The Gratitude Project aims to create awareness and ongoing support for Child-Headed Households in Nkomazi, South Africa, In addition to the many challenges prevalent in the community generally, kids in Child-Headed Households often find themselves in particularly vulnerable situations:
Many of their now deceased parents entered South Africa as undocumented refugees, meaning that the children left behind have no valid identification.
Having no valid identification means that these children are not recognized by any government.
Not being recognized by any government means these children are not eligible for assistance of any kind, including public schooling or medical care.
Many of these children are HIV positive themselves, typically transmitted at birth.
Often times these children, who have no income, are not only responsible for looking after younger siblings, but also aging grandparents.