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Today we went to Tapologo’s orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) program at Freedom Park and Boitekong with a woman from Neo Birth.

At Freedom Park we delivered parcels of food to homes. We gave food to four families that were deemed in critical need by the OVC program. Each family who we gave food to had many children. One of the families was headed by a teenage mother and another by a grandmother. One of the families we gave food to is from Zambia and so do not have South African documents, leaving them unable to receive government aid. Almost all of the families had sick members. We went shack to shack delivering the food, trying our best to avoid falling on our face, as there was mud everywhere. The shacks were very small and close together. While we were delivering the food, we were also responsible for taking pictures for Neo Birth. The pictures will hopefully appeal to Neo Birth’s donors. One child of a family we gave food to was very shy. The OVC woman we were with said, “don’t worry, he’s just afraid of white people”. While we were walking around I saw one of the boys who I played with while we set up the reading room for the OVC program. We high-fived. This made me feel really good.

Next we went to Boitekong Village. The woman from Neo Birth gave training to the OVC program workers. We sat in on this session. She characterized the milestones in children’s physical, mental, and social development for children ages 0-5 years. She stressed the importance of tracking and taking note of these milestones in children’s development. Each one of the OVC workers is a care-worker for 11-25 children. Neo Birth gives these ladies training once a week so that they can counsel the children and families they are in charge of. Many of the children in the OVC program are taken care of by siblings, young mothers, and grandparents. Many of these caretakers may not know the importance of stimulation in children’s development. Because of today’s training, the OVC program workers are better equipped to counsel the caretakers about how to provide adequate and proper stimulation for their children. Today’s training session also discussed “stranger danger”. Children must understand that they should not go anywhere with a stranger when offered money or gifts. The program-workers are teaching the children about “no touch triangle”. Children are being taught that there is a zone on your body that no one should touch. Neo Birth is giving the OVC program workers the skills to empower the children in the program. One case was discussed of a girl in the Boitekong Village who is prostituting herself for 5 Rands per trick. 5 Rands is the equivalent of about 75 cents in US currency. This girl is selling herself so that she can buy basic living supplies. I was shocked. It emphasized to me the need for empowerment counseling.

During the training session at Boitekong, one discussion really startled me. The women were saying that HIV positive mothers SHOULD breastfeed for the first 6 months after delivery. This shocked me because it was against everything I have learned about mother-to-child transmission of HIV prevention. I have always understood that an HIV positive woman should not breastfeed in order avoid spreading the virus through breast milk. After the training session I asked about this. I was told that there is a drug that a woman can take up to 48 hours after delivery that will transfer to the child through breastfeeding. This drug will fight the virus in the child and help boost the immune system. However, during these six months the child must only consumer the breastmilk. I was told that is it healthier for the child to be breastfed if the mother has taken the drug, compared to not being breastfed at all.

Today was a great day. We went to two villages, met families, helped deliver food, and learned about the importance of teaching and empowering children and families and how to go about that.