Points of Light South Africa 2009

The Kingsway Point of Light is situated within one of the informal settlements around the City of Benoni, to the east of Johannesburg, South Africa. The program has been operating since 2005 and has helped more than 1,000 children who have been orphaned by AIDS to build a new life and have a future.

The project has been running well, however now they have hit a new challenge: A nearby informal settlement has lost some of its land and as a result a large number of children and very vulnerable elderly adults have been displaced and are finding the only place to turn is the Point of Light.

The money raised by The Wig Party before 2010 helped Crusaid’s Point of Light campaign to make a swift and significant response. The new "Orphan Care Program" looked to identify those children who were in most need and ensure primarily that they had a safe and appropriate place to stay. They would then be registered with a local clinic and be given a clinical assessment and any medical support required.

Each child and care giver would receive a social assessment and be placed on a nutrition register to receive a hot meal every day and home food parcels including basic foods and toiletries. Longer term responses from the program included school enrollment and home-based assessments to ensure the appropriateness of each family placement.

The 2009 program aimed to support 200 vulnerable children and elderly caregivers.