Housing
One of the most pressing but basic needs for the children is housing. This is need has been recognised by the State but in the rural areas of South Africa – and particularly in the area covered by the Holy Cross Hospice – the shortage of even rudimentary housing is chronic. Sister Priscilla also recognised the acute need for housing for the most disadvantaged and, in particular, for the child headed families.
In 2004, the Holy Cross Hospice commenced a project with a Holland based donor, The Homeplan Foundation, to provide pre-fabricated houses for child headed families. The ultimate aim is to build 200 houses by 2009. The progress of the project, however, was suffering from a lack of transport to ferry the building materials out to the sites in the surrounding, deeply rural areas.
In consultation with Homeplan and Sister Priscilla, the Trust decided to address this issue by providing, in September 2005, a 1.3 ton truck. By the end of 2009, 144 houses had been erected to house some 500 children.
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