Gozololo Halfway House for AIDS orphans opened

Ms Miram Cele has dedicated most of her adult life to trying to keep children off the streets and away from danger. Her struggle, which started when she became involved with children traumatised and orphaned by the political violence in the late 80s and early 90s, continues today with the growing number of children left without parents because of AIDS. So it was like a dream come true for Cele, the winner of the Martin Luther King prize, when the Gozololo Halfway House project for AIDS orphans was opened in KwaMashu recently.

Sponsored by Durban businessman Terry Rosenberg, who has been working with Cele since February 2001, Gozololo hopes to give AIDS orphans a better chance in life. "We try to prevent these AIDS orphans from ending up on the streets," Cele said. She said there were 10 volunteers and five teachers at the centre, adding that Gozololo had been able to place some children with foster families.

Rosenberg said that establishment of the Gozololo project could be part of the solution to handling the huge anticipated increase in AIDS orphans in the Durban area. He said there had been tremendous support from the corporate sector and the next aim was to set up the same project in neighbouring Bhambayi, historically one of the most traumatised townships in the region.