Images of the wonderful work being done at the Tsakelani Center. Please go to the Donations page to see how you can help support the work being done at the Tsakelani Center in Soshanguve, South Africa, and/or the ICB Center in Zambia.

 

About the Orphan Centers--We can make a difference!

Because the majority of those dying from AIDS are between the ages of 15– 49, the middle generation – the parents – is disappearing! This leaves aged grandparents to care for large numbers of orphaned grandchildren. One grandmother we visited was caring for 18 grandchildren as all 5 of her children had died of AIDS. Many times, there are no grandparents left to care for the orphans and the oldest children must become the breadwinners to keep the family alive. This means they must drop out of school and do whatever they can to survive. Often times this means prostitution for the girls and theft for the boys. It is a dangerous life and their childhood is lost.

Orphan centers take children off the street, get them into school, and give them back their childhood! You can help bring hope and healing to the children of Africa!

Each orphan center serves up to 100 children School aged children are given meals before and after school. They are provided with the money to buy a school uniform and for school tuition and books when required. The center also provides day care for the pre-school children so that older siblings do not need to drop out of school to care for baby brothers and sisters. In doing so they are also providing a valuable pre-school experience that will benefit these children when they attend public school, and providing adequate nutrition for their physical development. The centers train foster mothers to care for the orphans as well as training care-givers to be able to move to the additional centers as they are developed.

Additionally the centers provide medical care, homework assistance and support for children seeking to navigate the system – public education, health care, pension benefits, etc. Where possible they also train the children in computer and gardening skills and hopefully other vocations. Care packages are sent home for family members who are ill.

These Orphan Centers are being built by AFnetAid, the humanitarian relief branch of AFnet, Inc., a 501(c)(3)corporation. All gifts to AFnet and AFnetAid are tax deductible. AFnetAid’s primary goal is to meet the physical needs of the people of Southern Africa – AIDS relief, food, housing, employment, education, etc. AFnet, Inc. has spread beyond South Africa into Botswana and Zambia – its main objectives being the planting of churches and the training of pastors. For more information regarding AFnet, go to their website at www.afnet.org.

AFnetAid has targeted Soshanguve as an area of great need and great potential. Soshanguve is a township of roughly 100 square miles and is situated approximately 45 miles northwest of Pretoria, the location of AFnet’s headquarters. Soshanguve is an area hard hit by disease and poverty with an unemployment rate of around 65%, and an HIV infection rate as high as 30%. It was the scene of riots in January of 2006 as the people protested the lack of government services to the area. Partnerships have been established with 4 schools and churches.

Tsakelani.	Tsakelani (rear view).	Activities with some of the orphans.	Preschool daycare.
Computer Center at Tsakelani.	Orphan day care center.	Orphans receiving food parcels.	We can come to school with a full stomach!

 

Our Orphan Center - Tsakelani

Orphan Center during Construction.

Santa Cruz Cares has provided the funds to build the Orphan Day-Care Center (Tsakelani=Celebration) pictured at right and below.

Prior to its opening, over 60 Aids orphans had been identified through the school, and were being fed at the church. In June of 2006, members of the Santa Cruz Cares team visited the site at Tsakelani, had lunch with the children, and saw the early stages of remodeling and construction. Phase One was opened in March of 2007. The pre-school program is running and the staff is largely in place. There was a grand opening of phase 2 on July 22nd. Santa Cruz Cares had a simultaneous celebration at Twin Lakes Church.

In 2006, when the TLC team visited AFnet and revisited their various service sites, we were taken to the Orphan Center operated by "Nellie," known as the Jehovah Jireh Cener. Nellie's story is told more completely in our September, 2009, newsletter.

In 2009 Johan Combrinck offered to adopt the Jehovah Jireh Center into membership in the AFnet family and placed the accountability for this center under the authority of Pastor Jack, who is responsible for the Tsakelani Center. Under this new organizational plan, Tsakelani has grown from 65 orphans to 91 (plus the other children they serve) and Santa Cruz Cares seeks to generate additional support for this enlarged program.

Our Orphan Center - ICB

The groundbreaking for a new building in Mansa, Zambia, was attended by one of our 2004 teams. When the ribbon was cut for the new building and the first service was held, Pastor Paul Spurlock and three other representatives of TLC were there. Opening an official Orphan Center using AFnet Aid criteria has been slow, but orphaned children receive food there on a daily basis, as well as additional services.

Lisa Poll of Santa Cruz Cares will be residing there for at least three months of her assignment, living in a small apartment in the complex. Santa Cruz Cares is currently providing funds from roughly 35 sponsors in collaboration with a Danish Church. Upon Lisa's arrival there later in 2010, we will have access to additional information. This work is under the authority of Pastor Henry, a well respected leader within AFnet and the larger community.

To learn what you can do to join our efforts to maintain this center, including sponsoring an Aids Orphan, please go to the Donations page.

Or phone us at 831/761-2162.

 

Completed orphan center.