Sight Savers International

Sight Savers International
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Friday, 7 December 2007

SOS Children's Villages

SOS Children's Villages
http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/

SOS Children is the world's largest charity dedicated to giving a new family to orphans and supporting the remaining family of children orphaned by Aids. They help Aids Orphans and other orphaned children in almost every country in Africa (44 Countries to date).

Aids Orphans in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has a high incidence of HIV/AIDS - nearly 25% of the adult population and one in five orphans are as a result of HIV/AIDS. The current political instability has resulted in a limited capacity for social support. This has been exacerbated by drought. The outcome has been an increase in the number of orphaned and vulnerable children. Nationally the National Aids council of Zimbabwe has set up District Aids Committees with the support of USAID.

SOS Children's Zimbabwe Projects

SOS Children works with the Ministries of Health and Child Welfare and the District Aids Committees to develop programmes that help to strength families.

In Bindura, the SOS Social Centre has, since 2003, been co-ordinating an AIDS outreach programme. This programme reaches out to 2,000 children a year and provides them and their families with food, school fees, basic medical treatment, counselling and psychosocial support. Families affected by HIV/AIDS are offered support to improve their housing and their living conditions. Priority is given to children who have lost both parents and now live with grandparents, older siblings or other relatives, as well as those whose parents are seriously ill.

In Bulawayo, the SOS Social Centre has, since 2003, been co-ordinating an AIDS outreach programme. This programme reaches out to 2,000 children a year and provides them and their families with food, school fees, basic medical treatment, counselling and psychosocial support. Families affected by HIV/AIDS are offered support to improve their housing and their living conditions. Priority is given to children who have lost both parents and now live with grandparents, older siblings or other relatives, as well as those whose parents are seriously ill.

In Waterfalls, Harare the SOS Social Centre has, since 2002, co-ordinated an AIDS outreach programme with the aim of supporting children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in their own community. Following consultation with the local authorities, Glen Norah, a heavily populated suburb of Harare was chosen. Priority is given to children who have lost both parents and now live with grandparents, older siblings or other relatives, as well as those whose parents are seriously ill. The most urgent need was to provide food, basic medical treatment and to support the education of children. In addition the programme aims to improve housing and living conditions. This programme reaches out to up to 2,000 children a year. The long-term goal of this programme is to develop within the local community - people and organisations - full understanding of HIV/AIDS , so that, in the future, the programme is self-supporting within the local community.

If you interested in helping the situation in the Zimbabwe you might like to consider how to sponsor a child in Zimbabwe.

SOS Children in Zambia

The republic of Zambia is in south central Africa. It was potentially one of the richest countries on the continent, but is now amongst the world's poorest. The average daily income is about 60p. The economy has been in serious decline since the mid 1970s due to civil unrest and corruption, and more than half the population lives below the poverty line. Cuts in government spending on social services mean that people now have to pay for basic health care and education. There is an extremely high number of children in need in Zambia, either orphaned or neglected, due to the rural exodus in search of employment which is destroying the traditional concept of extended families or because of the AIDS epidemic. At least 50 per cent of Zambia's population are expected to die of HIV related diseases in the next three years. Life expectancy is 32.5 years.

The charity began its work in Zambia in September 1999 when the first families moved into the charity's Lusaka community, situated about 4 miles from the city centre in a densely populated and very poor area. The 40 acre site was donated by the Zambian government. The 15 family houses have been built in groups of three in the local style, using red burnt clay bricks with green roof tiles, and are surrounded by eucalyptus trees. The grounds have been planted with ornamental trees, flowers and grass. As well as the family houses, there is a youth house and a nursery which pre-school age children from the local community also attend and are given two meals a day, with priority given to children from the poorest families. A primary school and medical centre, which caters for 10,000 patients a year, have since been added as well as a social centre whose main focus is a community outreach programme for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

In Zambia there are 75,000 children who are homeless orphans, many affected by HIV/AIDS. SOS Children is supporting a project in Lusaka which will help 1000 street children. This will provide mobile education facilities and encourage children to attend the social centre for training in vocational skills. The social centre provides hot nutritional food, washing facilities and clean clothes.

A second SOS Children’s Village has been opened in Kitwe, the capital of the Copperbelt region in northern Zambia, an area of increasing poverty due to falling copper prices. The village has 16 family houses for 190 orphaned and abandoned children. There is also a nursery which focuses on children from the local community who have special needs. There is also a primary school for 700 children. The SOS Social Centre provides practical help and counselling to 2000 families in the local community affected by HIV/AIDS. The SOS Medical Centre treats patients from 10,000 families in the local community.

A third SOS Children’s Village is planned to be built at Livingstone, about 300 miles south of Lusaka. It will have 15 family homes for 150 orphaned and abandoned children, nursery and primary schools and social centres focussing on family strengthening and helping children and their families affected by HIV/AIDS.
Aids Orphan Projects
See also more information on our Charity's African Aids Orphan projects in Zambia.

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