Just yesterday we arrived at Nkosi’s Haven which is where we will be spending our month seven of the race. Here is a little info about this place.
Nkosi’s Haven is a recognized NGO in South Africa that has been in operation since 1999 offering holistic care and support for destitute HIV/AIDS infected mothers, her children, and resulting AIDS orphans (infected or not).
Nkosi’s Haven is named after Nkosi Johnson, the young AIDS activist who passed away on International Children’s Day on June 1st 2001, who dearly wanted a facility that would care for the mom and her child. He had been separated from his mom because of the HIV diagnosis and he never wanted that to happen to any other child. He also wanted HIV positive people to be cared for without discrimination or prejudice.
At Nkosi’s Haven, all of our mothers and children (currently totalling approx. 160) live in total ‘freedom’ at one of our two locations in Johannesburg. All of our children attend private schools (in the bridging sense), receive all disciplines of therapy (play, remedial, occupational, speech, and hopefully soon art), and we are working on providing sporting lessons as well. Our mothers are encouraged to build their capacity through various activities, during which, if leadership and initiative is shown, an internal position will be offered (such as cook, childcare worker, matron, resident manager etc.) Further, we ask mothers to ‘foster’ our young resident orphans, hopefully providing for some additional support in substitute for the loss of their own mothers. (http://www.nkosishaven.org/)
My lovely teammate Brittany Smith still needs $1,300 to continue her journey with us on the World Race. Please consider supporting her! Any amount helps $5, $10, $20 or any other amount. Please pray about partnering with her finacially! http://Brittanysmith.theworldrace.org
