Paulina was just 12 years old when she had to drop out of school in Blantyre to care for her mother, who died of AIDS 6 months later. She had no time to grieve as she was left at home, struggling to survive alone with 6 younger siblings. Soon after her young sister also died. Fortunately a month later HOPEHIV trained community volunteers to set up a Kids' Club in her village reaching out to orphans, and Paulina began to attend.
"The Kids' Clubs helped me cope well after my parents died and gave me confidence to look after my sisters and brothers."
Trained volunteers also visited her home regularly giving her practical support and ensuring that the children carried on attending school. Five years on Paulina and her family are doing well and she is now a volunteer herself in the Kids' Club.
HOPEHIV is funding the set up of community-based Kids' Clubs across 7 rural communities in Malawi in partnership with the Salvation Army and is reaching over 2,000 orphans like Paulina. Hundreds of local people have already been trained as volunteer leaders and weekly Kids' Clubs offer games, songs, sport and AIDS awareness sessions. Volunteers also carry out regular home visits to find out the child's needs and make sure they are met. This can include lobbying schools and other authorities and linking needy households to income-generating schemes.
HOPEHIV want to continue to support volunteers across Malawi to reach more orphans. Just £50 from you will buy a bicycle for a community volunteer to visit child headed households like Paulina's. DONATE NOW.