iThemba Lethu - South Africa

Monday 12th May 2008

Overview: iThemba Lethu, a Durban-based organisation, focuses on supporting the most vulnerable groups of children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. COCO has been involved with iThemba Lethu since their establishment in 2001. Specifically the aim of this project is to invest in children who are at risk of having their futures negatively impacted by HIV/AIDS and to assist in the process of integrating orphaned and abandoned children into suitable family environments.

Background: In 2003 AIDS killed 10 times more Africans than all of the armed conflicts in Africa combined and in between a fifth and a third of all children have already lost one or both parents to AIDS. Within 10 years the disease could orphan 40 million African children.

Resolution: COCO fund iThemba Lethu to run a family intervention programme to care for and re-home, where possible, the growing number of orphans in the area. They run a care home, assist in finding prospective foster families and oversee the “breast-milk bank” which provides safe breast milk for the transitional home as well as local orphanages. The HIV Prevention Programme tackles the underlying causes of risk-taking behaviour as well as providing basic health education. This programme aims to empower youths through providing them with life skills, establishing youth clubs, providing counselling and mentoring these adolescents in their most important developmental stages. They have seen positive results in redefining “socially acceptable” behaviour and giving children a new sense of hope and ambition towards the future.

Glenda from iThemba Lethu said, "COCO has been an absolute lifeline to the programmes that iThemba Lethu runs. iThemba Lethu means 'I have a destiny' and our vision is to see children whose future is threatened by HIV/AIDS regain a meaningful destiny. The monthly contributions from COCO have contributed to both of the iThemba Lethu programmes. The contribution to the Family Integration Programme has made it possible for us to pay the monthly salaries of our three full time staff employed in the transition home. The staff members are the backbone of this programme. They love children and are committed to seeing each baby in our care loved and nurtured and healed. The team celebrates each time a baby is placed into a suitable adoptive family. In 2006 we have facilitated the adoption of 9 babies from our home."

Did you know?:

The growing number of orphans in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing and as HIV/AIDS claims the lives of more and more parents, their babies are left abandoned and vulnerable.
It is the adolescent population who make up the majority of those infected with HIV. iThemba Lethu organises workshops to educate adolescents about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent infection.

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