The pilot draws its inspiration from the apartheid struggle, where youth created a movement for social change in this country. If the same enthusiasm and commitment can be generated through this programme, it is envisaged that young people will begin to challenge their current approaches to sex and begin to adopt safer sex practices. This figure is expected to climb to approximately 2.5 million by 2005. The impact will be devastating both for the children and for the country as a whole. Institutionalised care is costly and is not a sustainable option.
Communities have to look after their own.
Unless creative ways of caring for these youngsters is found, South Africa will face another 'lost generation' similar to the one that resulted from the student boycotts in the 1970s and 1980s. The AIDS Foundation is embarking on an orphan pilot project that draws together existing structures and institutions to deal with orphans within their geographical area of operation. This is a highly cost-effective approach as it does not create a specific bureaucratic structure to deal with the problem but rather extends the services of existing organisations through strong collaboration. The Department of Health in KwaZulu Natal has found that it is unable to implement community-based projects effectively because of the difficulty in releasing funds timeously and in a way that is appropriate in a community setting. This resulted in a partnership agreement between the Department and the AIDS Foundation to pursue community projects with departmental funding.