In Johannesburg the French charitable organization SPF (Secours populaire français) is sponsoring an AIDS program that provides psychosocial/material aid and vocational training to young people suffering from the disease.
The AREVA Corporate Foundation has been a partner of the program since 2006 and has renewed its commitment for two more years (2014-2015), and has financed in 2014 four programs:
- « Young Caretackers »: medical, psychological, social, educational, material and food aid to orphans who were forced to become head of their families at a very young age;
- « Khululeka »: support to young people infected with AIDS to help them with treatments and psychological problems;
- « Butterfly »: workshop and therapeutic camp for young orphans to learn them how to mourn;
- « Kickstart »: training students to give them access to a job and help to 36 young people to find a formation..
AIDS affects 6.1 million out of 48.5 million South Africans – the world’s highest rate, according to the World Health Organization. There are currently 2.5 million children who are AIDS orphans.
In the township of Katorus, a suburb of Johannesburg with 2.5 million inhabitants, the social conditions are deteriorating, the AIDS pandemic is still spreading and violence is routine.