Saving Orphans Through Healthcare And Outreach Inc

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF SOHO IS TO HEAL,EDUCATE, FEED, PARENT AND NURTURE ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY FROM CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY HIV/AIDS. SOHO'S LONG TERM VISION FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN AIDS AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IS A SAFE LIVING ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL BEING OF CHILDREN ARE ADDRESSED, EDUCATION IS SUPPORTED AND SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED SUCH THAT THE CHILDREN EMBRACE THEIR PERSONAL WORTH AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THE PROGRAMS ADDRESS FOOD, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, EMOTIONAL WELL BEING AND LIFE SKILLS IMPACTING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND IMPARTING INNER STRENGTH AND SPIRITUAL NURTURE. THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE POPULATION SERVED AND TO IMPROVE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE CHILDREN. SOHO PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WELCOME PLACES, IN COOPERATION WITH SOHO-ESWATINI, WHICH ARE MULTIPURPOSE CENTERS TO SCHOOL, FEED AND AS TO SERVE THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

SOHO HAS DEVELOPED CARE POINTS WHERE PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN ( UP TO SEVEN YEARS OF AGE) CAN BE GIVEN A HEAD START WITH THEIR EDUCATION. LESS THAN 30 PERCENT OF CHILDREN COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, AND WITH THE DISADVANTAGE OF FOOD INSECURITY AND LACK OF ACCESS TO SCHOOLING, ORPHANS HAVE LITTLE HOPE OF GETTING OUT OF THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND ABUSE. HOPE DISCOVERY LEARNING CENTER IN THE MANZINI REGION, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS A MODEL PROGRAM WHERE CHILDREN RECEIVE A MEAL UPON A ARRIVAL IN THE MORNING AS WELL AS A HOT LUNCH. THEY ARE TAUGHT BOTH ENGLISH AND SISWATI LITERACY AND ARE EXPOSED TO THE RUDIMENTS OF LEARNING THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTERACTIVE AND INTERESTING.AT MHLOSHENI WELCOME PLACE IN A DIFFERENT REGION OF ESWATINI, CHILDREN ARE ALSO TAUGHT THE BASICS SO THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING WHEN THEY ATTEND PRIMARY SCHOOL. THE CARE POINTS PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO ABUSE WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT SCHOOL. GIRLS ARE MOST OFTEN THE ONES VICTIMIZED. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT IN ONE OF THE MOST DERELICT AREAS WHERE SOHO FEEDS 150 CHILDREN DAILY A HOT MEAL. MANY RELY ON THIS AS THEIR ONLY MEAL FOR THE DAY. FORTY OF THE CHILDREN FROM THIS AREA ARE BUSED TO HOPE DISCOVERY LEARNING CENTER DAILY WHERE THEY BENEFIT FROM EDUCATION AT THE PRE-SCHOOL

HOPE SEEKERS ALLIANCE CHILDREN'S VILLAGE - THIS MOUNTAIN FARM WILL BE THE SITE OF A CHILDREN'S VILLAGE PROVIDING EDUCATION, HOUSING, AND BASIC HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AT RISK. AGRICULTURE AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WILL HELP TO MAKE THE PROGRAM SUSTAINABLE WHILE ADDRESSING POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN THE AREA. CONSTRUCTION OF THE VILLAGE IS ONGOING. 1. SITE PREPARATION 2. ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND RETAINING WALL 3. CONSTRUCTION OF RONDAVELS

A CRITICAL AREA OF EMPHASIS NEAR THE INNER CITY IS MAREKAMP CARE POINT WHERE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CHILDREN ARE FED AT ONE TIME. THIS COMMUNITY HAS MANY CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND CAREGIVERS WHO ENGAGE THE CHILDREN IN UNSUITABLE ACTIVITY SUCH AS MAKING AND DRINKING HOME BREWED ALCOHOL. THIS AREA KNOWN AS THE SQUATTER'S CAMP IS VIOLENT AND UNSAFE , BUT SERVICES PROVIDED BY SOHO ARE OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTERING TO THE CHILDREN WHO LIVE THERE AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS. THE OUTREACH PROGRAM COORDINATORS ARE A YOUNG SWAZI CLERGY MAN AND HIS WIFE. THEY VISIT THE HOMES AND PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THOSE PARENTED BY TEEN GIRLS. LIFE SKILLS ARE ALSO A FOCUS AREA. CHILDREN WHO TYPICALLY MANIFEST THE VIOLENCE TO WHICH THEY ARE EXPOSED, ARE TAUGHT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS THROUGH SPORTS. THEY ARE ALSO TAUGHT WOODWORKING AND THE ITEMS CREATED ARE SOLD AND THE FUNDS PROVIDED FOR THEIR BENEFIT. THE COMMUNITY IS OFTEN SERVED BY INVITED VOLUNTEERS WHO BRING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND OTHER HEALTH RELATED SKILLS TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THE MANY TEEN MOTHERS ESPECIALLY BENEFIT FROM THESE SERVICES . A SCOUT- LIKE PATHFINDER CLUB IS BEING DEVELOPED TO PROVE YET ANOTHER AVENUE FOR THE CHILDREN TO LEARN DISCIPLINE AND OTHER VALUABLE BEHAVIORAL SKILLS.

SOHO HAS SOUGHT FOR MANY YEARS TO OBTAIN LAND ON WHICH TO BUILD A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM WHERE CHILDREN CAN BE HOUSED AND EMBRACE A HOPE FILLED FUTURE. THIS FACILITY IS NOW A REALITY. LENTSABA FARM AND CHILDREN'S VILLAGE INCLUDES SAFE HOMES FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN AS WELL AS EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE. THE PROGRAM HERE IS HOLISTIC, ADDRESSING HEALTH OF BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT. THERE IS AN AGRICULTURAL COMPONENT UNDER DEVELOPMENT WHERE CROPS WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE CHILDREN, BUT WILL ALSO BE SOLD TO HELP SUSTAIN THE VILLAGE. CURRENTLY THREE HOUSES ARE CLOSE TO COMPLETION AND PREPARATIONS ARE BEING MADE TO HOUSE THE FIRST SIXTEEN CHILDREN IN TWO FOR THE HOMES WHILE THE THIRD SERVES TEMPORARILY AS A MULTI PURPOSE CENTER. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST FACILITY IN ESWATINI USING A TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH TO SERVICE, WHICH ADDRESSES THE ROOTS OF TRAUMA IN THE CHILDREN AND PROVIDES TRAINING FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE EFFECT OF TRAUMA ON CHILDREN.