Club Case Study : Berkhamsted Bulbourne
Sparrow
Ministry of Hope Johannesburg, South Africa
[Oct 2002]
1.
Note from David Brown, President of Berkhamsted Bulbourne
2. Background and project details
3. Contact details
4. Action you can take
Sparrow
Ministry of Hope Johannesburg, South Africa
I
hope you will find the
attached information about the Sparrow Village of
interest.
Our
club first became involved about a year ago when one of our members, John
Bridges, visited the Rotary Club of Maraisburg Merlin whilst staying with his
daughter in Johannesburg.
John
was so moved by what he saw at the Sparrow Village that he decided to enlist
support from his own Club once he got back to the UK. Since then, we and our
partners in Inner Wheel have raised nearly £4000 for Sparrow and we plan to
continue that support. We are working closely with the Maraisburg Club who have
set up a dedicated bank account for our funds and oversee the subsequent
expenditure.
A
few of us are travelling to South Africa next month to visit the Sparrow Village
and see the extent of this heart breaking problem first hand. When we get back,
we'd be only too pleased to visit your Club and tell you all about it.
Whilst
recognising the competing demands on Rotary resources and funds, we do believe
that this is a deserving international project made all the more worthwhile by
the dedicated involvement of local Rotarians. We hope you will feel the same
way; if you would like learn more or support the project then do please contact
us.
David
W Brown
President,
Rotary Club of Berkhamsted Bulbourne
2.
Background and project details
THE
SPARROW VILLAGE OF HOPE, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Statistics
provided at the Durban Medical Conference 2000 stated that the spread of AIDS
(Acquired Immune Deficiency) in Sub-Saharan Africa had reached the pandemic
figure of approximately over 20 million and the number afflicted with the
disease was increasing rapidly.
Recent
projections by the South African Medical Research Council indicate that South
Africa has more people suffering from this dreaded disease than any other
African nation. Without medical treatment, the number of AIDS related deaths
will rise to between five and seven million within the next ten years.
By
2004 it is estimated that there will be approximately 15 to 20 million ORPHANS
in SubSaharan Africa with South Africa having more than an equal terrible
share. Unfortunately the sub continent has been slow in dealing with this awful
problem. There have been political disagreements about the relationship between
HIV and ADS. Governments also find it very difficult to afford the expensive
retroviral drugs required to delay the onset of full blown AIDS.
Over
a decade ago the Rev.Corrine Mclintock, a qualified nurse, recognised this
serious problem and opened her small home as a hospital, nursery, creche,
school, and hospice. With the help of friends, she dedicated it to administering
to the wants of mothers and defenceless babes and infants.
The
original requirements for entry into her home have not altered over the last ten
years.
All that was required was that they should be destitute, helpless and have a prognosis of HIV or AIDS with little hope of surviving. They came from many sources: -
Mothers who, in despair, had given birth in abandoned areas such as spoil tips. Ironically, some unfortunate women and children lucky enough to survive have actually been brought to the home by organisations devoted to finding abandoned dogs
Abandoned infants found in rubbish skips and dustbins, usually without adequate clothing, often thrown away in carrier bags, like rubbish
Hospitals who have neither the facilities due to over crowding, or the necessary drugs
The police who brought children straight to the home due to the lack of interest shown by the authorities and the paperwork involved
Mothers with AIDS or HIV who had been ostracised and thrown out by their family, in desperation come with their babies
Children who had been sexually or physically abused and infected with HIV or AIDS
The
escalating demand resulted in serious over crowding and pressure on Rev
Mclintock's facilities, finance and nursing. She then had a vision of creating a
self-contained village to house, feed, clothe and nurse back t6 health these
unfortunate and desperate people.
Through
the efforts of Corrine Mclintock and other folk, enough money was raised to
start the Sparrow Rainbow Village in Johannesburg. When complete it will
provide;