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In 2007 the Care Giver for Empembeni Area reported a case of orphan children in desperate need. During my first home visit and interview the following information was found:
There were three children:
- Lungile (female, 17 years) doing grade 12 (now matriculated);
- Dumisani (male, 14 years) was doing grade 6 (he is now doing grade 9);
- Mandla (male, 7 years).
A relative took Mandla to stay in Nongoma due to the extreme poverty they were suffering. He would like to came back to stay with his siblings. We hope that by next year comes and live with them as their living condition improved enormously.
Their father died in 2001 and their mother in 2003. The children did not have any documents. We managed to get the death certificates of the deceased parents first. Then we did get the birth certificates for the younger child but not for the elder. Lungile, because of her age, needed to apply for I.D. Book (the process is tedious and long when the applicant has not birth registration).
The paternal uncle was staying with them but travelling to different cities looking for job. For this reason he could not register the children for foster care grant. In 2009 he went to Durban to look for job and was killed. It was very hard for the children to organize the funeral but many neighbours were very good in assisting them.
The children suggested an Auntie as foster parent. She is domestic worker in Empangeni and the one assisting the children with some food whenever she can. She is visiting the children on a monthly basis and is really concerned about them. In Octuber 2009 Dumisani started receiving the money for Foster Care Grant but it s not enough even to buy food.
In 2008 Lungile fell in love with one of her classmates. From that relationship she gave birth to her first child Buhle. She was still waiting for her own ID documents therefore she could not do the birth registration for her child. She breastfed the child and look after her as much as she could. In 2009 she reached an agreement with the child's father and his family. The grandmother was willing to look after the child so that Lungile could go and look for job.
In 2010 she left her child under the care of the grandmother and she is now a domestic worker. Her salary is very low but she said is better then nothing. Every month she comes back home to visit her child. This year also Lungile got her ID book and the birth certificates for her child. She registered the child for the child support month this month. The first payment of the child's grant would be done in November 2010.
The government built RDP (RDP means: Reconstruction and Development Program) houses for the needed people in the area, but these children were not able to access any services due to the lack of relevant documents (ID.Book, birth certificates).
We assisted them with monthly food parcels until Dumisani got the grant payment.
The house they were staying was precarious, built with mud, stones and rid. They were complaining that in rainy days the house was full of water. We therefore decided to build a two-room house for them. We paid the whole amount of the building R 23,465.00 (twenty three thousand four hundred and sixty five rand - around 2500 euros) The house looks nice and the children are very happy about it. For them it is like a dream.
We would like to thank those who made it possible for their kindness and generosity. Without you we wouldn't have the financial resources to help these children. It is a great joy to see the children improving their quality of life because there is hope for them. I ask God's blessing upon you and your family.
With great appreciation and thanksgiving
Sr. Lidia, Mama Maqele (care Giver) and the children concerned
(NB: names of children have been changed)
