|  | | | Friends in Ireland was founded by Marian Finucane and John Clarke in June 2002. It was born out of a visit to South Africa in mid 2002 where we saw, at first hand, the dire circumstances of orphaned and vulnerable children who have been infected and affected by HIV AIDS.
Friends in Ireland now works in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal provinces of South Africa assisting communities care and support Orphans and Vulnerable Children through Community-Development structures. Together we are working to improve the well being and health status of HIV AIDS affected children | | | Why help?
South Africa expects to have more than 2 million HIV AIDS Orphans by 2012.
Right now, as you read this, Friends in Ireland are working to alleviate the suffering heaped upon the people, particularly the children, of South Africa.
The rationale of this intervention is simple. The scale of the misery of this pandemic is so awesome, one could be overwhelmed in to doing nothing, but one life saved or one life improved makes it worthwhile trying to help.
Our aim is to create lasting and meaningful structures through which the people of South Africa can rise to meet the challenges they now face with pride and dignity. | | | What Freinds in Ireland do
Friends in Ireland’s Programme is reaching over 400 orphan and vulnerable children of South Africa.
Friends in Ireland is working hand in hand with local communities to develop strong community based organisation to manage Friends in Ireland’s programmes. Through strong sustainable structures such as these we can ensure that our assistance reaches those children who are most in need. | | | | www.friendsinireland.ie | | | Friends in Ireland at a Glance
Working together with the people of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal, Friends in Ireland use these strategies to arrive at our goal; to improve the well being of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in South Africa.
Community Development
We support the development of community representative structures. Through this process each community takes responsibility for the day-to-day running of programmes that improve the well being of Orphans and Vulnerable children who live within it.
Empowerment and Responsibility
We are working to empower all of the Programme participants and stakeholders to accept responsibility for their community based projects.
Non-Residential Care
Through our partners we support children in non-residential settings by developing facilities such as preschools; crèche facilities; and drop-in centres, hand in hand with each community based organisations.
Residential Care
We establish Cluster Foster Homes, into which orphans with no existing family support structure can be placed, under legal guardianship of a foster mother, selected in conjunction with the Department of Social Development and the community.
Social Advocacy and Civil Registration
We work to ensure entitlements from government such as Birth registration certificates; Citizenship; Social Grants; School enrolment; are extended to the Orphan and Vulnerable children living in the areas that we work.
Nutrition
We support the provision of regular nutritional meals to each child and the establishment of food gardens at Friends In Ireland’s programme centres. These gardens hold the dual purpose of supplementing the feeding programme and developing life-skills.
Health
Together with the community based organisations we work to draw in the Department of Health to all projects to ensure that the children can access primary healthcare.
Education
We assist in provision of early childhood development through delivery of crèche facilities and with the community draw in the Department of Education to ensure that all children within the programme have access to educational resources.
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