From an early age, children in Cloetesville, South Africa are forced to struggle with the tragic consequences of their community’s significant socioeconomic issues. Historically an underprivileged suburb, Cloetesville is now home to families who range from the lower middle class to the extremely impoverished. Currently, over a third of Cloetesville’s residents are unemployed and have resorted to living in over-crowded informal housing. These living conditions have spurred the widespread occurrence of substance abuse, domestic violence, and HIV among Cloetesville’s families.

As a result, children from Cloetesville are often exposed to abuse and neglect. Tragically, these young people do not have access to any safe havens or stable resource centers in Cloetesville. Instead, the suburb’s orphans and abused children are faced with the daunting option of being sent to distant institutions far from their homes. This limitation has led to many children either being left in difficult conditions or forced to leave their community and all they have ever known.

Rachel and Burning Tree Elementary School's project will offer an alternative for children in Cloetesville. It will fund the establishment and two-year operation of a small, community foster home for at-risk youth in Cloetesville and allow 6 children under the age of 12 to live in a loving home. All 6 children will not only live under the care of a diligent foster mother in Cloetesville, but will also have access to specialized medical care, proper schooling, therapy, and opportunities to embrace the fun and adventure of a normal childhood.

Join Rachel and Burning Tree, and donate to this project to ensure 6 at-risk children can mature in a safe, loving environment within their community!

Cloetesville is a small South African community of approximately 18,000 residents located just outside of Cape Town. In the past, many of Cloetesville’s families supported themselves by working in the vineyards of a more prosperous neighboring community. However, in recent years,unemployment has become a serious challenge for Cloetesville’s residents, leaving many vulnerable to extreme poverty. These issues have been compounded by the significant income disparities that exist within the community. While lower-middle class residents are able to maintain comfortable homes, many others live in desperate conditions; over a third of Cloetesville’s families live in informal housing without access to basic amenities. The poverty evidenced by these living conditions has led to a dramatic upsurge in substance abuse and domestic violence in Cloetesville. Tragically, the HIV pandemic has worsened this situation and left many children without parents or neglected. As a result, a growing number of Cloetesville’s children are being sent to be raised in large institutions far from their homes and community.

Community member details not available yet.

Direct Impact of Your Project

• Ensures 6 at-risk children can grow and thrive in a loving, safe home
• Allows the 6 children to receive the therapeutic intervention they need to overcome their early trauma
• Provides the 6 children with the resources and support they need to attend school and receive a proper education
• Trains and employs 2 previously jobless adults to serve as the home’s foster mother and part-time assistant

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

• Family members of the 6 children living in the home will receive supportive social services such as counseling
• Provides 10 local laborers with employment during the foster home’s renovations
• Empowers 30 community and church members to give back to those less fortunate by supporting the home in various ways including assisting with childcare duties, household chores such as gardening and repairs, transportation services and financial management
• Community members will gain better understanding of the social problems in their communities through community forums on issues such as health and crime.
• The social stigma against families and children affected by HIV will be reduced within the community in part because community members will be able to see the children thrive when receiving the proper antiretroviral medication.
• Community members will benefit from the positive example set by the foster mother.