Integral Mission Opportunities in South Africa KwaMhlanga Hammanskraal Brits Join a community in motion! 1 | Page www.experiencemission.org Index KwaMhlanga 1. The Harvest Field a. The Environment b. The People c. The domains of Society i. Health ii. Education iii. Income & Employment 2. The Harvest Force a. Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Day Care Centre i. Background ii. OVC Centre iii. OVC Care Centre objectives iv. OVC Care Centre work activities v. OVC Centre facilities b. Nakekela Care Centre i. The Nakekela Step Down Centre for PLWHA (People living with HIV/AIDS) ii. Overall Objectives iii. Outcomes iv. PLWHA Care Centre objectives v. PLWHA Care Centre Work activities vi. PLWHA Centre facilities c. Entrepreneurship Development Africa d. Ekukhanyeni Old Age Home e. Churches Hammanskraal Brits Additional Information 2 | Page www.experiencemission.org KwaMhlanga 1. The Harvest Field KwaMhlanga is situated approximately 60km northeast of Pretoria (app. 90 minute drive from OR Tambo International Airport), located in the Thembisile and Mkobola Municipal areas of the Nganakala District in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, which is in the wider area of the former homeland of KwaNdebele people that settled there in the early 18th century. KwaNdebele was a Bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government as a semi- independent homeland for the Ndebele people. The homeland was created when the South African government purchased nineteen white-owned farms and installed a government. The homeland was granted self rule in April 1981. Siyabuswa was designated as its capital, but in 1986 the capital was relocated to KwaMhlanga. Since then KwaMhlanga developed into the administrative centre for the local government and now houses the government administration for the North Western Region of the Mpumalanga Province. a. The Environment Living conditions in most cases are desperate. Housing is comprised of tin and wooden shacks, mud huts and brick/cement houses with corrugated iron roofs. The land is not very fertile, rocky, dry and dusty. This is an area of mostly rolling hills filled with abundant birdlife, reptiles and a host of many other kinds of wild animals. As far as basic services are concerned, 80% of the people do not have hygienic toilets; 90% have no refuse removal; 20% have no piped water; less than 40% have access to electricity for cooking and 90% have no phones. The climate is either in the wet season or the dry season. January-March is summer and temperatures reach the 90 degree Fahrenheit range, April-June is considered the fall, July-September is the winter and temperatures drop to near freezing and October-December is the spring. The rainy season is during the spring and summer months while the extremely dry fall and winter months result in a drought that leaves the community in search of drinking water. b. The People The wider KwaMhlanga area has a population of 500,000 people and is the former homeland of the Ndebele people. The Ndebele has been identified as one of the Nguni Tribes. The Nguni Tribes represent nearly two thirds of the South African black population: The Zulu-speaking people, the Xhosa-speaking people, the Swazi people from Swaziland and the Ndebele. The Ndebele shares KwaMhlanga as home with a mix of other tribes, e.g. Zulu, Venda, Xhosa, Tsonga, etc. 3 | Page www.experiencemission.org c. The Domains of Society i. Health Many definitions have been given to the HIV/AIDS giant over the years. Among many definitions it has been described as a pandemic, a war against mankind, the worst crisis the world has ever seen, etc. Whatever it is called, we know that whole nations are at risk. It has become clear that in countries and communities where the pandemic is rampant and in places that are still to be impacted by the disease HIV/AIDS is not only a major health problem, but also a major economic and social problem due to the integrated nature of the African worldview. In these countries every part of life is being affected by the pandemic; economies are being crippled, poverty and public disorder is rising, governments are struggling and hopelessness and despair are creeping in. According to the United Nations, South Africa has more HIV/AIDS cases than any other country in the world. Mpumalanga Province has the second highest percentage of death related to HIV/AIDS in South Africa with 40.7% Also in KwaMhlanga HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest challenges faced by the community. Local hospitals and clinics estimate that 50% of the more than 500,000 people living in the area are infected by the disease. The area has a high prevalence of AIDS orphans and child headed households, the heads of which range between 10 and 19 years old. 63% of the community is under the age of 24 and 50% of the community consists of children under the age of 18. Health facilities in the area range from average to poor and are generally understaffed. The one and only hospital in the area (KwaMhlanga Hospital) has 153 beds, is sub-standard and only provides limited services. Besides the hospital there are clinics are also operating in the area: • Moloto Clinic • Tweefontein H Clinic • Verona Clinic • Vlaklaagte 2 Clinic These clinics are understaffed and need more and better equipment, medicines and emergency services. The Nakelela palliative care centre, which is operated by the Nakelela Christian Community Association, addresses Christian based care to adults living with HIV/AIDS in the KwaMhlanga area. 4 | Page www.experiencemission.org ii. Education Lack of education is a major challenge in the communities of KwaMhlanga. 20% of the population has no schooling; only 8% have completed Grade 12 of which 2% continued with tertiary education. The schools in the rural communities often struggle to find qualified teachers. Many children are homeless and do not attend school. iii. Income & Employment KwaMhlanga can be classified as a semi-rural area with most of its income being derived by people commuting between KwaMhlanga and close by urban centres like Pretoria. None the less the employment rate in the area is high and it’s estimated that 70-80% of the economic active population falls outside the formal economy. As a result poverty is endemic in the community, with many people living under destitute conditions. 27% of the population is economically active; 43% earn less than $130 per month which is considered living below the poverty line. Only 24% earn more than $260 per month which means that 76% of the population earns less than $260 per month 2. The Harvest Force a. Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Day Care Centers i. Background The project addresses Christian based holistic care and development of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and their families in the KwaMhlanga area. Services are delivered through a number of OVC day care centres situated in various villages throughout KwaMhlanga. These projects are dependent on the financial support of various lacal and international corporate, private and church bases donors. ii. OVC Centres Five OVC care centres have been established and are already running successfully for a number of years in the following villages: • Vezubuhle - Opened February 2004 • Phumula - Opened April 2005 • Sun City - Opened January 2006 • Thembalethu - Opened July 2006 • Manaleni – Opened July 2007 5 | Page www.experiencemission.org iii. OVC Care Center Objectives • Improved quality of life of 80-100 OVC’s at each OVC Centre and at least 100 People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in the immediate community, i.e.. • Strengthened the abilities of 30-40 caregivers at each Care Centre to have a positive impact on the OVC’s /PLWHA • Increased food security both of the Care Centres themselves as well as of family units by establishing vegetable gardens at each centre and homes respectively. • Increased school performance and educational support by increasing ability of Centre staff and Volunteers to help the children and by improving the centre resources and communication with school teachers. • Increased vocational and college opportunities for OVC’s • Improved sustainability of the Care Centres: - Extensive capacity building and leadership development of the project team - Development of church based support networks for each centre at local and international level - Establishment of sustainable donor basis supported by effective fundraising and donor management capabilities in each center. iv. OVC Care Centre Work Activities Typical OVC centre work activities include: • Identifying orphans and vulnerable children in the community. • Establishing the needs of these children. • Providing food parcels or refer them to the centre if they are within walking distance • Assisting with housing, electricity and water • Assisting with school clothes and school fees where needed • Assisting caregivers to obtain the necessary documents to apply for grants • Improving access to social welfare and medical support • Advocacy and lobbying The following assistance is provided to orphan children at the centre (the quality and depth of support varies across the range of services and also from centre to centre): • Breakfast and Lunch for school-going orphans • Day-care for children younger than 6. • Access to Social Services and assistance in obtaining birth certificates, death certificates, ID books & relevant grants • Supervised school attendance / performance for OVC’s in close cooperation with the local schools and assistance with homework • Medical, Psycho-social support • Bible Study / discipleship and spiritual support • Team building and games • Music & Arts • Library • Vegetable Gardening Skills • Career counselling & Computer Skills Training • Medical assistance • Support groups for the caregivers v. OVC Centre Facilities • Buildings & Infrastructure 6 | Page www.experiencemission.org OVC centres operate from a home in the respective villages that have been upgraded to include the following facilities: - Kitchen - Storeroom - Library Room and Meeting Room - Room for the caretaker - Office for centre manager & administrative staff - Large room that can accommodate 80 children for meals.