South Africa

Supplementary feeding for children in Paarl East and Mbekweni

The Monte Christo food centre, based in Paarl East, feeds over 6,000 children every day.  During term time food is given out at schools through the Peninsula School Feeding programme. 

Many families in the region cannot afford to feed their children a good meal once a day and often children go hungry.   These school meals are essential to the children’s development. 

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Football & Community Support Programme

WER’s partnership with Monte Christo Ministries (MCM), which was in established 2006, has positively developed into a flourishing Community Support Programme. The programme uses football as a means to address social issues faced by children from South Africa’s underprivileged Paarl East region such as family breakdown, restricted access to education, gang and drug culture, unplanned teenage pregnancy and high youth unemployment levels.

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South Africa

Home to the 2010 World Cup, South Africa serves as a leader in the social development of African countries. With 11 official languages, South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has been in a constant state of transformation. Significant improvements have been made in the provision of basic services, such as water and sanitation. Boasting the biggest economy in Africa, South Africa has a strong tourism industry and is a major world exporter of gold and minerals.

However, years of repression and conflict continue to take their toll on the South African people. Addressing apartheid-era imbalances, such as housing, education, and health care, remains a struggle for the relatively young government. There is still a tremendous disparity between social classes; although post-apartheid social changes have improved the lives of many South Africans, a large portion of the population still lives under the poverty line. High rates of crime and violence remain an alarming part of modern South African society.

HIV/AIDS also poses huge challenges for the development of the country. Around one in seven South African citizens are infected with HIV. Although the country is making progress in combating the illness through a government-funded anti-retroviral drug distribution program, South Africa continues to have one of the highest numbers of HIV/AIDS patients in the world.

The most recent Human Development report ranks South Africa at 129 out of 182 countries, with a medium human development rating status. The Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.683 compared to the HDI of the UK, which is 0.946.

WER is working in partnership with Monte Christo Ministries to help give children a living chance.