Compassion Keeps Child Care Group Alive Beyond World Vision

Most community groups started after an encouragement from aid organisations bite the dust as soon as aid organisations leave their communities.

This is not the case with a Channels of Hope group formed to take care of the orphaned and vulnerable in an area formerly known, in World Vision terms, as Nthabiseng Area Development Program.

“Because of the nature of our work, we build relationships with the children and those with disabilities. We get to see their dire needs as we assist them,” explained ‘Masusan Leroba a representative of New Jerusalem church in the group.

Nthabiseng Channels of Hope group was formed in October, 2008 from four representatives of four churches in the area.

“We were a support group before World Vision came. Because of the role of the church in the community, World Vision invited and trained churches to form Channels of Hope groups,” Leroba added.

It was following this that World Vision trained church representatives on ways to take care of the orphaned and vulnerable in their communities.

“We were also trained on how to take care of people living with disabilities, the importance of nutrition, psychosocial support and spiritual nurturing to children during our regular home visits,” narrated ‘Mateboho Sello of Full Gospel church.

Nthabiseng Channels of Hope group assist 57 children with candles, food and sometimes school uniform depending on the need: “Initially we used to ask for help from World Vision, now we use money from our savings group to do all these,” sello narrated.

The group creatively find ways of raising money from their churches: “Each church brings a minimum of R230.00 to contribute each time we meet.”

‘Makheola Makopiane is one of those assisted by Nthabiseng Channels of Hope group. She has Downs Syndrome: “We constructed her a keyhole garden for growing vegetables,” Sello said.

Makopiane was born in 1983, but owing to her condition, she needs someone close to guide her around. Thankfully her brother and his wife are around most of the time to ensure she is well.

Nthabiseng Channels of Hope faces challenges from time to time: “Sometimes our fellow congregants do not contribute enough, some of the children we help criticize some of the items we buy for them, or fail to maintain keyhole gardens we helped them construct,” Sello said.

“We find solace in the scripture we were given at the beginning - Galatians 6:7-11. We are also inspired by that God has assigned us this task of taking care of the orphaned and vulnerable.