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They are able to remain within a warm, caring
home until the finalisation of the Children's Court enquiry. This
project subscribes to the prevailing child-care philosophy that
institutions are unsuitable for traumatised children.
HIV/AIDS experts anticipate that there are 1 million AIDS orphans.
The number of children who have been abandoned as a result of HIV
and are in need of care has escalated dramatically in the past two
years. This national crisis will have a major impact on our
society and we hope to make a small contribution to the resolution
of the problem. The Sunlight Safe House Project is ideally
designed to provide care for HIV positive children and we have
earmarked 2 specific safe houses for these dying children. We hope
to expand this project during the course of this year.
250 Children have been placed in the past year.
Reasons for placement are as follows:
-
Neglect (3),
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Sexual Abuse (23),
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Physical Abuse (17),
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Abandoned (77),
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Lost (72),
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Other (58).
GROWTH OF THE PROJECT:
|
1998/1999
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1999/2000
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2000/2001
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2001/2002
|
|
50
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127
|
145
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250
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|
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One additional group of Sunlight Safe House volunteers has been
screened and trained in child-care skills. There are currently 35
safe houses available to children in the Greater Johannesburg
area.
This project represents a unique opportunity for the community to
support traumatised children in a cost-effective manner. A
training manual has been developed and we envisage that this
project will be replicated nationally.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
-
Training of a new group of 20
Sunlight Safe House parents.
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Christmas party for all our children
sponsored by Sunlight and the Nedcor Foundation.
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National Foster Parent's Day
celebration at Gold Reef City, arranged by the Department of
Welfare, where 4 of our volunteers were awarded prizes for
their commitment to children.
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One of our children won an award for
being the best student at the school and became a prefect.
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Two of our children were healed from
Satanism with the help of Johanna, our Safe House mom.
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