THE ESSENTIAL TOOL OF LIFE

Kids who performed very good in their first term

Education is essential for everyone, it is the essential tool of life and here at Nkosi’s haven we value and see the importance of education for our kids. Education is something that can never be taken from you; it is the experience that one will carry throughout his or her life. It is the level of education that earns people respect and recognition. It gives people very important tools to make it in life. With education people can stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Education is the key to success and we will continue to offer our children the best education.

The establishment of this facility was brought up by Nkosi’s Johnson, who wanted a place where mothers and children diagnosed with HIV/AIDS to get the best care without any discrimination. This is a boy who was almost denied an opportunity to study because of his status and he did not want any child to be deprived education because they are HIV/AIDS. Since our establishment we have been providing our kids with the best education up until tertiary level.

All of our kids come from different background, with all of them here for various reasons. They have all went through a lot of things in life, a lot has been taken from them and we are working hard to give them something that no single soul can take away from them education. We our kids to become contributing members of this society, we want them to be able to stand on their own two feet and make a living for themselves. We want a bright future for our kids, so they can be able to do the same for someone who is in need of help in the future, so they can be able to teach people out there that even with your HIV/AIDS status and your horrible past you can make it in life.

We have 118 kids in our property, with all of them going to various schools from private schools, government schools, tertiary, special schools and pre-schools. We are catering every need on our children’s education and we appreciate the effort they put within their studies. We have thanks giving programs for children who put in an outstanding performance on their school work. On the 8 of Monday 2013 we are rewarding children who performed very well in the first term at school and the kids enjoyed as they noticed that we appreciate their hard work and effort. And this teaches our kids that in life when you do well you will be credited for that.

We want to see our kids contributing to a good course of this country. We want to see them living a better life form where they come from. In life we cannot change the past but we can make the future. With all the education that we provide our kids we want to provide them with a bright future. Nkosi’s haven will continue being there for its kids and they will always be our kids, we are one big family that cares for each other and willing to keep Nkosi’s dream alive at any cost.

AN AIDS FREE GENERATION IS POSSIBLE

Nkosi’s Haven is a place with so many talents. When this place was first opened HIV/AIDS people where promised a place where they will live freely without any discrimination and we proud to say that we have been doing that all this past

years. Nkosi Johnson wishes was to open a place that can take care of mothers and children, a place where they can live like the rest of us because we are all the same irrespective of our status.

We have been operating for 13 years now and still growing. We have had some good years and rough years but we still prioritise the needs of our resident. We have people coming here for various reasons, the family members rejecting them because of their status, some rapped and infected with HIV. But here it is a place where you will never be judged because of your past. Here in Nkosi’s Haven we are one big happy family. Living together, going through all the difficulties together.

A fun day for Nkosi's Haven children

We value our residents need. The need for shelter, education, water and food, we do all our best to provide our resident with a normal life just like anyone of us. We have kids with a lot of talent from soccer, singing, ballroom dancing, art, netball etc. We get help form different types of organisation and people to nature our kids’ talent. We all deserve an opportunity in life and here we are giving our kids that opportunity. Our mission is to provide a better living condition, best education and a healthy lifestyle for our residents. We would have not got this far if it was not for all the people with a caring heart out there nationally and internationally. We pledge with everyone out to please join hands with us and fight this epidemic disease. Let’s help those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, let’s not laugh and discriminate them. The bible say we were all created from God’s image so let’s not throw hand our sisters and brothers. “We are one”



Nkosi’s Haven children help raise funds

Nkosi's haven kids with thier paintings

Children of Nkosi’s Haven will be having their works of art auctioned at a Gala Benefit in Holland to assist in raising funds for Nkosi’s Haven.  On the 6^th April, KidsRights a Dutch based foundation will be hosting a gala fundraising dinner at Netherlands. Gail Johnson, founding director of Nkosi’s Haven, has been invited as guest speaker for the night. The aim of the dinner is to raise funds for KidsRights and their projects.  Nkosi’s Haven based in Alan Manor, having been a KidsRights project since 2005 when Nkosi Johnson, the young AIDS activist who passed away in 2001 from an AIDS related disease, won the first ever International Children’s Peace Prize, posthumously.

Founded by Marc Dullaet in 2003 the foundation promotes the wellbieng of every vulnerable child across the world and advocates the expression of their rights; it is the voice of the voiceless. The International Children’s Peace Prize was initiated, motivated and organized by KidsRights and to-date they have recognized exceptional children, who have fought for the rights of children, throughout the world.

The gala fundraiser will help the Nkosi’s Haven children showcase their talent on an international platform, as their art goes on auction and sold to the highest bidder at a glamorous up market benefit evening.  The money raised will help us on its path to achieve their educational objectives. Determined to give their children the best education, most of the children attend private schools with 5 of them  have matriculated over the past 4 years, attending college studying sports management, HR and tourism.

 Extramural activities for the children include art, music and, dance classes, all of which need funds for sustainability.   KidsRights support   makes it possible for the children to relish and further develop their talent.  A strong skills development program is in place for the resident mothers as most have not finished their schooling.  In addition, job opportunities exist for the resident mothers who may be employed in positions as cook, laundry manager, child care worker, if they have the skill and shown initiative.  Earning a stipend, the mothers are sent on the relevant training courses.  In addition, Nkosi’s Haven operates a bakery out of a container, run by resident moms; this is seen as in ‘income generating project’ albeit on a small scale.

The Nkosi’s Haven farm based in De Deur produces vegetables for ‘in house consumption’ however, with potential funding; it will soon be producing chickens and vegetables to be sold commercially.   Job creation on the farm will be for both resident mothers and teens who are interested in farming, as well as for young people who have dropped out of school through circumstance and are interested in food security and income generation. 

 Nkosi’s Haven is an organization  depends heavily  on donations to maintain sustainability, however, is also determined to work towards self-sustainability and their children’s talent is without a doubt assisting in achieving this goal.

For any type of assistance vist our website. www.nkosishaven.org