KaPhunga is a vast community located in the mountainous terrain of Swaziland. HIV and AIDS has hit hard in this community and it hosts the most child headed households of all the WOW sponsored communities. Chicken rearing and maize farming have been the largest area of focus for WOW in KaPhunga as we seek to find sustainable income that can be used to support 987 children and keep them in school. As you can imagine, this is no small task.

Home Based Care, (HBC) volunteers once again are the true heroes in the children’s lives. They even become parental figures for many children. Just recently WOW visited the KaPhunga community where we were introduced to three very special children. Lindelwa is 8, Mcolisi is 10 and Sandile is 12. Last month a member of the community found the children sitting by a stream eating mud after having been without food for two weeks. The effects of malnourishment were painfully visible. She learned that their father had died in November of 2006, their mother had just died in December 2009 and there was no one to care for the children. The children had been living alone in their parent’s home, a one roomed mud hut, deep in the hills. After learning about the children’s unimaginable difficulties, the community member immediately told their story to Thulile, one of the Home Based Care volunteers in KaPhunga. Thulile found a dear family living 5km down the mountain who had agreed to take in all three children, despite the fact that they were having trouble making ends meet with 6 of their own children.

It was Thulile who had the children reintegrated into school and was able to coordinate food supplements for them and the family. She visits the children regularly, sometimes daily, and when they see her walking down the mountain towards them, they come running as if she was their mother. When WOW talked with the children they seemed happy outwardly but their eyes still showed a sadness that would take much time to heal. Their bodies were much healthier but there was much emotional and spiritual healing that will need to take place over the next several months which Thulile will be an integral part of. Without your support, children like these three little ones would not have received the assistance available to them now. Please pray for these children and many others like them for lasting trust and healing. Pray that they will know the peace that can only come from the Lord. Pray that they will find true joy once again as they focus on school and just being a child.

Nothando is a 17 year old girl living in KaPhunga, Swaliland.A few years ago Nothando’s parents both became ill and passed away leaving her to care for her younger brothers and sisters. The young family moved in with their grandparents but it became clear that their aging grandparents required more care for themselves then they could provide for the children. Notando could no longer go to school because she could not find the funds for school fees, uniform and school supplies. She stayed at home and cared for her younger siblings and grandparents, cooking whatever food could be sourced, doing laundry, collecting firewood and doing other household chores. It was around this time that Nothando and her family came under the support of WOW, in partnership with Hands at Work, through the KaPhunga community support program.Home based care workers assigned to Nothando’s family now regularly check in with the children ensuring that they are going to school and completing their homework. They also determine if the children have enough food to eat and assess the state of their health. Where a need is seen, action is taken.

Nothando and her siblings benefit from the maize garden where they all work together along with home based care volunteers and other orphaned and vulnerable children.Past years have shown little rain resulting in much smaller maize crops but this year’s harvest looks promising. A large crib has been purchased to store the maize for the children and the maize meal will go a long way to supplementing the children’s daily meals. Thank you to all the WOW donors supporting children like Nothando. Because of you, Nothando and many others like her can attend school regularly, eat nutritious meals and have hope for a future.

The challenge for many secondary students who are orphaned is to find the funds to purchase a school uniform and pay the fees required to attend school. While education is free in Swaziland, you have to pay for it. The government declared schooling to be free but local principals demand fees from student’s caregivers or families. These same government employees also demand that students wear uniform, without you cannot attend school. Secondary school students are not allowed to write exams if school fees have not been paid.

This year several secondary students were able to acquire funds through a sponsor. These were all students who were doing well at high school but had no funds to continue their studies or to pay for the travel to their school which costs about R200 per month. WOW supplied uniforms for these three. Along with this, 31 secondary students received school shoes. This has a huge impact on the general appearance of a student and adds confidence, higher self-esteem and equality to the recipient.

Below is one of their stories:

Zwelithini is 19 years old. He is currently working on Form 5 the equivalent to Grade 12. After his Father passed away, Zwelithini was taken in by his neighbour, Nomsa who is also the KaPhunga Home based care coordinator. Over the years Nomsa has seen many tragedies that this child has faced and even though she is not in a position to help him, she also cannot turn her back him. Zwelithini worked on his Grade 12 last year and did not do well as most of his time was taken up looking after his ill parents. The government was helping to pay for school fees last year but it is their policy not to pay for school fees for the same grade more than once. This meant the end of Zwelithini's education even though he is so close to graduating. Zwelithini became depressed and lost hope for the future. He knew that even though life was not easy before, without an education it would be even more difficult. He also now found himself living alone with all the temptation that come with that for a young person. Praise God, Nomsa took this young man in and was able to help him get back into school. WOW has encouraged him as well with food packs, uniforms and shoes. When Zwelithini finishes school he wants to continue his studies in the area of social work since he has seen what Nomsa has done for him and many others and he wants to become like her.

Please read the following update from our partners Hands at Work.  Thank you to all the WOW donors who have made this report possible and to God be the glory.

Orphans have food security for six months in Kaphunga, Swaziland due to a successful maize crop grown at the homesteads of the volunteers. With the blessings of seed and fertilizer donated by WOW, ample rainfall and timely planting, the Asondle Sive Bomake volunteers were able to harvest 100% of the maize crop they planted at their homesteads.

To tell the story of this successful crop is not only to highlight an excellent planting year. It is a benchmark in the story of a group of volunteers, mobilized by one volunteer, a woman, Nomsa Lukhele. To know Nomsa, the founder and head of Asondle Sive Bomake Home-Based Care, is to know a woman after God’s own heart. Starting with just a love for Jesus and a conviction to aid the sick and orphaned in her community, Nomsa has, in the four years since beginning work in Kaphunga, shown that someone walking in God’s will is a magnet for his favor over the work of her hands. Her work is evidence that obedience to God’s call results in the abundant provision of His grace. In a country of female subservience, Nomsa is honored by the local men, who facilitate her enterprises and proudly display her. She has been supported in her work by the power-holding tribal authorities, who allocate land as she needs and even provided a large plot upon which this season’s maize crop has flourished. Simply, Nomsa’s work over the last four years indicates that she has attracted the favor of God and His blessings.

This blessing, though, has not come without hard work and sacrifice in obedience. The volunteers working in Kaphunga face incredible challenges in the mountainous region, where homesteads of some patients are spread kilometers apart. The lack of services available in the country, including running water and public transportation, makes visiting and serving patients and orphans incredibly difficult. But the volunteers are not deterred. With an average age of 55 years, the 30 volunteers set off in different directions and walk, sometimes for hours, to visit the patients and the orphans that need their care. In Swaziland it is a personal work, and all of the volunteers have at least two orphans living with them in their own homes.

Nomsa decided to grow maize for the first time in 2007 to feed the orphans at a cheaper price than buying maize. Many barriers were faced, including late planting due to seed order hold-ups and poor weather, that resulted in a harvest of only 25% planted. But Nomsa did not give up. In 2008 all factors fell into place and the maize, all of which was harvested, grew to well over the heads of the volunteers, who each planted on her own land. In addition to feeding the orphans, some of the maize will be given to the volunteers, providing them with care for their hard work and dedication. This is just a small story of persistence preceding success. It is part of a larger epic of a group of relentless volunteers who face innumerable challenges to do the work God has called them to do. A work that sees the sick touched and the orphaned cared for.

240 layer hens have been purchased, chicken coups have been built and eggs are being produced! The chicken project has opened up a whole new area for Care Workers of Asondle Sive BoMake (ASB), KaPhunga, Swaziland.

The layer hens have been initiated as a protein source for the OVC’s (orphaned and vulnerable children) connected to local Care Workers. A friend of ASB, from the government Department of Agriculture, came to conduct a workshop for a day in August, so all Care Workers understand bird maintenance, how to identify the layers, what to look for in an unhealthy hen etc. They are very excited.

The same lady also sourced long scraps from the local lumber mill and had this delivered cost free to construct small hen houses at each site.

The next step was a lesson in math/economics and the whole concept was taught and accepted.Since then the children are receiving one egg each child each week. It doesn’t sound like much but it is 100% more than before and the children just love it.

We look forward to seeing this small beginning escalate as experience and maturity grow.

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This year we have planted our maize early … hallelujah!!! All seed is planted and already through … the rains have been great. Keep praying.

As last year there are 6 Care Workers and 16 child-headed households engaged in planting. The plowing was completed early, contracts were signed and the rain was kind. An added bonus this year is the result of a challenge last season. The tribal authorities in all areas are not as interested in defending the OVC’s as those in KaPhunga. Consequently last year there was no local legal action taken as families let their cattle and pigs stray into the OVC planted fields. This meant a loss in harvest with no accountability from the offenders. Nomsa, the head of ASB, smartly asked for permission for a field in her area where the OVC protection upheld. This translated in a huge field being donated for use, to be sown and worked in safety and security from the pillaging of local animals.

From early November, for 3 weeks a young volunteer visited with ASB. She stayed with a local family, helped with plowing and planting and general assisted Nomsa and her Care Workers with daily activities. She was a huge blessing to the organization. This young lady, from Canada, trained with Hands at Work in Africa, a WOW strategic partner in South Africa, for this specific purpose … to build and care for CBO’s (Community Based Organizations) in another country. Because of her youth she fit well in KaPhunga amongst the out-of-school youth and was Nomsa’s adopted daughter … her last born. Her love and respect for the older Care Workers was evident and her heart was broken for the sad and difficult conditions yet exhilarated by the beauty of the hearts of the Care Workers … along with the glorious natural surroundings.

Just a few weeks ago in KaPhunga one could see a vast and beautiful field ready to be planted when the rains eased. Now, after 5 Care Workers, and a donated planter behind a tractor, worked over the weekend of November 22-23, one can see live, green shoots in the field. This crop will be bountiful.

The shockingly escalated prices of food have brought an added dimension of desperation to the Swazi people. Crime has increased, malnutrition has escalated, children dropped out of school, deaths increasing, infant mortality amplified and fear with hope is rife. Apathy has settled on the deep rural. Without the work of the Body of Christ it would be HOPELESS. The patients want to stay at home and die amongst loved ones where they know at least a Care Worker and her colleagues and friends from all over the world know they are there and will walk kilometers to encourage, pray and offer love and care, friendship, dignity, peace, respectand hope.

Maize Planting: 5 Year Plan for Food Security

Target:

• 9 volunteers working with ASB
• 18 child headed households
• 4 children’s families with grandmothers

The issue of food security in the remote mountains of beautiful Swaziland remains a constant challenge as families workforce are devastated by HIV/AIDS and related illness. A form of genocide, three generations are dying at the same time obliterating oral history, cultural practices, sustainable life styles and life skills. Child headed households abound with some being without adults for 5 years already. Neighbors and friends have helped where possible to feed, clothe and parent. Many young people dropped out of school to care for siblings. As situations deteriorated vulnerability increased leading to malnourishment, prostitution, single young mothers and broken families.

In November WOW added value to 31 families directly with maize seed and fertilizer that will service a total 164 people of various ages. Even though the season failed to bring a full crop the encouragement received far outweighs the inputs. Many people are so surprised that people far away in unknown lands know about the KaPhunga situation and care enough to send help, to pray and show love by mobilizing efforts. Thank you WOW.

A CHILD HEADED HOUSEHOLD

Temalange Rose Dlamini (age 20) has one child, Nkosimpile (5), and has cared for her 2 siblings Khumbulane (age 18) and Sanele (age 14) for 4 years now. They share their land with their cousins and live as one family with Bongiwe Happiness (age 23), her baby Neliswa born 24 April 2007, her first born Sandiso (age 3), brother Thozane (age 21) , sister Celuco (age 16) sister and Eianda (age 14).

Seven years ago one father was killed in a mining accident. 2 years later the other father died and both mothers passed away in quick succession. The insurance from the mining accident kept the children for 2 years. They have been 4 years alone. Neighbors cared for them as well.

Their first priority need as they were asked is food and work of any kind. The maize planting kept them busy and has lifted the heads of the older siblings. They have secured about 15% of the projected harvest that was poor due to lack of rainfall. All are strong & healthy thanks to the constant care of the local WOW Partner, Asondle Sive Bomake volunteer who see that they are given a small food supplement parcel monthly, vitamin supplements and health and hygiene tuition. Every 4 months the children attending school receive medicine from the government to eradicate intestinal worms. They are safe in secure small buildings lift by the parents. The toilet is a pit that functions well. Electricity is not connected as there is no cash to pay monthly.

Kaphunga is a relatively new WOW community and so they are starting off with a small amount of monthly funding from WOW.....but you'll be amazed at how a little can do alot!

With only $500/month Kaphunga has already begun a project that allows child headed households to grow their own maize gardens.  The children sign contracts that show their committment to growing and caring for their gardens under the supervision of project volunteers.  Once the maize is ready for harvest the children agree to sell a portion of the harvest to reinvest in seed and fertilizer for the next growing season.  The remaining seed will be used by the children for their own food.

Around the same time 60 needy families were presented with traditional 3 legged pots, wash basins and 20 liter containers.

Recently volunteers in Kaphunga have committed to raising layer hens to provide fresh eggs for a weekly distribution to the orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) in their area. Volunteers will give eggs to OVCs, sell a contracted number to the community, take the accepted contract portion as payment for own family and for supply and distribution to OVCs in the program. Volunteers will sell enough eggs to supply the same inputs for the following season to replicate activity.

Asondle Sive Bomake Home Based Care group is WOW's strategic partner in Swaziland and is headed by a wonderful woman named Nomsa.  Please pray for her and her husband Samuel as they seek the Lord's help in bringing relief to those affected by this overwhelming AIDS pandemic.