The HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa will create an estimated 2 million orphans by 2010. With around 1,700 new cases of the disease being reported daily, the number of HIV positive children is also rising.

Islamic Relief’s Orphans Sponsorship and Welfare Programme has been active in South Africa since August 2004. The project works with HIV positive orphans and children who have a parent with advanced HIV in Gauteng and Kwa Zulu Natal provinces.

HIV rates in the rural provinces of Gauteng and Kwa Zulu Natal are high. Treating HIV/AIDS in these two provinces has been complicated by poverty, poor housing and the large number of child-headed households.

An estimated 80,000 South African households have no adult supervision. Children whose parents have advanced HIV are forced to run the household and care for their sick parents and younger siblings. The number of child-headed families continues to increase.

Although the government provides social security for orphans, it can take up to 36 months before children start receiving the grants. This delay leaves children vulnerable to child trafficking and has also led to an increase in criminal behaviour among children.

Projects Objectives

• To provide support to orphans and their families whilst they are waiting for their Child Support grant;
• To improve the standard of living and reduce poverty for orphans and their families;
• To ensure that all orphans have access to healthcare;
• To give all school-age orphans the opportunity to gain an education and to ensure that they attend school regularly;
• To provide continual counselling for orphans’ psychosocial needs;
• To assist in the development of social and life skills;
• To make it easier for parents with advanced HIV to provide for their family;
• To boost the morale of orphans and their families through HIV awareness programmes, which will reduce stigmatisation of AIDS-affected families.

Projects Activities

• Monthly distribution of food parcels to sponsored orphans and their families, while they are waiting for their Child Support grants;
• School supplies are distributed at the start of the academic year and, where possible, blankets and clothing are distributed during the winter;
• Regular home visits from Orphans Welfare staff;
• Training health workers to provide home-based care to child-headed families and bedridden mothers;
• Training day-care mothers, which involves liaising with schools, local health clinics and hospitals. There is also a day centre where toddlers can be cared for while their mothers are receiving hospital treatment or are confined to their bed;
• Liaising with the Department of Social Development to ensure that children receive their child support grants;
• Ensure that the Child Protection Team support children that are vulnerable to rape and incest;
• Raising awareness of HIV/AIDS through monthly education programmes, which will create a supportive environment for AIDS-affected children and their families.

"Islamic Relief is striving for a fairer world. Our mission is to help the poor and needy to live sustainable, self-reliant lives within safe and caring communities. Our work is guided and shaped by the core values of accountability, humanitarianism, neutrality and impartiality, inclusiveness, integrity and co-operation, all of which are also integral to the Islamic faith."
Dr Hany El Banna - Founder of Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief was established in 1984 and our unique approach is the result of these many years of hands-on experience.

1. Where possible we adopt a community partnership-based approach; encouraging community involvement, understanding and ownership of projects.
2. We run the majority of our field projects ourselves, giving us direct insight into the problems faced and how best to solve them.
3. We aim to empower those we help in order to achieve sustainable results.
4. Though our emergency response teams are quick to respond to emergencies around the world, we continue to support communities long after the initial media interest has died down.
5. We recruit staff locally to benefit from their local knowledge. This ensures that we are culturally sensitive and allows us to reach communities and areas other organisations cannot.
6. Where necessary we coordinate our work with other reputable aid agencies, local organisations and governments.

Millennium Development Goals

Islamic Relief is committed to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which have been agreed by the world’s leading development institutions in an effort to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by the year 2015. 

The goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more information about the MDGs, please visit: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/