MercyAIDS

Fisantekraal

At the beginning of 2005 a sponsorship program for families infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS was started in Fisantekraal just outside Durbanville. The local clinic is run by the Durbanville AOG.

They run several programs at the clinic and volunteers visit needy families in the community.

MercyAIDS currently supports five families. In three families the mothers and some of the children are HIV positive. Grandparent(s) who have taken in AIDS orphans are also being helped.

After five years of involvement with these families we realise the value of making a difference in one family has. Not one family has lost a member to Aids and the support has allowed these families not to be disrupted by death by this terrible disease. We are excited that the children we are involved with through this support scheme have become part of the kids clubs being run by the Father’s House in partnership with Resilient Kids SA.

Du Noon

Currently MercyAIDS and the Father’s House provide support to Zusakhe, a community based organisation working with children and adults infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. We offer pastoral support to the staff and provide supplies for a soup kitchen which daily feeds approximately 175 children.  We also pass on clothing, household items and other suitable donations for distribution or for sale by Zusakhe to help pay Home Based Carers

Phillipi Trust

At the end of 2005 MercyAIDS became involved with Philippi Trust’s OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) psycho-social program.

At that stage Philippi Trust trained volunteers to go on camps and help in follow-up programs for orphans and vulnerable children, many of whom are AIDS orphans. Disadvantaged and at risk children were taken on four-day experiential learning camps to enhance their coping skills for dealing with challenging and stressful life situations.

Holger and Kay (& their team) were involved in organizing and running the camps and helping with the follow-up programs and initiatives. From 2007-2009 we partnered with Edge Church whose year of your life students helped facilitate camps. This provided an outreach opportunity for students and young adults or anybody with lots of energy!

At the end of 2008 the focus of the Philippi Trust OVC program changed from intervention through camps to a more holistic community approach. At the end of 2009 Resilient Kids SA was launched. From the beginning of 2010 The Father’s House has partnered with Resilient Kids SA in running Kids Clubs in Fisantekraal.