Stepping up for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

by Erin Carelse · September 3, 2018

Orphans and vulnerable children, irrespective of their religious ties, are the focus of a project in the archdiocese of Cape Town.

St Kizito’s Children’s Programme is a community-based, non-profit project responding to the Church’s call to offer a hand to those in need, and is part of the Cape Town archdiocese’s outreach.

It aims to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological and spiritual needs of vulnerable children, especially those affected and infected by HIV/Aids.

St Kizito is active in several disadvantaged communities in and around Cape Town. Trained members instruct others to establish parish groups in target areas.

Once trained, these groups provide children and families in their communities with a range of services, and are themselves given ongoing mentorship and support from the St Kizito office.

These services include:

Regular home visits
Nutritional support (such as food parcels and feeding schemes)
Distribution of clothing, blankets, and toiletries
Referrals to various service providers
Provision of school uniforms and other educational support
HIV/Aids education, antiretroviral drugs to treat the condition, and counselling to keep people on track with taking their medication
Help with applying for grants, pensions, IDs and other documents
Life skills education
Psycho-social support, including counselling, excursions, holiday programmes, Christmas parties, camps, and other recreational activities

St Kizito workers get help too, through retreats, excursions, movement gatherings, and an annual thanksgiving Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Stephen Brislin.

The children’s programme does, however, rely on the generosity of charities and individuals to keep going.

To help St Kizito and its work, readers can make a one-off monetary contribution of any size; commit to monthly/regular amounts; donate items such as clothing, non-perishable foods, blankets and toys; or volunteer your time and skills.

For more information, or to join or contribute, contact Wayne Golding or Sonia McShane on 021 782 2880.