“The Kilimanjaro Dream Project”:
In 2008, we run a campaign whereby all our children wrote their dream on a piece of paper. The dreams were then physically carried all the way to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. On the back of this campaign, we are now busy making 12 dreams come true. These dreams will take place between September and December 2009 and will include: visits to Ushaka Marine World in Durban, attending an international cricket game, a guided tour of Bloemfontein, meeting a Generations actress, a visit to Robben Island, a ride in a captive hot air balloon. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear more about these dreams coming true in an exceptional manner!
Children of the Dawn - Who we are
South Africa is one of the worst affected countries in the world, as far as the HIV/AIDS epidemic goes. With some 5.5 million people living with HIV, South Africa is the country with the largest number of infections in the world. In 2004, UNAIDS (United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS) estimated that 25.2% of pregnant urban women (15-24) were carrying the virus.
The dramatic increase of the number of orphans, as a direct consequence of the pandemic, is often forgotten. According to UNAIDS estimates for the year 2005, South Africa counted 1’200’000 AIDS orphans (0-17) having lost either parent or both. The projections show that in 2010, more than 1’700’000 children could be AIDS orphans, that is 74% of the total number of orphans. One must understand that most AIDS orphans are not infected themselves.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic leaves behind a devastating trail of suffering and despair. Family structures are destroyed and income flows disappear. Even before death stage, children are most hit by the consequences of the disease. Their schooling, health, and socialisation processes are at stake. More globally, the human and financial losses incurred through the pandemic put the young South African democracy at risk.
Considering the scale of the pandemic, institutional care of these orphans cannot be a sustainable solution. The solution lies at community level.
Despite or due to the limited capacity of the South African government, rural communities have mobilised themselves and their community to find innovative solutions to the problems created by the pandemic, and particularly to help AIDS orphans. However, these pro-active and motivated informal teams often lack financial and technical capacities to achieve their potential. Children of the Dawn has been created to change this situation. We take a community approach to orphan and vulnerable children care, by empowering communities in their mobilisation around affected children.
