Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility

HIGHVELD ANGLICAN BOARD OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
REPORT ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES FROM AUGUST 2006 TO 2009 AS PRESENTED TO SYNOD OCTOBER 2009

2006:

• The Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility (HABSR) was registered as a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) by the Department of Social Development.

2007:  

• The Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility (HABSR) was registered as a Section 21 Company in January.  
• A Strategic Planning workshop for HABSR staff was conducted on 29 May 2007 by Ann Bown of Charisma Communications.   A second Strategic Planning workshop was conducted for parish and Diocesan projects on 19 July 2007.    
• Penny Heard resigned from her position as HABSR Administrator in October and she was replaced by Mother Maki Bodibe in November 2007.

2008:

• Mr Vukile Mkhize was appointed as a Fieldworker for the Siyafundisa programme as from 1 February 2008.  
• Ms Busi Gumbi was appointed as HABSR Accountant as from 1 July 2008.
• A Strategic Planning workshop was conducted  for HABSR Management Committee members on 1 December 2008.

2009:

• A second Strategic Planning workshop was conducted for HABSR Directors and Management Committee members on 26 January 2009.
• HABSR is in the process of being restructured.   Bishop David Bannerman is Chairman of the Board of Directors.   Portfolio committees are being established for Finance, Media and Communications, Human Resources, Projects and Programmes and Fundraising.  
• Mother Maki Bodibe was retrenched as at 30 June 2009.  

HOME-BASED CARE

• 2006 – August 2009:  Ms Joana Mhlongo and Fr Peter Mbatha were responsible for training as well as mentoring and monitoring the work of 30 home-based care projects in the Albert Luthuli Municipality, Mpumalanga.    Two Fieldworkers, Ms Siscar Mathenjwa and Ms Samaria Masuku, were appointed as from 1 January 2007 to assist Joana and Peter in the mentoring and monitoring of these projects.  
• 2006 – August 2009:  Dr Sophie Msiza was responsible for training as well as mentoring and monitoring the work of 11 home-based care projects in the Ekurhuleni region.
• 2007 – August 2009:   The 30 home-based care projects in the Albert Luthuli Municipality benefited from medical supplies and Sejo (nutritional porridge) – Comic Relief-funded.

2006:

• 89 caregivers from 5 home-based care projects attended home-based care training in Steinsdorp, Mpumalanga on 16 – 20 August 2006.

2007:

• 44 caregivers from Carolina and Badplaas attended home-based care training on 11 to 15 June 2007 in Badplaas.
• 45 caregivers  from Fernie and surrounding areas attended home-based care training in Fernie on 20 to 24 June 2007.
• 60 caregivers from the communities of Waverley, Dundonald, Redhill, Glenmore and Mayflower attended home-based care training in Glenmore from 30 July to 3 August 2007.
• 50 caregivers from the communities of Kromdraai, Ngonini, Nhlaba, Inkaba and Steinsdorp attended home-based care training in Kromdraai.
• The Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility (HABSR) in August approved Comic Relief Grants of R5000 each to the 10 home-based care projects that had applied for them.   These grants were used to develop food gardens as well as assist patients, family members and caregivers with transport to and from clinics and hospitals in various communities in the Albert Luthuli Municipality. 

2008:  

• 87 new caregivers from 13 home-based care projects in the area above the N17 attended home-based care training in Mayflower on 18 to 22 August 2008.
• 83 new caregivers  from 8 home-based care projects in the area below the N17 attended home-based care training in Elukwatini on 1 to 5 October 2008.
• 62 caregivers from the communities of Carolina and Silobela attended home-based care training in Silobela from 19 to 23 November 2008.
• Another 9 home-based care projects were awarded Comic Relief-funded small grants of R5000 each in 2008 for the development of food gardens.   These food gardens have been developed on land that has been allocated to the projects by schools, traditional leaders, churches, clinics and town councillors in the various communities.    In the Tjakastad home-based care project, a portion of the land the project was using was given to HIV infected and affected people who are part of a support group attached to the project to grow their own vegetables.   It is also interesting to note that many families benefiting from the services of the home-based care projects have started growing vegetables on their own land.
• 35 caregivers in 4 home-based care projects received stipends out of Comic Relief funding in 2008.   The caregivers of many of the other projects received funding from the Department of Health or European Union through the Department of Health or the Department of Social Development for their stipends.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
2006:

• Workshop conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church, Germiston on 18 – 20 September 2006 for 33 senior caregivers and management committee/board members of 8 home-based care projects in Ekurhuleni.   (Funded by Comic Relief)

2007:

• 2 workshops were conducted in the Albert Luthuli Municipality.   50 senior caregivers and management committee members of 15 home-based care projects below the N17 attended a workshop on 12 – 14 April 2007 in Elukwatini and 69 people from 15 home-based care projects  above the N17 attended the workshop on 10 – 12 May 2007  in Mayflower.   (Funded by Comic Relief)
• 11 clergy involved in parish projects and 19 lay people (project managers, co-ordinators and fieldworkers)  attended a capacity building and leadership workshop which was held at the Diocesan office in Benoni on 20 to 23 November 2007.

2008:

• 2 workshops were conducted in Germiston.   27 senior caregivers and management committee members of 9 home-based care projects attended a workshop on 15, 16 and 18 September 2008 and 35 people from 8 home-based care projects  attended a workshop on 13,14 and 16 October 2008.  (Funded by Comic Relief)
• Clergy, project managers and volunteers involved in parish and Diocesan projects  attended a capacity building and leadership workshop conducted by Hilary Cotton and Kim Jelphs at the Diocesan office in Benoni on 4 and 5 June 2008.   44 people attended the workshop.
• A follow-up team-building and leadership workshop for 37 people was conducted by Hilary Cotton and assisted by Brian Roberts and Rod Pierce of Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, England on 13 and 14 August 2008 at the Diocesan Office in Benoni. 

2009:

• A project management workshop for 28 management/board members of 9 home-based care projects below the N17 was conducted by Joana Mhlongo in the Aarumburg Community Hall on 29 – 31 May 2009. 
• A project management workshop for 41 management/board members of 12 home-based care projects above the N17 was conducted by Joana Mhlongo at the All Saints Anglican Church in Mayflower on 19 – 21 June 2009.
• Both the above-mentioned workshops were funded by Comic Relief.

CARE OF THE CAREGIVER
2006:

• A care of the caregiver workshop for 146 caregivers from 12 home-based care projects below the N17 in the Albert Luthuli Municipality was conducted by Joana Mhlongo in Mooiplaas on 13 – 15 October 2006. 
• A care of the caregiver workshop for 167 caregivers from 10 home-based care projects above the N17 in the Albert Luthuli Municipality was conducted by Joana Mhlongo in Mayflower on 10 – 12 November 2006.
• Both workshops were funded by Comic Relief.
• Caregiver debriefing and support workshops each followed by a celebration of the Eucharist for urban caregivers were conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston.   Funded by Comic Relief.

2007:

• 10 monthly caregiver debriefing and support workshops with caregiver Eucharists were conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston for Ekurhuleni projects.
• 2 care of the caregiver workshops were conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston on 3 and 4 December 2007 for 40 caregivers of Ekurhuleni home-based care projects and on 6 and 7 December 2007 for 38 caregivers of the same projects.
• An ecumenical World AIDS Day service was conducted for all the caregivers of the urban projects in Germiston at St Boniface on 5 December 2007.
• An ecumenical World AIDS Day service for 126 caregivers of 15 home-based care projects was conducted in Elukwatini below the N17 on 30 November 2007.
• An ecumenical World AIDS Day service for 120 caregivers of 15 home-based care projects was conducted in Mayflower above the N17 on 5 December 2007.  A workshop on caring for the caregiver was included in the day’s activities for both rural events.

2008:

• 10 monthly caregiver debriefing and support workshops with caregiver Eucharists were conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston in 2008 for urban caregivers.    (Funded by Comic Relief)
• 2 care of the caregiver workshops were conducted in the Albert Luthuli Municipality:   114 home-based caregivers from 11 projects attended a workshop on 2 to 4 July 2008 in Mayflower and 123 home-based caregivers from another 12 home-based care projects attended a workshop on 8 – 10 July 2008 in Mooiplaas.    (Funded by Comic Relief)
• 12 debriefing and support workshops for urban child-care advocates were conducted each month during 2008 by Bafana Kunene.   He was assisted by guest speakers who provided input on a variety of topics of interest to the child-care advocates.   (Funded by EJAF)
• 1 debriefing and support workshop for rural child-care advocates was conducted on 15 and 16 October 2008 by Bafana.   Bafana also provided input on monitoring and evaluation.   (Funded by EJAF)

2009:

• Debriefing and support workshops which included a Eucharist for caregivers of 11 home-based care projects were conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston.

    
ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN
ISIBINDI OVC PROGRAMME – PEPFAR FUNDED

• Two Isibindi projects were established in Thokoza and Katlehong in June 2006.   These projects were restructured and as from 1 May 2008 operated under one management team – Isibindi Kathorus.  Isibindi Kathorus continues to service the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Katlehong and Thokoza.
• A third Isibindi project (PEPFAR funded) was established in June 2007 to service the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in the Rooikoppen Informal Settlement outside Standerton.     
• The two Isibindi projects since their inception to date have serviced the needs of 5 203  children.  
• In 2008, Isibindi Kathorus and Isibindi Rooikoppen were each provided with vehicles funded by PEPFAR.
• The Isibindi Kathorus OVC project was in 2009 rated 5th out of 50 Isibindi sites in terms of the PEPFAR statistics.

EJAF/COMIC RELIEF OVC PROGRAMME
2006/2007:

• Mr Bafana Kunene trained approximately 97 child-care advocates in the urban region of the Diocese.    Another 23 advocates were trained on 4 – 6 June 2007 in Secunda, Mpumalanga.   In workshops conducted in April and August 2007, a further 94 people were trained in the Albert Luthuli Municipality in Mpumalanga.     According to statistics that are to hand, by the end of 2007 approximately 11 000 orphans and children had been identified and assisted in the Diocese.

2008:

• 61 child-care advocates were trained in the urban region of the Diocese in August 2008 bringing the number of child-care advocates trained in this region to 158.  
• 63 child-care advocates attended follow-on training in the Albert Luthuli Municipality in Mpumalanga in 2008.   These child-care advocates are linked to the home-based care projects which operate in 31 communities in the Albert Luthuli Municipality.
• The two fieldworkers in addition to mentoring and monitoring the home-based  caregivers in the Albert Luthuli Municipality, mentor and monitor the work of the child-care advocates under the supervision of Joana Mhlongo and Fr Peter Mbatha.        
• According to statistics that are to hand, approximately 22 113 orphans and children were identified and assisted in the Diocese through the work of the child care advocates.   In many cases, the children are now benefiting from social grants. 

2009:

• The number of children reached in 26 areas is now 30 624 in total.   In the Ekurhuleni area alone 22 346 children have been reached.

SAFE PARKS

• Child-care advocates in the Tembisa area in consultation with the Department of Education and the principal of the Enxiweni Primary School started operating a Safe Park for children as from 1 July 2007 on Saturday afternoons in the primary school grounds.    This project is doing well.   40 children currently benefit from the safe park.  
• The All Saints Anglican Church in eMbalenhle established a safe park for orphans and vulnerable children in the community in January 2008.   76 children from local primary and  high schools benefit from this project.   3 child-care advocates are amongst those involved in the project.   (Funded by The Bishop Simeon Trust)
• Child-care advocates in the Etwatwa informal settlement established a safe park for orphans and vulnerable children in November 2008 at the Sazakhela Primary School.   53 children aged seven to 18 years benefited from the project.            

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
2007:

• In the urban region of the Diocese, 8 educators completed Level 1 training and are now in the process of completing Level 4.  4 educators completed Level 4 training.   3 rural educators are completing their ECD training.   
• The Othandweni Day Care Centre facilities in Mayflower were officially opened by Bishop David Beetge on 23 March 2007.
• The Kwasa Centre’s renovations in Daggafontein were completed in September 2007.
• The Little Angels Day Care Centre (linked to the Bambanani Home-based Care project) was opened in the Dukathole informal settlement in Germiston in July 2007. 

2008:  

• 27 educators in 8 pre-schools and day-care centres and 8 assistant educators in 7 parish and Diocesan pre-schools and day care centres receive stipends which are funded by Comic Relief funded.   The Bishop Simeon Trust pays the stipends of the educators in the Khayalethu Pre-school in Daggakraal.   
• 10 pre-schools and day care centres are servicing the needs of 808 orphans and vulnerable children.   Some of these projects are linked to home-based care projects.
• The Bishop Simeon Trust funds the feeding of the children in 7 of the pre-schools and day care centres.
• The Diocese of Bunbury, Australia, through its Mothers’ Union, funds the feeding of children in the Good Hope Pre-school in the Good Hope Informal Settlement in Germiston.

2009:

• 1 educator in Othandweni Day Care Centre, Mayflower and 1 educator in Osizweni Day Care Centre, Wesselton began their training as educators.

SUPPORT-A-CHILD

• This model was developed by St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston in 2004.   Over 320 orphans and vulnerable children in the Dukathole informal settlement are fed each day through a system of linking funding provided by sponsors to each needy child.   These children are identified through the local primary school as well as caregivers, educators and child care advocates who work in Dukathole.   This project is being replicated in the Good Hope informal settlement. 
• HABSR is replicating this model by linking needy and destitute children in the broader Diocese through the work of the child care advocates to sponsors who would like to assist with the purchase of food, clothing and other items.   21 children have benefited from this scheme.

752 orphans and vulnerable children, 10 pre-schools servicing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children and two literacy groups benefited from a container of stationery received from the Diocese of Monmouth, Wales in 2008.   524 of the children were in primary school (147 of these children were going to school for the first time) and 228 children were in high school.   Each child was given a gift pack of stationery.

A container of 145 boxes containing soft toys, knitted children’s jerseys, blankets, seeds, stationery, clothing, wool, pieces of material arrived on 23 February 2009 from Diocese of Monmouth.      More than 3000 soft toys were distributed to Diocesan and parish projects all over the Diocese.   The contents of most of the boxes have been distributed.

Another 25 boxes from the Diocese of Monmouth were received on 9 September 2009.   These still have to be sorted and distributed.  

DIOCESAN COUNSELLING

• The Diocesan Counselling Board under the chairmanship of Bishop David Bannerman oversees all counselling activities within the Diocese – and this also includes the work of the parish HIV/AIDS counsellors.  
• The Diocesan Counselling Board provides basic counselling training for new counsellors within parishes, ongoing training for existing counsellors and ensures that counsellors receive monthly support and debriefing.
• Since the last Synod in 2006, four basic counselling courses, two trauma courses, two marriage preparation courses, one death and dying course, one SANCA course and two HIV/AIDS courses have been offered.
• From 2006 all ordination candidates have included in their basic ordination training, basic counselling, trauma debriefing, marriage preparation and HIV/AIDS counselling, as valuable tools in preparing them for future ministry within parishes.
• The costs for the basic counselling course have been pegged at R400.00 and the additional courses at R100.00 to keep the costs affordable for most parishes in the Diocese.   Clergy are able to update their skills and attend any course at no cost.
• Manuals for each of the courses offered have been compiled and printed by the trainers within the Diocese, providing valuable resource tools.
• The number of supervisors for counsellors now stands at six and the number of trainers increased in 2009 to eight; special tribute must be paid to these persons who give so freely of their time and expertise in the furthering of counselling and training within the Diocese.
• Special tribute is also paid to the late Mrs Heather Howes who was instrumental in putting together the basic counselling course for the Diocese as well as assisting in establishing our Diocese as a stand-alone facility.
• Mrs Pat Anthony was appointed by the Bishop to succeed Heather as Head of Training.
• The Counselling Board has made great progress in setting up training in the Igwa Archdeaconry.   Counselling training will be made available and accessible in future under the guidance of Gwyn Lawlor (supervisor and trainer) and Fr Andrew Manning – a member of the Counselling Board.   Siyalalela meetings will be co-ordinated in Igwa.
• Counsellors licensed to various parishes in the Diocese belong to an association called Siyalalela, the counselling arm of the Diocese of the Highveld.   Siyalalela operates according to a Constitution which was revised and approved  in 2008 by the Diocesan Counselling Board.
• In August 2009, Siyalalela had a membership of 75 trained counsellors.   All Siyalalela counsellors have attended a 40-hour basic counselling course.   Many of the counsellors have been trained in additional training modules dealing with trauma counselling, marriage preparation and enrichment counselling, addiction counselling, dying, death and bereavement counselling and HIV/AIDS counselling.    
• Ongoing training for Siyalalela counsellors in 2008/9 included amongst other topics:
• Dealing with unplanned pregnancy and support resources.
• Boundaries in counselling.
• Healing in counselling.
• Grief and coping with death and loss.
• HIV/AIDS counselling issues.
• Abuse.
• The work of Hospice and grief-sharing.
• As from the beginning of 2009, Siyalalela counsellors are required to attend six meetings/workshops from 9.00 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays to upgrade their skills and ‘team’ build.   Lack of supervision and non-attendance at Siyalalela meetings could result in the suspension of counsellors from parish counselling.
• All clergy are invited to attend any of the Siyalalela training sessions in order to update their own skills.

HIV/AIDS COUNSELLING TRAINING
In the period 2003 to 2006, DFID funding was used to train 420 HIV/AIDS counsellors in parishes in the Diocese.   This number included 18 clergy.   In 2005 and 2006, 414 caregivers from 26 home-based care projects and 50 community lay counsellors in the Albert Luthuli Municipality in Mpumalanga attended HIV/AIDS counselling courses.   Also funded by DFID. 

• 70 child care advocates attended HIV/AIDS counselling training conducted at St Boniface Anglican Church in Germiston from 14 to 18 May 2007.
• 44 caregivers from home-based care projects operating in the communities of Oshoek, Lochiel, Hartebeeskop and Aankom attended HIV/AIDS training on 12 to 16 November 2007.
• 20 parish-based HIV/AIDS counsellors attended a morning workshop at St Dunstans Cathedral on 17 November 2007.
• HIV/AIDS counselling was included on a trial basis in the last basic counselling course which was completed in August 2009.   However, this proved to be taxing and not conducive to practical learning.   HIV/AIDS counselling training will revert to a stand-alone course in the future.
• The Counselling Board is compiling a comprehensive list of active HIV/AIDS counsellors within parishes for inclusion under supervision and ongoing updating of skills.          

VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING (VCT)
The VCT model which started in 2006 was developed by the parishes of All Souls Anglican Church -  Northmead, Benoni, St Johns Anglican Church – Putfontein and Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Daveyton.   This joint project organises 4 VCT drives each year in primary and secondary schools in Daveyton and Etwatwa.    Parish  priests, parish HIV/AIDS counsellors, NGOs like LoveLife (education and prevention) and the Oasis Rover Crew (education, prevention, counselling, home-based care) as well as local clinic staff attend the VCT events which are well advertised.  
HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUPS
The Reiger Park HIV/AIDS Support Group was started by St Vincent Anglican Church members in 2004.   In 2008, a second support group and an office was set up on the premises of St Anthony’s ARV Clinic, Reiger Park.   4 volunteers provide services to 57 HIV infected and affected persons who are members as well as non-members of the organisation who come from the community of Reiger Park and surrounding informal settlements including Ramaphosa.   The support groups apart from offering physical, emotional and spiritual support also offer education on HIV/AIDS and related issues, ongoing HIV/AIDS counselling, general counselling as well as DOT support, ARV adherence counselling and wellness management.
WELLNESS AND NUTRITION
The All Saints Anglican Church in Mayflower, Mpumalanga, assisted by other parishes in the region have established an agricultural project for the benefit of people in the local community.   This project was officially opened by Bishop David Beetge  in March 2007.   A very steep increase in the cost of fertilizer (300%) in the early part of 2008 made it very difficult for the project to continue with its hydroponics tunnel and the propagation of tomatoes.   The main focus is now on the propagation of seedlings which are sold cheaply to the local people for their own vegetable gardens for which there is a great demand.   A whole range of vegetables which are grown in the open are provided for the use of people in the community to improve their nutrition.   The children of the Othandweni Day Care Centre have their own food garden and they, together with their educators, take responsibility for its upkeep.
The Sithabile agricultural project was established a number of years ago by members of the All Soul’s Northmead Social Responsibility committee in the Etwatwa informal settlement and is doing very well.   A number of other parish and Diocesan projects started vegetable gardens in 2007 and 2008 – many with seeds donated by the Diocese of Monmouth.   These vegetable gardens continue to do well.
16 projects established by parishes focus on the needs of orphans and vulnerable children – particularly those attend primary and high school, the elderly, the unemployed and the sick.   Several of these projects have benefited from funding received from the Diocese of Monmouth, Wales and the Diocese of Bunbury, Australia.   The projects provide meals and food parcels for over 2000 beneficiaries.   Children who attend the after-school care centres apart from receiving a meal, benefit from homework supervision, counselling, games and sports.   Two of the centres offer children computer training and the use of the project library.   In some projects Mothers’ Union and Anglican Women’s Fellowship members tell the children African stories and generally spend time with the children loving them.   Two projects provide special services to grannies in their communities who are looking after orphans.   They are supported, counselled and educated on various health issues and involve them in ‘granny-gym’.   St Peter’s Chains Anglican Church currently have 80 grannies in their gym class.
                     
SIYAFUNDISA PROGRAMME (PEPFAR funded)
The PEPFAR-funded Siyafundisa (Teaching Our Children) abstinence programme primarily targets youth aged 10 – 24 years.      
Vukile Mkhize was appointed as a fieldworker for the Siyafundisa programme and started work on 1 February 2008.   To date, 265 peer educators and 62 peer educator supervisors have been trained.   Some of the topics which have been covered during the peer education workshops are:

• Risky behaviour, prevalence within their community and reasons – focusing on young people
• The latest HIV/AIDS statics and ways in which young people could help
• Purpose of peer education – what is peer education and not, key aspects of peer education, roles and responsibilities of peer educators, qualities of peer educators
• How to recruit young people, handle challenges and successes and qualities of a peer educator and peer educator supervisor
• Talking about sensitive matters looking at - Sex and sexuality with STI’s – knowing our bodies
• To know how people learn best; know how to ask good questions; know how to listen and communicate; know how to give and receive feedback; know how to work as a group
• Looking at individual and group progress, their challenges and success
• Working on building individual’s/group self-esteem, how to be assertive and self-confident, what causes risky behaviour and (substance abuse) 

Some of the lessons which cover some of the topics shown above are:

• Protection; influence; gender; respect; pain; relationships; getting involved; waiting for sex; you’ve got to know and emotional intelligence

The following parishes have been involved in the programme during 2008 and 2009:

 
Successes of the Siyafundisa programme:

• The youth have adapted very well to this programme.
• The programme has enabled young people to relate positively towards their peers – their own age group.   Despite their differences, they are able to come together, share their stories, knowledge and understanding and learn from each other.  It has brought them closer together and given them a better understanding of what is happening not only in their lives but in the lives of those around them.   They are able to relate to each others’ challenges and situations.
• The programme also enables the youth to relate positively towards their families and people within their parishes and communities.
• Young people involved in the programme have become more responsible.   Individual self-esteem, self-confidence and assertiveness is developed through the programme.   They have become models of healthy behaviour.    
• The workshops conducted by the young people are interesting and stimulating and have generated much discussion amongst the youth – including sensitive issues.
• Young people are encouraged to think outside of the box and are creative in constructing and conducting various components of the lessons.   Many of them have become better and confident speakers.
• The young people who are involved in presenting or facilitating a given lesson or activity are well-trained and carefully supervised.   Lessons and activities are well prepared prior to a workshop.   Record-keeping and report-writing following a training session are done by the young people themselves.

Three training camps were conducted in July 2009 at Sikelele adventure camp – Magaliesburg and these were very much enjoyed by the young people who attended them.   Approximately 60 young people attended each camp which helped in building, not only one person but the whole group’s self-esteem and confidence.

Funding permitting, there are plans to conduct workshops for the clergy of the various parishes as well as parents of the youth in order to give them a better understanding of the Siyafundisa programme as well as expose them to the needs and challenges of the youth.  

MICROLENDING SCHEME – HOME INDUSTRIES
Seed funding from the Diocese of Toronto/Toronto Compass Rose is being used specifically for this purpose.   53 women and 1 man in the Diocese are now benefiting from small loans of R5000 each to start their own small businesses or expand existing businesses.   Some of these businesses have been so successful the women have brought in other women to assist them in their businesses.   Business ventures include flower arranging, computer training, dressmaking, hire of funeral equipment, catering, selling of cleaning materials and cosmetics.   As the loans are repaid, others are given the benefit of the loans.
In addition to the above, several parishes have involved their members and members of the community in sewing, knitting, beading and other craft-making activities.   Donations of wool, materials, cottons, sewing and knitting machines from the Diocese of Monmouth, Wales, greatly supported these activities.
FUNDING,  PARTNERSHIPS AND NETWORKING
It is very encouraging to see how the partnerships between parishes in the various Archdeaconries have strengthened and grown and to see the social responsibility committees come alive as parishes support each other with offers of financial assistance, expertise, material goods and other help.

Bishop David Beetge through his work in the Anglican AIDS Healthcare Trust and as Dean of the Province was involved in influencing policy around various issues.    He also served on the Ekurhuleni Mayoral AIDS Council.   HABSR officials, in particular Mr Bafana Kunene in his capacity as OVC co-ordinator, are also involved in many structures that influence policy and hold Government accountable.   These structures include the:

• Department of Health (National, Provincial, Regional)
• Department of Social Development (National, Provincial, Regional)
• Department of Education through Bana Pele (Children First)
• Department of Home Affairs
• National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers
• Centre for Support of  Peer Education
• Anglican AIDS Healthcare Trust
• Ekurhuleni Mayoral AIDS Council
• National Action Committee for Children Infected and Affected by HIV and AIDS
• Gauteng Youth Commission
• Centre for Public Sector Innovation (Service Delivery) – Department of Public Service and Administration
• Batho Pele Learning Network for Monitoring the Effect of Government and NGOs on Service Delivery - DPSA 

There are over 75  parish and Diocesan projects.   Many of these are non-profit organisations and are registered through the Department of Social Development.   HABSR has seen tremendous growth in many of the projects.   The Kwasa Centre in Daggafontein through funding it receives from a variety of funders around the world is able to offer bursaries to 58 children from informal settlements and this enables them to attend local primary and high schools.   The Kwasa Centre has also  bought a house in Springs that will accommodate girls who have been orphaned.   These girls have been placed under the care of a house-mother.   The project is pursuing the purchase of a house in Springs for boys who have been orphaned and are too young to care for themselves.   An exciting new project was established at the beginning of 2009 by the All Souls Northmead Social Responsibility group.   A house (Buyani) was made available to the group for the furtherance of their social responsibility activities.   Buyani House is being used for meetings, as a drop-in centre for counselling, food parcels etc.   Planning includes its use as a mini clinic.       
The Bishop Simeon Trust is one of HABSR’s major funders.   12 parish projects are benefiting directly from Bishop Simeon Trust (BST) funding in the current funding period – 2009/2010.  53 projects (home-based care and early childhood development projects) benefit from Comic Relief funding.    The training and stipends of the child care advocates as well as Mr Bafana  Kunene’s stipend is funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Comic Relief.   Comic Relief and Elton John AIDS Foundation funding comes to the Diocese through the Bishop Simeon Trust which acquired the funding on behalf of the Diocese.   The Bishop Simeon Trust also contributes towards the Diocesan hardship fund, children’s education fund and other funds.    Many overseas funders are linked to parish and Diocesan projects.    Some projects have successfully acquired local funding.   The sustainability of projects is a serious issue for HABSR and projects that are not already registered as non-profit organisations (NPO’s) are urged to register their projects and to access their own funding within the parameters which have been laid down by HABSR.
We are very grateful to all our funders for their ongoing support of the work of HABSR and its many and varied projects as well as to all the visitors who stream into the Diocese from all over the world to visit projects, for their support and their tireless efforts to raise funding so that the social responsibility work in the Diocese can continue.     
All those connected with HABSR – directors, management committee members, funders and those involved in projects all over the Diocese were deeply saddened by the untimely death of Bishop David Beetge on 27 September 2008.   He will be remembered for the vital role he played within HABSR, his fundraising activities, his deep love and passion for all who suffered through various kinds of illness including HIV and AIDS, poverty, injustice and oppression and his prophetic ministry and vision for the ongoing social responsibility work within the Diocese, Province and Anglican Communion.   We will honour all that he stood for by ensuring that the work he started and was so passionate about will continue.
I would like to thank Bishop David Bannerman, HABSR Board of Directors and Management Committee members for their continued support of social responsibility activities in the Diocese, HABSR and Diocesan staff, clergy and laity for their tireless efforts and ongoing support.