The children's homes Zanela works for are operated by ABC Ministries, which I think is South-Africa based. Zanela lives in and supervises the infant house and the ministry managers (owners?) live with and supervise care of the older children. ABC is now certified to work with some international adoption agencies – this is a new development for Swaziland, which has resisted allowing children to be adopted from outside the country. Actually, the Swazi government resists the whole idea of "orphans" and children's homes, as it claims that virtually all children who lose their parents can be cared for by extended family. Unfortunately, just as in the States, the available extended family may be dysfunctional, uncaring or just too poor to provide adequately for another child. Abortion is illegal in Swaziland, so quite a few babies are abandoned or even killed. Although HIV is not automatically passed on to the child, a number of the children
(and staff) are HIV-positive and taking ARV medication. Sometimes the government runs out of ARVs and only issues patients half their required dosages. This despite the fact that the U.S. government has already plowed millions into AIDS prevention and treatment programs through PEPFAR, with more promised. But I digress...
The photos attached were both taken at the ABC infant house. Zanela and I appear in one, along with most of the little ones.
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