A ministry of African Leadership Partners, Inc.
“Likhaya Lemphilo Lensha”
The Problem:
Swaziland currently has the world’s highest rates of adult HIV infection. The productive generation is impacted most severely, with the projection of thousands of children becoming orphaned and destitute in the next ten years. The current estimate of orphans across the nation is expected to reach 120,000 by 2010.
Communities are faced with the overwhelming problem of caring for these children. Several organizations are servicing child-headed households and supplementing extended families that are caring for additional children.
However, there are an increasing number of children who are too young to care for themselves, have no homestead rights, or have no extended family willing or able to provide for them. Mr. Alan Brody, country director for UNICEF, recently projected this number will reach more than 10,000 within the next six to seven years.
There is an urgent need to rescue, protect, and empower these children!
Purpose: To provide a permanent, loving, stable home in a Christian environment for those children who are orphaned or abandoned, and have no other alternative for care.
Goal: To develop well-adjusted, self-reliant young people who are properly adapted to their culture, ready and eager to join the community as responsible adults.
Procedure: Children must be referred by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare personnel. Young children with relatives unable to care for them — as determined by Child Welfare personnel — will be given our consideration and help as we are able.
Strategy:
Structure and Philosophy: Children are placed in a family setting, with no more than 8 – 10 children, with their Swazi parents. The parents will be married couples or a single mother who are free to give themselves to these children as parents in every sense of the word. They will live in a single-family home that is developed for this purpose.
Each family will operate as independently as possible. They must function as any other family in their culture, doing all they can to provide for themselves. Seeking to achieve self-reliance in food security, they will be expected to cultivate their properties, maximizing income-generating opportunities (e.g., vegetable gardens, small animals, etc.). Excess produce may be sold to supplement the household budget. Other income-generating projects will be explored.
Home parents receive training and support on a weekly basis. Relevant practical, spiritual, and counseling issues are addressed in these half-day sessions.
HIV+ children are, to the extent possible, integrated in the family and cared for by the mother/parents who receive basic training for the purpose.
These new homesteads will be demonstrated as models to churches and other groups who would like to establish similar projects. African Leadership Partners will provide as much assistance as possible to such initiatives.
Relationship to Government and Community:
Children must be referred by community leaders, health officials or established organizations and approved by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare personnel. Young children with relatives unable or unwilling to care for them – as determined by Child Welfare personnel – will be given our consideration and help as we are able.
Relationship to Local Churches:
Each home will be linked with a local church. This church would be encouraged to take responsibility for this family in terms of emotional, spiritual and, financial support as much as possible, --seeing donor funds as start-up capital, and then only as a supplement; not the sole source.
At the same time, the families will have the long-term and substantial support of African Leadership Partners as well as it’s local and overseas partners that may take up sponsorships and be committed to the particular family to help in whatever way they may feel appropriate.
Role of African Leadership Partners, Inc.
African Leadership Partners, Inc., ALP, (a USA-based, non-profit Christian organization) has initiated Likhaya Lemphilo Lensha.
Initially funds will be generated through African Leadership Partners and other available sources for the development of the homes and the living expenses of each family, including schooling costs.
Short Term Plans:
- The agricultural infrastructure will be extended and upgraded, enabling the families to move towards greater self-sufficiency in food security. Each homestead has their chicken house and vegetable gardens that are the responsibility of the caregiver and children. Currently five acres are under cultivation raising maize, beans, and sweet potatoes as the main staple.
- The first substantial income generation component has been developed over the past three years, a free-range egg production enterprise. Expansion was continued to where we now have 2,400 birds in production. Broiler chickens are also raised for consumption and income. Current capacity is for 700 birds in two houses that operate sequentially. Several head of cattle have been procured for additional meat production.
- During 2006 and 2007 two other income-generating components were developed. The first is a pig production unit that could be developed to a considerable extent as market potential is proven and resources are available. The second is a vegetable production unit, working with several varieties in rotation and all under irrigation.
- By the end of 2008 we project the current level of the project will be 75% supported by the various food security and income-generating components.
- These new homesteads will be demonstrated as models to churches and other groups who would like to establish similar projects. African Leadership Partners will provide as much assistance as possible, and as requested, to such initiatives.
Our Mission
In response to the current HIV/AIDS crisis in the country of Swaziland, we will make a significant and sustainable contribution to the lives of the most vulnerable children, orphaned or abandoned, and without alternatives for care.
Progress to Date
New Families:
- One resident home begun in December 2001. Currently staffed by a housemother caring for 8 children.
- A second resident home opened in March 2003. Presently eight children are cared for by a housemother.
- A third resident home opened in January 2006 as is currently caring for 7 children.
- A fourth home opened in January 2007. There are six children in this new home with their housemother.
Property:
- A 78-hectare (195 acres) farm has been purchased at KaMfishane, in Shiselweni. Both families were moved to new structures on this property in February 2004.
- Initial water and sanitation systems have been developed, with funding received from various sources, including the US Embassy and private sources. In late 2006 a borehole was completed, providing better water for household consumption.
- House plans were drawn up using sustainable, low-tech materials and designs, with construction of two residences complete during 2004. The third and fourth home used more conventional materials.
- The Ministry of Agriculture has provided many services to the project. Several agricultural advisors are providing comprehensive project design together with ongoing advisory services. Most recently a vegetable seedling nursery has been developed, funded by NERCHA, which provides multifaceted impact to New Life Homes, as well as OVC homesteads and farmers throughout Shiselweni.
- Several church groups in Swaziland are in the various stages of discussion, deciding what they could do with what they have, and with a view to establishing similar projects that may come under the supervision of New Life Homes.
Institutional Development:
- A new entity has been established, Likhaya Lemphilo Lensha (Pty) Ltd., to hold ownership of title deed properties.
- A Section 21 company (non-profit entity) using the name New Life Children’s Homes has also been established. It is anticipated that this locally registered organization will have full responsibility for the oversight of the orphan home project as a cooperative effort of the Christians and churches of the nation. African Leadership Partners, Inc., will remain a partner in this undertaking for the foreseeable future.
- A founding Board of Directors for New Life Homes has been gathered from a cross-section of concerned Christian leaders, representing a number of church partners.
- A pre-school has been started at the farm in Kamfishane. Enrollment is limited by shortage of space.
- Since 2005 a bi-annual “Caregivers Training” seminar has been organized and offered to the larger community, bringing together leaders and staff from up to 15 children’s residential operations. Highly qualified professionals are brought in as primary facilitators, in addition to many local resources, providing valuable development opportunities for those giving themselves to such work.
