Understand the Need

Why are we serving in South Africa?

What do you think of when you see this number?   40

 

Maybe ‘life begins at 40’.

Perhaps Noah and the Flood, when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.

Or you might think of the Israelites, who spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness.

Well, the number 40 we want you to think about is this: 40% of 15-49 year olds in KwaZulu Natal are infected with HIV/AIDS. That is nearly one in every two people!

 

How about this number? 30

 

30 is the number of people who die from HIV/AIDS in South Africa every hour!

 

Think about this number. 1,000

 

There are 1,000 people in South Africa being diagnosed every day with new infections with HIV!

 

This is the number we really want you to remember. 2,000,000

 

2,000,000 is the number of HIV/AIDS orphans in South Africa!

With 2,000,000 HIV/AIDS orphans in South Africa, there is a huge need for more help.

iKhethelo and Lily of the Valley are two children’s villages that are making a difference.

But we are up against some big challenges.

Our kids have stories that are unique, but also similar in that many of them talk about the same brokenness:

  • losing parents to HIV/AIDS
  • being vulnerable
  • being abused
  • not having access to a decent education that gives them hope for the future
  • not being loved

In addition, the community faces:

  • poverty
  • an HIV/AIDS epidemic that is raging out of control
  • women are treated with little respect
  • and there is much violence and crime that threatens everyone’s safety

These are the challenges we face in our communities. And it results in what we call The Orphan Cycle.