positivelyAFRICA: Soweto Junior School Project

SOWETO JUNIOR SCHOOL is located in Kibera, a large slum area on the outskirts of Nairobi where most of the residents live in extreme poverty. Many live on less than $1 a day and unemployment rates are high. HIV/AIDS is also prevalent in the community. There are few schools in Kibera and many parents can't afford to educate their children. The school is currently located in a small, rented outbuilding with a dirt floor and no running water. They have been asked to vacate their premises. A much-needed new school is required to provide the education the children deserve. The school has been given a plot of land on which to build a new school. Our friends at Enterprise4Good will provide volunteers to construct the building. Soweto Junior's plan for sustaining the running of the school is to build a small apartment building that will provide the funds for salaries, food and other ongoing costs.

positively AFRICA has had a long-standing relationship with Soweto Junior School, mostly by providing food for the 150 youngsters attending the school. Although only Grades 1 and 2 are taught there, the students range in age from 3 to 12 years. The school supports vulnerable children and often takes in students who would otherwise spend their days on the street. The school's mission is to provide quality education and to equip the future generation with the skills needed to make changes in their community and to break the cycle of poverty. Along with their subjects of English, reading, writing and math, students enjoy sports like soccer and skipping rope as well as drama, poetry and art.

EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD. Nelson Mandela

OUR MISSION IS to build partnerships that enable those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa to live with hope and dignity.

The effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa are devastating and widespread. A comprehensive response is essential. Large organizations facilitate the supply of anti-retroviral drugs, conduct research on better protection methods, and setup national structures. positively AFRICA strengths are:

working with the most vulnerable — orphans, children, youth and adults with compromised health; and,

supporting emerging African groups that are not yet part of the mainstream — what we often refer to as "dirt floor" organizations. We assist and encourage them until they become completely independent or are able to tap into established support networks.

positively AFRICA seeks out and supports grassroot projects that are responsibly managed, high-impact, innovative and led by local community leaders. We contribute to projects that aid or empower the most vulnerable, especially orphans, disabled children, youth and adults with compromised health. We also focus on supporting "dirt-floor" organizations: new groups that have yet to establish the formal structures required to access conventional resources but are doing urgently needed work. 100% of the money raised by positively AFRICA is given to the people who need it.