Gauteng Region
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1. THE SOWETO GIRLS PROGRAM
This is a project of the Gauteng Child Welfare, located in Doornfontein, Gauteng. The Project distributes food, clothing and blankets to children on the street, invites them to come to its drop-in centre and, when a girl wishes to come off the streets, arranges accommodation at Usindiso Shelter.

The drop-in centre at the corner of Noord and End streets in Doornfontein offers tuition in sewing and knitting to 30 girls between the ages of eight and 18, as well as lessons in basic life skills - conflict resolution and tries to work towards reuniting the girls with their families. Items made by the girls are sold at flea markets to help them earn an income. They are also encouraged to do gardening, which helps with food for distribution on the streets.

The volunteers would be able to help this initiative in a number of ways. Firstly, volunteers would be able to get involved in the extra mural activities offered. Secondly, they would be able to help with the general running of the shelters. Thirdly, the volunteers would be able to help in repair and maintenance work to improve the condition of the shelters.

2. STREET CHILDREN'S PROGRAM
This program allows volunteers to work at a specialized street children's project that is based in the Gauteng region.

The project aims to help children living on the streets in various ways. Firstly, the project has a residential shelter for boys aged from 8 - 18 years of age. The aim of this shelter is to rehabilitate the boys in its care and get them back into school. The project also has a drop in centre for girls living on the street, which offers safety and support.

The Children's Project also runs an outreach program, which feeds the needy and homeless. The latest project however, is a Skills Training Centre that is open to older children, their families and the broader community.

Volunteer assistance is needed in all of the above-mentioned activities, especially volunteers who are creative and enthusiastic. This program is looking for warm, caring volunteers who have a special interest in working with disadvantaged children and street children in particular.

3. ABANDONED CHILDREN PROGRAM
The program involves working at an urban children's centre that is associated with the Child and Welfare Department. The program involves working with abandoned children and AIDS Orphans. Volunteers would be needed to help care for the children and arrange activities with them. Furthermore, the volunteers could help with small maintenance projects to improve the centre.

4.THE FAMILY CARE PROGRAM
This Soweto-based project, run by Child Welfare, has a range of projects, which offer food, clothing, medical care and practical training to inner city street children as well as refuge for abandoned, abused or neglected babies.

Under "basic care and human rights", it takes on everything from feeding and clothing children to family preservation activities to outreach (the group last year declared war on glue-sniffing) and prison visits, and when necessary, guardianship at court. For older children, the project offers cricket and soccer development and adventure camps as well as tuition in literacy and life skills, business training, catering and other skills, and tries to place the young people in jobs. For the babies, volunteers supply stimulation and TLC at playtime. A health care project runs a mobile clinic but also offers home-based care and health education as well as a care centre for terminally ill children.

The care centre is in desperate need of volunteers to help them with the day to day running of the centre as well as giving the children and babies some extra love and attention. Volunteers would be able to get involved in the various activities that the centre offers the children as well as starting up some new activities. The abandoned baby centre houses about 30 babies who are also in constant need of care and attention