FAMILY INTEGRATION PROGRAMME

The growing number of orphans is a well-documented, potentially explosive health and social problem. The most appropriate strategy to deal with orphans is a community-based strategy. However, the communities most affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa, are socio-economically disadvantaged and have limited resources to cope with the growing number of orphans, as well as care for the dying.

Our intervention is an ancillary strategy to cope with orphans. We have a transition home, in which up to 6 babies are cared for at a time, and then placed into suitable families - with their own extended families, adoptive or foster families. The success of the model is determined by the speed at which orphans are placed into suitable families.

The direct beneficiaries of the transition home are the babies who have been orphaned or abandoned as a result of HIV. Without our intervention, these babies would probably be placed in (and potentially remain in) a large institution, and receive a minimum amount of love and care.

Further to this, we are able to increase the scope of communities that deal with HIV/AIDS orphans. We are linked to a local church in Durban and have access to church networks around the city. It is in these families that we encourage fostering and adoption. This broadens the involvement and response to the AIDS crisis.

The goals of the programme are:

• To run a transitional home for babies orphaned or abandoned as a result of HIV
• To assist in the screening and training of prospective parents
• To assist in the placement of children (into and out of our facility)
• To oversee the running of the Breastmilk Bank linked to iThemba Lethu

The home cares for children from birth to 3 years old. iThemba Lethu is affiliated to Christian Social Services (CSS) - a Pinetown-based registered child welfare agency.

The transition home is run by Liz Holley. She is assisted by a housekeeper, Cindy Mnyandu and an overnight caregiver, Ndondo Ngcobo. In addition, we have a volunteer base of over 40 people.

The volunteer team assists Liz with monitoring, caring and entertaining the babies. Volunteers also provide weekend support. Medical care is provided by Dr Lynne McFetridge, who visits the home every Tuesday morning.

The iThemba Lethu social worker tries to trace any biological family of each baby and encourages them to take the child into their care. This may entail a process of support and strengthening. If the family is not traceable or is unable to take the child , suitable families are encouraged to foster or adopt the children. This is done initially through the extensive Church networks and by word of mouth referrals.

While the children are in the transition home, they are cared for (both physically and spiritually), they are protected, loved and prayed for (we have a vision for these children being healed of disease).

During July 2002, the transition home moved from its initial location in Umbilo in a rented house to a new, permanent home in Manor Gardens (closely located to Cato Manor). The new home - a larger, more suitable house - was bought for iThemba Lethu's use by the Durban-based Community Care Centre, who support development and welfare organisations through purchasing property for them.

EXERTS FROM THE 2007 ANNUAL REPORT:

Since the Family Integration Programme began in November 2000, the transition home has accomodated 49 babies. In 2007 we were able to place nine babies into the care of adoptive or foster families, and there were seven babies in our care at the end of the year. One of our babies; Baby ED was first placed in our care in November of 2004 and was adopted in July 2007. A couple visiting from Cape Town met him and fell in love with him. They were screened and found suitable to adopt him. As part of the transition process, Baby ED was flown to Cape Town to visit his soon-to-be parents. He adjusted well and enjoyed their pets. The couple flew to Durban and appeared in court on 24 July to sign the adoption papers. Both Baby ED and his new family have adjusted well and we hear regular updates on his progress and development.