Because of HIV and AIDS South Africa has many thousands of vulnerable children, youth and orphans.  They are further compromised by poverty, the high rate of unemployment, food shortages, violent crimes and abuse.  This severely affects their educational and psycho-social development and futures.

For the children and teens in our OVC (Orphans & Vulnerable Children) programme, Ikamva Labantu offers supervision, psycho-social support, mentorship, help with homework and life-skills coaching. Partnerships with local youth development programmes provide after-school activities and sports participation.

One of our psycho-social interventions this year included a number of group work modules, with the last round of sessions focusing on the theme of grief and loss. The small-group sessions – which each included two groups of 20 children – have proven highly effective and impactful in helping the children cope with traumatic experiences.

It has also highlighted the emotional needs of the children’s carers, who equally experience the pain and hurt of the children in their care. Thousands of children and caregivers have a need for such support, and we plan to extensively expand on these interventions in the coming year.