HIV Volunteer Mahwelereng, South Africa

Thank you for visiting my page! I am currently volunteering in Mahwelereng, South Africa where I conduct HIV/AIDS outreach. South Africa currently has the highest rate of HIV in the world, in the province that I am living is is currently 1 in 4. In South Africa as a whole, in 2012, over 6 MILLION people are living with HIV; a majority of this 6 million are women. The saddest statistic in 2012 is the fact that almost half a MILLION children were orphaned due to AIDS (USAIDS, 2012). I volunteer with a Home Based Care organization in my township that is outside of a clinic, I decided to look at the statistics of the clinic of people coming in newly infected with HIV, the results were scary. Of just the people coming in to get tested in my area, over 250 people become newly infected every MONTH! EVERY MONTH! And those are just the people getting tested. South Africa and many other African countries face many discrimination and stigma issues regarding HIV and getting tested, therefore many don't get tested. And when they do they aren't receiving adequate care that talks about the importnance of not spreading the disease as well as treatment adherence. I conducting testing and counseling in the states for HIV and am also passionate about testing and counseling here (I am certified through the Department of Health). I am also volunteering in the High Schools and a vocational school in my township where many kids are facing teen pregnancy, domestic violence, sexual assault, among many other things. I am currently putting together a women's empowerment group that focuses on these issues and helps women become empowered to respect their bodies and live a better life (evidence-based program ZAZI). I am also working at an Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) drop in center where we feed and help put through school over 100 OVCS. I would like to do more for my township and for this country. I am planning on staying here for a couple years to help South Africans live a better life, the only problem is funding. If you don't have the opportunity or time to help out people less fortunate than yourselves, than please help me do it for the both of us. All donations will be thanked personally by the people their money is affecting, donors will also receive reports of where their money is going and how it's being spent. 

With Love and Light, 

Mandi Jean