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| Bridget Walters and Hlengiwe Mthimkhulu of Zisize with Merna Schmidt |
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A message from Merna...
I've spent quite a bit of time overseas, and in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa I drove around the region visiting a cross-section of projects to learn what their needs are, what is currently being done, and what we can do to help. As our first local partner we chose an amazing organization called Zisize (pronounced Zeh-ZEE-zay) because they are in an area that has extremely high need, they are taking a holistic approach in the community, and the people there are so passionate and committed to what they are doing.
We started our partnership by raising funds for the building of a 2-bedroom house for 6 orphaned children and a 3-bedroom house for a family of 9, as well as a water tank and fence for each. Now these families can collect rainwater off the metal rooftops that is stored in the water tanks. To solve the underlying challenge of growing enough food, we are looking into funding a large water tank for a community garden, and investigating agricultural techniques in the area and partnering with other organizations to implement a solution. To help them become as self-sufficient as possible we are establishing bursaries for post-secondary education, and investigating the possibility of providing microloans for start-up businesses.
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About Zisize...
Zisize is located in an area that is the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and known as "ground zero". Consequently needs are staggering and a lot more resources are needed. It is located in a deep rural area known as Ingwavuma, close to the Mozambique and Swaziland borders in the southeastern corner of South Africa.
It is estimated that over 30% of the population are infected with HIV/AIDS virus and more than 60% are unemployed.
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To find out more about the wonderful work Zisize is doing, please visit their website at www.zisize.org
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