HOLY CROSS HOSPICE

             Holy Cross Hospice was created locally by Sister Priscilla Dlamini to support families and children affected by HIV/AIDS in rural Gingindlovu in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. There are too many children to house in a traditional orphanage, so Holy Cross works to support child-headed households and other vulnerable families in the community through services such as food parcels, building houses, school fees, and home-based care. There is also a preschool for orphans and vulnerable children as well as a hospice and clinic for AIDS patients. Thembanathi provides support for these programs, primarily the creche. Please see our  "get involved/donate" page for more details on how you can help. Click here for a Washington Post article on Holy Cross and Sister Priscilla.

Preschool - Bishop Mansuet Biyase Creche

             Sister Priscilla created a preschool for orphans and other vulnerable children after noticing that many children were dropping out of school to take care of their younger siblings or ill parents. This has allowed their older siblings to return to primary and high school.  At the preschool, the children are fed breakfast, tea, and lunch. These children, among the poorest in the region, are being given a chance to leave the household,  get an education, and receive counseling and two nutritious meals a day. They are prepared for primary school by learning English and basic math skills. During recess, the children play with donated toys and playground equipment. These children, often traumatized, are given additional support in the form of a music therapist, who comes twice a week to sing and dance with the children,  and a social worker, who works with children who have special problems and consults with the children's guardians and teachers. Growing up under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, these children are being given back their childhood. For more pictures of children at the preschool, visit our photo gallery.

Food Parcels and Caregivers

             Soon after opening the hospice, Sister Priscilla became aware that many of her patients left orphaned children who needed care. To support these children, she developed a network of care givers and a food parcel program. Twenty-two care givers walk between huts in their communities to identify new orphans. They report back to Holy Cross so that child-headed households can receive a food parcel every month until Holy Cross has assisted them in attaining a government grant. The food parcels feed over 2,000 orphans and vulnerable children. 

             The caregivers also create a network of information and communication between people in the communities and Holy Cross. Walking about government grants, home-based care, children's rights, water and sanitation. Funding is needed for additional training of the caregivers, who are the backbone of the hospice.

School Fees

             Holy Cross has been paying the school fees of approximately 200 children attending the local primary and high schools. Most of these children live in child-headed households and would otherwise have dropped out for lack of money. Holy Cross also provides uniforms and school supplies so the children do not suffer discrimination. Recently in some schools the policy has changed such that orphaned children are exempted from school fees.  Support is still needed, however, for school uniforms, books, and supplies.

Homeplan Housing

             The Homeplan Foundation is a Dutch organization that is providing new houses for families whose current housing is inadequate. To date (summer of 2008), Homeplan has donated 128 houses in the communities that Holy Cross serves, which have all been erected. The houses offer safety and more protection from the environment.  Homeplan has donated another 80 homes, but Holy Cross needs our help to fund the local labor, transportation from the port, etc. ( $630 per house).

The Future

             Sister Priscilla is still searching for ways to extend Holy Cross's services to meet the need that continues to expand. Unfortunately, food insecurity is still an issue, so Holy Cross is trying to establish satellite centers in the rural mountains, where children can go to receive cooked meals every day. This year Holy Cross Hospice has established two additional satellite care centres, bringing the total to four satellite centres.  At these sites vulnerable children are receiving two meals a day and educational support.  In the future, the Hospice hopes to expand to other underprivileged areas and give support to more children and families.  Thembanathi hopes to be able to raise fund to support the centres.