Ikageng Itireleng

With 5 to 6 million of people with HIV living in South Africa (UNAIDS, 2008), about 10 percent (1.5 million) of all South African children are orphaned and vulnerable. Of this group, an estimated 40 percent receive no child protection services or financial support – an alarming figure that is expected to grow substantially in the future. The orphans are affected by HIV/AIDS and the socio-economic implications of the epidemic. They live in poverty, often have to function as the "head of household" and care for younger siblings, and lack the means to complete their own schooling.

Ikageng Itireleng AIDS ministry is helping these orphans through community-based care programs in Soweto. Ikageng Itireleng means "do it for yourself", reflecting the concept to enable the orphans to provide for themselves. Ikageng Itireleng today looks after about 1,500 children in 330 households throughout Soweto. Support focuses on education and health, and spans age groups from 0 to 18+ years. More specifically, orphans receive support with regard to: 1) the basic needs of child-headed households, in- cluding food, clothing, water, electricity, school fees, and supplies, healthcare, and transport, 2) psychosocial health, including mentoring, home-based care, and counseling through a network of voluntary caregivers and professional supporters, and 3) holistic development through organization of various social events and provision of life skills.

McKinsey for Children has made a commitment to help Ikageng Itireleng in its priority area of education and to support the organization in its drive to become stronger, more professional, and sustainable. McKinsey for Children is partnering with the Johannesburg office of McKinsey & Company, Inc., to support Ikageng Itireleng, both financially and non-financially, in making a positive impact on the lives of orphaned children in South Africa.