/AIDS and its impact on the fabric of everyday life
continues to escalate alarmingly. South Africa's future is severely
compromised by HIV/AIDS as well as by the legacy of apartheid, escalating
unemployment and poverty.
Sithand'izingane, a Zulu word meaning "we love the children", reflects the focus of
the project's work.
Activities include:
Day Care Center
A weekday safe haven for HIV/AIDS impacted children from the nearby
settlement opened in May, 2002. It provides care and nutrition for women
and 35 children.
Food Garden Project
Teaches people how to use their back yards and open spaces in the
community to grow vegetables.
Counseling Center
An offsite center provides emotional support and information to individuals
most desperately in need. Rape/Crisis intervention, HIV/AIDS
training and counseling, and accompaniment of those in the last stages of
AIDS are some of the services offered.
Youth Alive Club
A peer support group with a goal of bringing about an HIV/AIDS-free
lifestyle.
Women's Income Generating Project
–
Kopanang Kopanang lets women share their experiences and learn new
income-generating skills. The Faithful Fools have commissioned art
work from Kopanang and invite you to view the
Kopanang on-line gallery.
"The [project] house is now a working
care center for the community. In August they had 35 babies and eight
mothers, during the holidays about ten older siblings joined the group.
It is not easy work. One mother has already died, two of the babies
are really sick. At the same time, the daily nutritious meals and the
loving care are already improving the health of many."
Because economic survival is such a critical issue, the Sithand'izingane
Care Project hopes to obtain sufficient funding to extend the skills
training center, currently housed in a converted garage. The project
wants to provide additional skills for men, such as brick laying, carpentry,
furniture, and coffin making.
Sithand'izingane also hopes to build a hospice care center on its property.
None of these hopes will be realized without
additional funding. Already many come to the project asking to
participate but must be turned away due to limited resources.
The Sithand'izingane Care Project is grateful for the support of people
from around the world. The Fools invite you to consider helping the Project.
Sithand'izingane, a Zulu word meaning "we love the children", reflects the focus of
the project's work.
