WITH more than 1 700 orphans registered for support in 2015 alone, Izulu Orphan Projects (IOP) has celebrated another busy, yet successful year of lending a helping hand to those in need.
After much growth since the beginning of 2015, the organisation has continued to provide community support, services and safety to both children and a large number of families within the area.
With a total of 765 registered families, most of whom make up the 1 769 orphans attending 103 schools and crèches, IOP has made a concerted effort to assist in providing these children with educational opportunities.
‘We bought uniforms for 88 orphans and paid the school fees for 123 not attending ’no-fees’ schools,’ said Founding Manager Kate Bain.
‘We have continued to build relationships with these schools to monitor the progress and behaviour of each of our orphans.’
Centres and programmes
Among the many projects still on the go, the community support centre continues to expand, with the IOP house being completed at the beginning of the year.
This house was made fully functional and includes a sewing classroom, English classroom, playroom and a 24-hour place of safety for families.
‘We also built a house mid-year for our most desperate family,’ said Bain, who provided refuge to a grandmother and her three grandchildren following a terrible rape incident that took place in their dilapidated shack.
‘The family now has a safe and cozy home where the children are thriving.
‘Our centre has a kitchen where we have been cooking daily for almost 200 orphans and most desperate families who live within walking distance of our centre.’
‘Monthly food parcels have been supplied to 120 families in desperate need.’
The centre’s Early Childhood Development programme has a mentorship programme with 27 of the rural crèches in the area, reaching 700 children.
The Rotary IT centre, in partnership with I Learn To Live, continues to thrive and offers many free lessons to unemployed youth in the area.’
To kick-start the new year, IOP has taken on another 17 families.
‘Our numbers have been steadily dropping over the years, proving that we are saturating our area.’
‘It is a joy to know that we are not leaving a single orphan without hope.’
