EMASITHANDANE CHILDREN’S PROJECT

Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions hit the hardest by AIDS, with millions living with the HIV virus and tens of millions of children orphaned by the pandemic. Many of these children are also living with the realities of violence and gangsterism, as well as malnutrition and lack of education as a result of poverty.

Luckily for a group of children in the Cape Town informal settlement of Nyanga, there is a place they can call home, and a group of people they can call their family. Emasithandane Children’s Project - better known as “Emasi” - is a place of shelter for orphaned and vulnerable children from two months to18 years, set up with the loving care of Mama Zelphina Maposela.

The place is home to almost 50 children and doubles up as a Day Care Centre, while many more flock to Emasi daily for meals served by Mama’s communal feeding kitchen.

Over the Christmas and Easter holidays, the Emasithandane Children’s Project are treated to fun and fabulous parties when TEAMtalk media and Apurimac staff visit their home, laden with goodies. We’ve also organized magic shows, an outing to a children’s activity centre and many other themed events in previous years.