HOPE worldwide SA recognizes that poverty is often not only economic but also sadly social. Many vulnerable families feel the social isolation that comes with being in need.
HOPE worldwide SA is addressing this by mobilising individual volunteers and groups and connecting them with an impoverished family in need of compassion and support. This is being achieved through our SHIELD (Supporting Households Living in Distress) programme.
In the SHIELD Programme, individual sponsors sign up to support a vulnerable family that has at least one child between the ages of 0 – 5 years old. Sponsors provide for the families’ basic needs over a period of one year, but also look for opportunities to assist the family to get back on their feet. This is done through access to jobs, training and grants. We support families with young children through joining hands with individual sponsors and volunteers, who have the compassion and commitment to bring hope and change the lives of young children.
Another component of the SHIELD programme is the SHIELD Academy. Volunteers offer their time to provide academic support to the young children within SHIELD families. Volunteers use a numeracy and literacy syllabus to tutor children.