The Project

The focal point of this project is the Republic of Botswana, a small, land-locked country in the southern region of Africa bordering Zimbabwe.

and South Africa. A population of just over 1.7 million inhabit this predominantly flat tableland. Botswana’s economy is dominated by mining, tourism and cattle; an economy which, though excellent governance, has maintained an impressive record of growth and stability. However, despite this bright outlook, Botswana is facing a terrible crisis: HIV/AIDS.
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The President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, summed up the situation stating: “We are threatened with extinction. People are dying in chilling high numbers. It is a crisis of the first magnitude.”

Botswana is among the countries hardest hit by AIDS. In the UNAIDS 2003 report there were an estimated 330,000 adults (15-49) living with HIV. This, in a country with a total population below two million, gives Botswana an adult HIV prevalence second only to Swaziland. Life expectancy at birth fell from 65 years in 1990-1995 to less than 40 years in 2000-2005. The end result: a young population; many children and a declining number of adults.

Due to the HIV/AIDS crisis many people have been left vulnerable and in desperate need of care. Included in this category are those physically affected by HIV/AIDS, and an increasing population of vulnerable and orphaned children. Over the past decade child mortality has escalated, increasing by more than 20%. For those children that do survive, a registered 210,000 of them have lost at least one parent to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

More info: Wikipedia

Vision

“We have not seen the peak of the epidemic in HIV. We are still seeing a lot of sick children coming in to die from pneumonia and diarrhoea, and that is as a result of the advent of HIV” Dr Haruna Djibril, Head of Paediatrics, Princess Marina Hospital.

Due to this worsening situation, it has become necessary to develop a centre where orphans and vulnerable children can receive the appropriate love and care, ensuring they do not become a victim of this crisis.

In an effort to help alleviate the problematic situations arising from the HIV/AIDS crisis in Botswana, volunteers from Australia and Canada have and will be travelling into the country to construct Orphan Centres. The Orphan Centres will then be run by locals, international volunteers and local churches.

The specific objectives of the Orphan Centres are:

  • To assess and address the needs of the orphans and vulnerable children, providing the following as required:
  • Meals on a daily basis;
  • Clothing and toiletries;
  • Counselling and support services;
  • Pre-school education;
  • An environment conducive to learning, allowing in-school children to do homework after school hours;
  • Reading materials regarding character development and various educational subjects;
  • Recreational activities to encourage the children to have fun, also to help prevent them from roaming the streets.
  • To serve as a link between the children, guardians, Social Welfare and community organizations providing support to HIV/AIDS affected groups;
  • To provide information, education and spiritual support to the vulnerable children, their respective families, orphans and their guardians;
  • To provide skills training for the older children and adults wishing to empower their lives and respective communities.