Continuing Impact During the COVID-19 Crisis

With so much uncertainty swirling around us, we are sure of one thing: vulnerable children need us now more than ever.

South Africa, like much of the world, is in a national lockdown. Schools are not operating full-time and gatherings are extremely restricted. Already limited resources are being stretched to their absolute limits. This is an enormously challenging time for the world, and the most vulnerable among us will be the hardest hit...including the children in our programs. The emergence of COVID-19 doesn't erase or negate the enormous daily challenges that the children in our programs were facing before the outbreak...in fact, it magnifies them.

HIV, tuberculosis, hunger, crippling poverty, abuse, and crime still threaten the lives and well-being of children living in the informal settlements around Johannesburg. Adding the COVID-19 crisis -- and the attending impact on the fragile financial, health, and safety situations of these children -- means that the orphans and vulnerable children we serve will be at even greater risk.

The good news -- and there is good news here -- is that we've found a way to continue delivering the life-saving programs that our campers need. We are connecting with the children in our Youth Clubs virtually, providing vital health information, teaching our curriculum, and delivering positive, supportive, educational content to the thousands of children who are stuck in extraordinarily challenging living circumstances, with no escape, during the national lockdown.

Though we can't gather at camp and Saturday youth clubs in person, we have transformed our programs to meet our campers where they are with the support they need. Now, through our Virtual Youth Clubs in WhatsApp and Facebook groups, our vochellis (Camp Sizanani staff) are able to deliver our programs using video and chat.

Life skills, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, storytimes, camp games, songs, and dances, are all continuing in our new Virtual Youth Clubs! Lebo, a child living in Alexandra Township outside Johannesburg, wrote to us through her Virtual Youth Club messaging platform. She told us how much the vochellis (Youth Club counselors) have helped her keep up with her schoolwork in lockdown. Her sincere gratitude comes through so clearly...and that appreciation is echoed in messages we receive every day from children across our 7 Virtual Youth Clubs.

But in order to keep meeting this critical need, and ensure that we can scale back up into full operation as soon as it is safe, we need to keep our organization and our team intact throughout this crisis period.

We understand that we're asking for your support in a uniquely difficult moment, and that many of you are facing loss and uncertainty yourselves. We also know that a gift, of any size, right now will make a tremendous difference in the lives of children in South Africa.