|
|
|
Masiphumelele, Cape Town
Masiphumelele is a township in Cape Town, situated between Kommetjie, Capri Village and Noordoek.
Masiphumelele (pronounced Masi-pu-ma-layli) means “we will succeed” in Xhosa. The spirit of endurance was needed by the residents for decades and these words are still an expression of their hope of better times to come.
Initially known as Site 5, the township was renamed Masiphumelele by its residents. About 400-500 people first settled in the area in the 1980s. During apartheid, residents were continually removed to the suburb of Khayelitsha, over 30 km away but the numbers began to grow as apartheid began to unravel in 1990. Today more than 30,000 people live in Masiphumelele.
Masiphumelele’s amenities are scarce, with an overcrowded school and just one private doctor. A dedicated team of nurses with a few visiting doctors work in an understaffed Day Care Clinic. According to research data, it’s estimated that 30-40% of the community are infected with HIV/AIDS.
Another problem that Masiphumelele tries to cope with is that many families don’t have enough food for their children. Many homes are very poor and hardest hit during the winter months when the living conditions in Masiphumelele are extremely difficult.
HOKISA (Homes for Kids in South Africa) was founded in 2001 in Cape Town as a South African non-profit NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) to contribute in the fight against AIDS by creating examples of care especially for those who are most vulnerable – the children.
On December 1, 2002 (World AIDS Day) the first HOKISA Home was opened in the township of Masiphumelele by Archbishop (em.) Desmond Tutu.
Quick Facts on HIV/AIDS in South Africa
- Between 1990 and 2000 more than 12 million people have died of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa – a quarter of them were children.
- In South Africa, in a population of 42 million, it is estimated that about 2000 mostly young people are infected by HIV every day and about 600 people die of AIDS – per day!
- At present there are about 300 000 children who lost their parents because of AIDS in South Africa alone – it is estimated that there will be more than 2 million orphans in the near future.
Further information on the aims of HOKISA can be found at www.hokisa.co.za
Photographs by WO Pete Morewood
|
