The Emdeni Welile Community was set up as a joint initiative between St Martins Anglican Church in Dunkeld, Johannesburg and St Matthews Anglican Church in Emdeni, Soweto in 2002.
The suburb of Emdeni in Soweto, situated on the far south west side of Johannesburg, is one where the unemployment rate is very high, people are generally living in extremely poor circumstances, and, as with many other local communities, has a very high incidence of HIV and AIDS infected or affected people and where the need is the greatest.
There are some 4 million people living in the greater Soweto area and it is important to make a difference on a more personal level, where relationships and trust can be built up with a local community, who will take ownership and responsibility for themselves over a period of time in caring for HIV-AIDS infected and affected people. The stigma attached to AIDS is still prevalent and has to be handled in a caring and sensitive manner.
The number of AIDS orphans are increasing monthly in Emdeni. There are already 204 orphans falling under the St Matthews community, who are vulnerable and require care and shelter, and this figure will increase exponentially by the end of 2007. Most of the children are living in overcrowded homes with grandmothers or other relations, who are themselves without employment, and do not have the means to cope with the financial burden or provide the essential mentoring.
|
Emdeni Orphans and Care Giver
|
The Emdeni Welile Community is managed by the local people of Emdeni and with the financial assistance of St Martins, acting as the conduit through which fund raising and co-operation takes place, is striving to do the following:
- Education programmes facilitation
- Financing and purchasing of food, clothing, seeds, etc
- Bringing joy through quartery birthday parties, and Christmas parties
Our aim for 2007 is to find suitable education programmes, which will give people essential skills and job opportunities, to become financially self sufficient in the community.
If you would like to participate in financial assistance, these funds would be channelled through to the Emdeni Welile Community, as part of the ongoing programme.
>> Please download the document below for the 2009 update on this ministry.
Please also visit the COACH (Coalition of Anglican Church Homes) website for more information on this important minsitry: www.coach.org.za.
Guardians Christmas Party
|
