[Last updated on March 19, 2021]
Due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, our partner organizations in South Africa were left with no other choice but to temporarily close the childcare centers that they operate.
The “Drop-in Centers” (DIC) that we set up in order to support “Orphan and Vulnerable Children” (OVC), whose complex family situations resulted from the absence of parents, often influenced by AIDS and poverty. The DICs are operated by care volunteers, who are mainly local women. JVC has provided a variety of training initiatives to provide the care volunteers with the knowledge and skills necessary to care for the OVC.
Following the closure of the DIC, the OVC who relied on these centers for meals faced an increasingly difficult situation. As an emergency response, JVC provided support through food and health assistance, as well as training sessions in cultivating vegetable gardens at home. When considering the distribution of food and health assistance, we took into account the complexity of an OVC’s home situation as well as the effect of COVID-19 in order to satisfy everyone’s needs as efficiently as possible. We explained our plan to all the residents including the mayor, and did not proceed to implementation until we reached a consensus regarding the next steps forward.
The children have told us enthusiastically that vegetable gardens have been a great way to kill time now that school is closed.
We plan to improve and sustain the support that we provide for the children, and to put the DIC’s operations on a path of recovery.
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