the work
Whether it’s simple things like bathing, feeding, caring and talking, or more complex tasks like finding foster families for children, the motivation for everything we do is to bring hope. Out of hope comes dignity and out of dignity comes a will to live. People start to re-engage with their communities and when individual lives change, communities and nations can be transformed. That’s how vital ithemba (hope) is.
1. Orphan care
There are 12 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa today. Many will grow up without love, a home, security or an education. Some are HIV-positive themselves. iThemba supports orphans and vulnerable children, helping in practical, emotional and spiritual ways as they cope with their parents being ill and eventually dying.
2. Supporting antiretroviral rollout
The drugs to control HIV are becoming more widely available in Africa. Our partners provide nurses and community support workers to help people take the antiretroviral medication correctly and understand its side effects.
3. Prevention and education
HIV/AIDS is almost entirely preventable. iThemba supports education and prevention programmes, voluntary testing and support groups that target children, adolescents and community leaders in particular.
4. Counselling and testing
Testing should be available to everyone who requests a test and associated counselling services and support groups should be provided. More about counselling and testing.
5. Poverty alleviation
For families already living on extremely limited incomes, increased medical costs and a family member unable to work can be overwhelming. Particularly when the majority of these families were already unable to meet their most basic needs for nutritional food, medical treatment and education. iThemba is involved in supporting local poverty-alleviation initiatives and other income-generating activities to help people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS to provide for their families.
6. Home-based care
In many African countries healthcare systems are overwhelmed by the number of people infected with HIV and when it is diagnosed many people are sent home to die. That’s why home-based care is so important for people living in such desperate situations.
Where we work
Discover more about where we work and the projects that we partner with in Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania.
Stories of hope
Discover how people’s lives are changing through the work of iThemba partner projects.
Partner projects
An index of iThemba partner projects.
