Creating positive change in the lives of orphan and vulnerable children
WHAT TOPSY DOES
The focus of the programmes is to offer relief services to children, families and individuals in a number of poor rural communities in Mpumalanga some 20 miles southeast of Johannesburg, where the provinces of Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Free State come together.
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Topsy brings genuine benefit to the quality of life for a significant number of people living in communities in Mpumalanga. Their support is offered to people of all ages whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS.
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This area is often referred to as a ‘forgotten’ part of the country because of its scant infrastructure and lack of large-scale industry. The Topsy Foundation is the only organisation of its kind with an active presence in these places.
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Topsy brings genuine benefit to the quality of life for thousands of people including orphan and vulnerable children in these communities. It does so through two interrelated projects:
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Early Childhood Development
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Vegetable Gardening
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The Topsy Foundation UK´s primary aim since registering as a charity in 2006 is to support the work of our sister organisation, Topsy South Africa.
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The Topsy Foundation SA has a 20-year history of providing first class services in partnership with rural communities in South Africa, empowering people affected by HIV and AIDS, through medical care, social support, help for women generating an income and improving educational provision for pre-school children.
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This work is centred in Grootvlei, in the Province of Mpumalanga. The Province is home to one of the country’s best known and top tourist destinations – the Kruger National Park, famous for its wildlife and luxury safari holidays. The picture, however, is very different in the area in which Topsy SA operates. Here there is no public transport and little opportunity for paid work, with a lack of large-scale industry. Youth unemployment stands at 45% and some 20% of the population over the age of 20 cannot read or write.
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The Topsy Foundation is the only organisation of its kind with an active presence in an area covering some 70 miles.