Kickstarting healthy lifestyles. 

The primary focus of Hope in South Africa’s (HISA) health programs is to educate the youth about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD), while promoting a healthy lifestyle. HISA partners with established organizations in this massive educational effort.

REDUCING RISK OF HIV/AIDS

South Africa has the biggest and most high profile HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world, with an estimated 7.1 million people (almost 20% of the population) living with HIV in 2016. Over half of the children in South Africa are receiving treatment for the disease. With the appropriate interventions, we can reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS that so many are experiencing within South Africa.

Grassroot Soccer is our major partner in the fight to build awareness about HIV/AIDS. Together, we are taking an innovative approach to engage youth through soccer and, at the same time, provide education on life skills and healthy behavior to help reduce the risk of HIV.

Together, we have educated youth grades 7-12 using the GRS Skillz Curriculum and trained local youth leaders to be GRS coaches in Richmond, Colesburg, and De Aar.

We encourage teachers to use the GRS Skillz curriculum in their classrooms, conduct HIV testing and counseling, and provide housing and transportation for GRS volunteers.

ADDRESSING FETAL ALCOHOL Spectrum disorder

South Africa has the highest rate of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the world. The disorder causes facial disfiguration, central nervous damage, and physical and mental developmental delays. This entirely preventable disorder requires urgent interventions raising awareness about the dangers of drinking while pregnant. If left unaddressed, the condition will continue to cost families, communities, and the country at large.

We partner with FASfact to help reduce the risk of FASD for children born in the Northern Cape and beyond. Together with our partners, Rotary International and Grassroot Soccer, HISA has concentrated its efforts to build awareness among the youth to the acute dangers of drinking during pregnancy.

We created a three-phase plan to build community awareness in collaboration with Rotary and trained 30 community leaders in FASD education and awareness.

We have established local FAS outreach teams in Richmond, Colesberg, and Kimberley and organize FASD awareness efforts in each community. We are implementing FASD awareness efforts among local farm workers and conducting FASD awareness presentations in the local middle and high schools.

COMMUNITY GARDEN AND SOUP KITCHEN

We transformed an unused space into a soup kitchen that provides daily nutritious and fresh meals for over 150 youth and created a community garden that produces potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables for soup kitchen meals.