About
To support the work of Helping Hands In Africa, which provides care, counseling, nutrition, and educational support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Southern Africa.
Our success statistics to date include: 10,000 youth participated in HIV prevention courses, 3,600 children received care and counseling, and 1.152 Million meals were served to these children. By 2013, an additional 10,000 orphans and vulnerable children will be provide basic care, educational support (such as tutoring and after school activities) and counseling. Also an additional 50,000 youth will be have participated in HIV/AIDS prevention courses. All of the children participating in HHIA projects receive a daily meal, which is often the only meal they will get that day.
Helping Hands In Africa was started in South Africa in 1991. The primary function of Helping Hands In Africa from 1991-1994 was to feed poor and destitute children who were rummaging at the city rubbish dump. Although feeding the children on the rubbish dump was an act of compassion, it was not bringing lasting change to the lives of these children. The issue of poverty, compounded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic amongst the people of South Africa, needed to be addressed in a meaningful way. Helping Hands In Africa thus changed from being a feeding project only, growing into an organization that brings positive and lasting change to the socioeconomic situation and lifestyles of individuals and their communities. Helping Hands In Africa currently runs programs in four main focus areas: Childcare, Healthcare, Social Services and Empowerment. Our beneficiaries are disadvantaged communities in rural Southern Africa. Here we provide early learning centers, after school learning centers, art and cultural activities, sports programs, HIV/AIDS prevention courses, AIDS home based care, food security, poverty alleviation and empowerment projects, assistance with ID and grant applications and care for orphans and vulnerable children.
The mission of Helping Hands In Africa is to restore hope for the future in disadvantaged communities by providing opportunities for individuals to develop skills to take responsibility for their own economic, health, educational, spiritual and social upliftment. Helping Hands In Africa is developing communities that have skills to help themselves out of the poverty/AIDS cycle of death. These people are helping others in their community to become healthy, educated and motivated.
1. By 2010, the UN estimates 25 Million children will be orphaned by AIDS, a majority of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2. In South Africa, more than 50% of children live below the ultra poverty line of $125/month and 42% live in a household where no one is employed.
3. These children will suffer from economic hardship, a lack of love, withdrawl from school, increased risk of HIV, malnutirion, and discrimination.
4. To counter the above consequences, we must strengthen families, raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, empower communities, and promote education
5. Helping Hands In Africa is strengthing the grass-roots resonse to the AIDS/poverty cycle. Join us at www.helpinghandsinafrica.org