Why We Do It
"We are threatened with extinction. People are dying in chillingly high numbers. It is a crisis of the first magnitude." Festus Mogae, Former President of Botswana, 2001
"I do believe that HIV/AIDS is the greatest threat of mankind today, the greatest weapon of mass destruction on the earth today: killing 8,000 people every day."Former US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell April 5, 2004
Why Tshesebe?
At the time TOP Banana was started, there were three statistics that directed us to Tshesebe.
- Botswana had the highest incidence of HIV / AIDS in the world
- The North East District had the highest rate within Botswana (43%)
- Tshesebe had the highest rate within the North East District
The 18 – 40 age group is hardest hit by HIV / AIDS and has left a glaring gap in society. Many children have lost one or both of their parents.
Under normal circumstances, the African extended family would care for orphaned children. There are, however, too many orphaned children and not enough people left in the extended family to care for them. Moreover, the extended family is dominated by grandparents that are being physically challenged to care for swelling numbers of grandchildren. These exhausting pressures on society increase the vulnerability of children.
Many households are overcrowded and are struggling to feed this growing number of children.
"... we entered a home and encountered the following: to the immediate left of the door sat the 84 year old patriarch, entirely blind. Inside the hut sat his two wives, visibly frail, one 76, the other 78. Between them they had given birth to nine children; eight were now dead and the ninth, alas, was clearly dying. On the floor of the hut, jammed together with barely room to move or breathe, were 32 orphaned grandchildren ranging in age from two to sixteen..." Stephen Lewis, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, 2003.
TOP Banana
TOP Banana is in place to help society recover from this catastrophe. HIV / AIDS is still a problem, albeit a slowly reducing one. We are trying to offer some respite to the carers of children, and to the children who remain.
Everyone has been affected by HIV / AIDS. By offering whatever support we can, we believe that we are helping to reduce the impact and to speed up the recovery process.
"I do believe that HIV/AIDS is the greatest threat of mankind today, the greatest weapon of mass destruction on the earth today: killing 8,000 people every day."Former US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell April 5, 2004
Why Tshesebe?
At the time TOP Banana was started, there were three statistics that directed us to Tshesebe.
- Botswana had the highest incidence of HIV / AIDS in the world
- The North East District had the highest rate within Botswana (43%)
- Tshesebe had the highest rate within the North East District
The 18 – 40 age group is hardest hit by HIV / AIDS and has left a glaring gap in society. Many children have lost one or both of their parents.
Under normal circumstances, the African extended family would care for orphaned children. There are, however, too many orphaned children and not enough people left in the extended family to care for them. Moreover, the extended family is dominated by grandparents that are being physically challenged to care for swelling numbers of grandchildren. These exhausting pressures on society increase the vulnerability of children.
Many households are overcrowded and are struggling to feed this growing number of children.
"... we entered a home and encountered the following: to the immediate left of the door sat the 84 year old patriarch, entirely blind. Inside the hut sat his two wives, visibly frail, one 76, the other 78. Between them they had given birth to nine children; eight were now dead and the ninth, alas, was clearly dying. On the floor of the hut, jammed together with barely room to move or breathe, were 32 orphaned grandchildren ranging in age from two to sixteen..." Stephen Lewis, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, 2003.
TOP Banana
TOP Banana is in place to help society recover from this catastrophe. HIV / AIDS is still a problem, albeit a slowly reducing one. We are trying to offer some respite to the carers of children, and to the children who remain.
Everyone has been affected by HIV / AIDS. By offering whatever support we can, we believe that we are helping to reduce the impact and to speed up the recovery process.