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PURPOSE
The purpose of this project is to uplift the community and to play a vital role in the prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS, and to undertake community development through education, skills development and health-related programmes.
This is a comprehensive project running many programmes that provide an holistic approach to community health, aspects of education and social support.
Overarching all of our programmes is a firm conviction that a return to biblical values and principles is the answer to society's needs.
We receive funding from individuals, local and overseas churches and organizations, and from government grants.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM
The HIV pandemic is the greatest calamity to befall South Africa. It has and will continue to have profound effects on the socio-political and economic fabric of our country. The areas worst hit are the recently urbanised settlements found in peri-urban areas around the country where the prevalence of other infections related to poor socio-economic status such as tuberculosis are also rife.
Our programme in Zambia addresses the primary needs of the homeless which include: Primary health care and skills development training to enable income generation leading to self-employment. Substance abuse and the prevalence of other infections related to poor socio-economic status such as tuberculosis HIV and AIDS will also be addressed.
IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAMME
The primary reasons why this work is essential include:
- Government cannot cope with the full extent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, because of pressure on their facilities and limited budgets. This results in areas that can only be addressed by initiatives such as ours and other recognised NGO projects. The long-term solution to the crisis has to include prevention, education, treatment, care and counselling. Communities must change the negative aspects of their lifestyles if there are to be sustainable improvements.
- The family around the AIDS sufferer is impacted significantly, through loss of earnings, orphaning, and caring for the terminally ill. Care and management of the people around the HIV/AIDS sufferers will take as much effort as care of the patients themselves. Family is central to success, and significant emphasis will be placed on family values, and the role of family in prevention, treatment and care of patients.
- It is, therefore, important that we address the overall decline of moral and family values, and facilitate community development.
Currently we have established partnerships and on-going collaborations with other groups, which include other churches, government bodies, the health department and local businesses and non government organizations.
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