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Adopt-A-Caregiver

The success of Shiselweni Reformed Home-Based Care is largely due to the fact that the caregivers are truly volunteers, dedicated to serving their neighbors as the hands and feet of Jesus. However, most of the volunteers are themselves living in extreme poverty, and many are also HIV+. We are convinced that helping the caregivers in practical ways empowers them to better serve their own neighbors. Through, what we are convinced is divine intervention, we started with a program called "Adopt-A-Caregiver" whereby we aim to find a sponsor for every caregiver in Shiselweni Reformed Home-Based Care. This is an exciting and affordable way for people all over the world to get involved in the AIDS pandemic in Swaziland.

What we wish to achieve through this program is to link a sponsor with a caregiver. The sponsors will get the opportunity to make contact with their "adopted" caregiver, exchanging information and photos and hopefully it will be possible for a sponsor and caregiver to meet each other one day face-to-face. The sponsor will make a commitment to donate an affordable amount monthly, quarterly or annually towards the caregivers. At present we need around R250 ($40 or €30) per caregiver per month.

It is important to understand that although we want you to build a friendship with the caregiver you are sponsoring, your donation does not go directly to him or her. Because new caregiver groups are being trained all the time and it is time consuming to recruit sponsors, it is likely that only some of the caregivers will have a sponsor at any given time and it would be unfair to have only certain members of the project benefit from the sponsorship. Our policy regarding funds is that we share everything that we receive so that all can benefit equally from the gifts donated to this ministry.

The Situation in Swaziland

69% of the population of Swaziland live below the national poverty line. (The World Bank describes an income of less than $1.25 per day as “extreme poverty”.) The southern (Shiselweni) region of Swaziland is not only the region with the highest HIV infection rate. It is also the poorest part of the country with very little industries to create work opportunities. The caregivers have not been able to escape these circumstances. With the exception of a few privileged ones, all of them are living in extreme poverty, having to be innovative to make ends meet at their own homes. The lack of nutritious food is probably the biggest need all of the caregivers face. Without enough food, the caregivers will not be able to keep up the work they are doing. In spite of this situation, something truly amazing has developed. Often these caregivers will visit a homestead, only to find the their clients had not had any meal that day. Many of the caregivers will then return to their own homes, prepare a meal from the little they have and return to their clients to share the food with them! One heartbreaking story that was recently shared by a caregiver was about a family that she found, all of them fast asleep in the middle of the day. Fearing that they may be suffering from a disease, she woke them and then found out that they try and sleep as much as possible in order to forget about their hunger!

Becoming part of the Solution

For every R250 ($40 or €30) that you commit to give per month, we will be able to ensure that one caregiver will receive the necessary medication needed with which to help his or her clients and we will also be able to supply the caregiver with a small food parcel which they can share wherever there is a need.

Won't you prayerfully consider to become part of our "Adopt-A-Caregiver" program? Your monthly contribution will make a huge difference in our abilities to help even more people. And at the same time, you will be able to become part of the lives of some of the most lovable and selfless individuals in the kingdom of Swaziland.

The Next Step

To contribute towards the "Adopt-A-Caregiver" program, we would like you to send us your contact details, so that we can link you to a specific person. You can e-mail the CEO informing him of your intention to adopt a caregiver, at: wyngaard@lando.co.za

You can make your contribution, regardless of where you are in the world. Go to any of the following links, to get more information on how you can support this ministry from your own country.

Donating Funds from the USA
Donations from South Africa
Donations from outside South Africa and the USA