We are off to South Africa!
Voices for Humanity is traveling today to South Africa with Global Camps Africa, A non-profit organization founded by Phil Lilienthal. Founded as a joint venture between WorldCamps, a non-profit American camping organization, and HIVSA, a South African foundation that provides care and services to HIV-affected individuals, Camp Sizanani is a residential camp offered free of charge to children aged 9 through 16 whose lives have been affected by HIV. "Sizanani" is Zulu for "help each other". Six camps are held each year for a total of ten days, bringing together up to 130 children and 30-35 counselors. The children range from 10-15 years old and are largely from the Soweto area. Camp Sizanani is situated in the small village of Magaliesburg, a one-hour drive west of Johannesburg The camp offers a haven for disadvantaged children, most of whom come from Soweto, Johannesburg’s enormous township, to which black Africans were banished during South Africa’s apartheid.
For children of affluent countries, overnight camp is a form of enrichment, an added dimension to life. For South African children, camp can mean the difference between life and death. Living in a country with the largest HIV-infected population in the world, many children don’t expect to reach adulthood. This camp offer them new possibilities, give them the tools they need to cope and provide them with leadership skills and knowledge to make a difference in their lives and in their communities.
They are more than just a camp.
They are changing lives as they fight the war on HIV/AIDS.
We will be in touch from South Africa!
Hambani kahle
