About Us Fertile Ground is helping address South Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic by creating supportive community environments where children can thrive. The global HIV/AIDS epidemic has been most destructive in cultures where splintered family, denial of education and violence are the norm. From 1948 until 1994 the South African government oppressed the majority of its people by institutionalizing and supporting the devastating effects through Apartheid. While Apartheid has been dismantled, its legacy is the devastation of HIV/AIDS in South Africa today. Fertile Ground is reversing these effects by building camps where HIV/AIDS affected children and experience a supportive and healthy environment. |   |
Programs:
Fertile Ground operates on the belief that every child counts, and that every child deserves a childhood rich with happy memories and positive experiences that they will carry with them throughout their adult life.
- Residential Camps
The Fertile Ground Camp in Cape Town brings people from diverse countries, institutions, backgrounds and communities together, creating an opportunity for participants to overcome differences and foster compassion, understanding and acceptance. Families find respite from the impact of stress, violence, disempowerment and stigma that their illness and communities place on them every day.
A safe space, free from stigma, stress and violence with youth leaders and community members who are living positively through their disease provides a child and their family the opportunity to experience true compassion.
The compassion, education and experience of a Fertile Ground Camp releases a child and their family from isolation, despair and fear by showing that other members of the community, youth, and parents are living positive, productive and inspiring lives despite having HIV/AIDS, despite battling cancer and other illness. - Day Camps
Fertile Ground Day Camps offer participants the opportunity to explore sights and have experiences they cannot easily access. Trips to the aquarium, Robben Island, Bird World, hikes in the forest and on the mountain, fishing trips and kite flying are typical of our Day Camp activities.
With every Day Camp we see children, families and communities:
- being accepted without judgment
- having open discussions about HIV/AIDS disclosure and health status
- making new friends and becoming a part of a cross-cultural community
- maintaining daily medication schedules
- taking on the personal responsibility to lead and participate in healthy
lifestyles - being an active part of a great camp family - Outreach to hospitals and clinics
The hospital outreach program includes activities in the waiting area of the outpatient clinics as well as bedside visits to children who are ill. Under the direction of Robert Shea, the Program Director, trained counselors and students provide fun and engaging activates to children and caregivers to alleviate the anxiety experienced on their hospital and clinic visits. These activities help to keep children, families and caregivers engaged in care while maintaining medication schedules through education and empowerment.
- fostering education about HIV/AIDS and medication schedules
- encouraging open conversations about disclosure, stigma, myths and facts
around illness
- leading healthy, responsible lifestyles that encourage children and families
to do the same
- accepting all persons regardless of race, national origin, age, gender, religion
or disability
