Why are we serving in South Africa?

So, what is The Orphan Cycle?

The Orphan Cycle looks something like this:

• A girl is vulnerable and seen as public property in her community.
• She doesn’t have much value.
• At 12 she is raped.
• She is pregnant at 15 and contracts the HIV virus around the same time.
• By the time she is in her twenties, she is too sick to raise her child or get a job.
• The child doesn’t go to school, lives totally unsupervised, and is often exposed to abuse.
• By the time the child is 9 years old, her/his mother dies and she/he is an orphan.
• Perhaps this child will sell her/his body.
• Pretty soon, the child will also have contracted HIV and, if a girl, will get pregnant with a child of her own.
• That child will probably have the same story she did.

This is the orphan cycle.

For us to be able to do the work that God has called us to, we rely upon our prayer and financial support partners. We can’t do this alone! We need partners to join us in this ministry and we invite you to be a part of what God is doing at iKhethelo and Lily of the Valley Children's Villages. Will you consider joining us?