Friends of the Children of Southern Africa
HIV continues to take its toll on rural communities in South Africa. Antiretroviral treatment is now available in public hospitals and clinics, but only a quarter of people in the project area in need of the drugs are able to actually access them. In this environment, child-headed households continue struggling to survive. This project will provide medical and social care for people with HIV, orphans and their caregivers. This will include 40 trained carers who will provide home based care for 1,800 people with HIV/AIDS, such as providing bed baths, providing nutritional supplements, and basic medical treatment such as dressing wounds. There will also be 2 project nurses to provide extra medical support, such as dispensing drugs and transferring patients to hospital where possible. Also support groups for carers and orphans, will provide help to over 675 families in obtaining government grants for housing, food and education, and also HIV/AIDS treatment that they are entitled to. After school clubs will also benefit over 5000 children, and a small number of exceptional students will be provided scholarships for further education. As a result, the quality of life of orphans and people with HIV will be improved.
