South Africa
Why World Vision is in South Africa
The worst drought in more than a generation gripped South Africa in 2015 and poor harvests left 29 million people in southern Africa without reliable access to food, according to the United Nations. HIV and AIDS continued to ravage the area, as did high levels of violence against women and children. Both proved daunting tasks for South Africa to solve. World Vision responded to South Africa’s drought by working with farmers to increase their food and income sources. For example, we provided chickens to households so they could consume and market the eggs. We addressed the HIV and AIDS health crisis by empowering church leaders through a unique program called Channels of Hope. The program educates church leaders using a curriculum that focuses on preventing the spread of HIV, eliminating mother-to-child transmission, and caring for people living with the illness. We also joined in the nation’s commitment to increase child protection by conducting awareness campaigns on child protection laws and policies.
We never give up on people
World Vision child sponsorship looks at all the things that prevent children from surviving and thriving in their community, and then works with that community to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a better life for all children. For sponsors, it’s a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need in a life-changing way.
Sponsor a child in South Africa ❯
Progress in South Africa
Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re making great progress toward the well-being of children and their families.
Child Protection and Care
Boys and girls are safe and valued, well cared for by their families, and participating in their communities as agents of transformation.
- We supported agricultural projects and provided training in business management to support income-generating activities that help families pay for school and healthcare.
- We partnered with local government agencies and community-based organizations to conduct awareness campaigns on issues of child rights and gender-based violence.
- Children participated in life-skills programs, youth organizations, and a career guidance program to empower them with skills and a vision for their future.
Healthy Children and Families
Children and families are well nourished, protected from infection and disease, and have access to essential health services.
- We worked to improve food security by supporting school garden projects and providing households with seeds.
- We conducted training and campaigns on the prevention of HIV and AIDS to empower youth with knowledge about healthy living.
- Community health workers received training in the prevention and treatment of childhood illnesses so they could help families keep children healthy.
Education for Better Lives
Children have opportunities to learn and to develop their talents, young people are equipped for the future, and families and communities support children's education.
- To ensure that preschools prepare children for primary school, teachers were trained in age-appropriate teaching methods and classrooms were equipped with learning materials.
- To improve the quality of education, World Vision supported teachers with training in effective teaching methods.
- We partnered with the Department of Education to support schools with new libraries and books so children can improve their literacy.
Love of God and Neighbors
Children and families are growing spiritually, local churches are strengthened to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways, and people are living at peace with their neighbors.
- Together with local churches, we nurtured children's spiritual growth and equipped faith leaders with resources and training to meet needs in their communities.
Prayer Requests from South Africa
World Vision's staff in South Africa are asking us to join them in prayer for the following:
Bountiful harvests in new school and household gardens being planted to feed more families.
Children who received new Bibles at faith clubs to be inspired to share God’s word at home with their families.
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