COMPASSION AND ORPHAN CARE

Soshanguve Project

As Kerus touches the lives of children, we seek also to transform the community of Soshanguve. Kerus works with local schools, the faith community, government organizations, and families to bring the messages of It Takes Courage! to life in the community. ITC! is now used in 47 schools in Soshanguve, impacting thousands of children, educators, and families. Since 2008, 300 teachers, youth leaders, and educators have been trained to lead ITC! with groups of youth . Kerus partners with the Tshwane North School District to bring ITC! to students through after school programs.

Kerus cares for the whole community—grannies, pastors, and teachers all working with limited resources to care for those affected by HIV/AIDS—through these health, spiritual, and educational initiatives.
Program Overview

The primary goal of Kerus House of Encouragement is to inspire and equip the local church to be a beacon for compassionate care for those in great need and a trumpet for courageous actions that will stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Soshanguve area. 

1. Compassionate Care for AIDS Orphans:
  • Providing day-care for pre-school-aged orphans
  • Providing after-school care for school-aged children
  • Serving at least one nutritious meal each day
  • Assisting with homework
  • Providing medical care
  • Offering trauma and grief counseling as needed
  • Offering discipleship training, plus character and life skills development
2. Garden Projects
  • Creating a garden to cultivate vegetables for the Orphan Care Center
  • Helping orphans create gardens at their residences
3. Entrepreneurship and Job Training
  • Providing training in basic values necessary for workplace success
  • Developing skills to become economically independent through: computer training, handcrafts, beadwork, artifacts, needlework, embroidery, and similar skills.
4. Home-based Care
  • Training church-based volunteer caregivers on the cleaning and treatment of sores, bathing of patients, nutrition, and taking medications as prescribed.
  • Counseling the patient and the family
  • Teaching biblical principles, fellowship, and discipleship

Project Partners
Kerus House of Encouragement is a joint project involving many international and national agencies. 

  • Acts2Change coordinates many orphan care projects in the Soshanguve area and is the principle contact for Kerus in South Africa.
  • The care center is located on the property of and under the management of Ark of the Covenant Church and Acts2Change.
  • The local primary school, Pulamadibogo Primary School, identifies the orphans, helps coordinate services, tracks their progress in school, and provides tutoring as needed
  • House of Encouragement, of Switzerland, is developing craft projects and other means that will enhance job training skills for the orphans and provide income for their families.
  • The majority of resources that meet the financial needs of the center come from Kerus Global Education via caring individuals, organizations, and churches in the United States.

Contact our office to learn more about how you can become actively involved in this exciting program.