Brochure - Starfish Greathearts Foundation

At Starfish we aim to bring life, hope
and opportunity to children in southern
Africa who have been orphaned or made
vulnerable by the HIV/AIDS pandemic
More than 450 children are orphaned each day
in South Africa alone. The children left behind when
their parents are gone have little hope for the future.
Our mission is to care for vulnerable children and orphans,
supporting them emotionally and physically and
ensuring they have the chance to be educated within their
own communities.
For over ten years Starfish has been working to
change children’s lives, one child at a time. We
do this by selecting projects within local communities
and providing direction, funding and training
to extend their reach and improve delivery of care,
so that more children are given immediate and
sustainable support.
Starfish is making a significant impact in partnership with
community based projects across the country. We are now
working with 50 frontline organisations in 67 communities,
reaching some 25,000 children at home and in our centres.
However, this is simply not enough and we need your help
to reach many, many more...
Starfish brings life
“When our mum died we had
no food. With help from Starfish
we’re not hungry anymore.”
Seilo, age 8
hope
“For the very first time, we will
be able to go to school in our new
uniforms and look just like the
children who still have parents.”
Lerato, age 10
and opportunity
“My dream is to be a lawyer and I
would be very happy if my dream
came true. I know that I can do
it because I have confidence in
myself.” Celiwe, age 15

At Starfish we:
• Build and strengthen local partners to enable them to
provide quality care, from nutritional meals to vocational
training. Small but significant projects help to care for
thousands of vulnerable children.
• Empower local people by providing training, mentoring,
employment opportunities and ongoing support and
assistance in finance, project management and child
care. Working together to provide a brighter future.
• Increase access to resources by linking community
organisations with government interventions and public
programmes. Enabling the delivery of long lasting benefits.
“Changing the
lives of over
25,000 children
a year”
• Educate children, caregivers and the wider community
about HIV and ensure that anti-retroviral drugs are taken
by those that need them. Supporting the community
to help itself.
• Monitor growth and development, validating project
data through spot checks and pre-arranged inspections,
ensuring that all donors are continually updated on the
progress of our work. Sustaining hope in the future.

“What is done by Starfish’s support to the
project is just like a heart pumping
blood through veins in the human body.”
Providing care in KwaZulu Natal
KwaZulu Natal is an area in particular need. An estimated 31% of
the population is unemployed and almost half live below the official
poverty line. Starfish provides mentoring and training to several
community based organisations in this province, including one of
our long term partners, the Zisize Educational Trust (ZET), with
whom we have been developing programmes for over 10 years.
ZET is situated in the northernmost tip of KwaZulu Natal where
the population is approximately 120,000, of which an estimated
57% are under the age of 19.
This year, working alongside ZET
we have provided support in the
following ways:
SAFE HAVENS: Local community centres that provide
after school educational support, counselling for children
dealing with grief and trauma, nutritional meals, a safe
place to play and a trusting adult to talk to. We are providing
equipment for these facilities such as books, computers, toys
and stationery.
ANTI-RETROVIRAL MEDICATION: Working with local clinics
to ensure children receive their medication and, crucially,
providing support in adhering to treatment.
EDUCATION: Starfish provides uniforms, shoes and stationery
for orphaned and vulnerable children enabling them to remain
in school. This is often the only constant in their lives and an
important step in breaking the cycle of poverty. Teacher training
programmes in numeracy and literacy improve the quality
of education delivered to children, resulting in an increase in
school attendance.
HIV/AIDS EDUCATION: Raising awareness of HIV/AIDS
is fundamental to removing social stigma and preventing its
devastating spread. HIV tests, counselling and educational
initiatives help to improve the lives of many affected by
the disease. Our programmes ensure that the message
of prevention and adherence is disseminated community wide.
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT: Preschool children
are provided with a stimulating environment and educational
activities. Older siblings are able to leave young children in a
safe place so that they can go back to school.
SECURE HOMES: Living in some of the most dangerous
areas in South Africa where 40% of reported sexual assaults
are committed against children, physically securing a home
is essential, particularly for children living in child-headed
households.
“Starfish Greathearts Foundation is an important
advocate for South Africa’s most vulnerable
children, giving those affected by HIV/AIDS the
real possibility of leading decent and dignified
lives. I wholeheartedly support this organisation’s
work and encourage you to do the same.”
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

How you can help.....
Life... an hour’s wage could provide a monthly food parcel
containing maize, rice, beans, peanut butter, tea, oil, salt and
sugar, to help children survive following the death of their
parents due to HIV/AIDS.
Hope... half a day’s pay will buy school uniforms, shoes and
transport so that a child can go back to school.
Opportunity... a whole day’s pay could spread our work
by paying for training of a caregiver to transform lives within
another community.
Our partners include trusts and foundations, companies, and
individuals, who contribute their time and skills as well as
funds. Our work would not be possible without our supporters.
You can get involved in many different ways; sponsor a project,
help us with events, get fit while raising money or give us your
time. To find out more about how you can help transform
children’s lives visit:
www.starfishcharity.org
One at a time: the story that
inspires us
An old man had a habit of early morning walks on the beach.
One day, as he looked along the shore, he saw a human figure
moving like a dancer. As he came closer he saw that it was
a young woman and she was not dancing but was reaching
down to the sand, picking up starfish and very gently throwing
them into the ocean.
“Young lady,” he asked, “why are you throwing starfish into
the ocean?”
“The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw
them in they will die.”
“But young lady, do you not realise that there are miles and
miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly
make a difference.”
The young woman listened politely, paused and then bent
down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past
the breaking waves, saying:
“It made a big difference to that one.”
Source
Loren Eiseley
Starfish Greathearts Foundation is a registered charity in the UK (1093862). Starfish is registered as a Section 21 company in South Africa (2003/002865/08), as a non-profit organisation
(039-447-NPO) and as a public benefit organisation in terms of section 18A of the Income Tax Act No. 930008639, and a 501(c)3 registered organisation (20-3622548) in the US. In
Canada we are a non-profit corporation under the Canada Corporations Act, registered as a charity with CRA under the Charitable Registration (86487 2072 RR0001).

Contact us
South Africa
Email: sainfo@starfish.za.org
Tel: +27 (0) 11 807 0003
United Kingdom
Email: ukinfo@starfishcharity.org
Tel: +44 (0) 207 597 3797
United States of America
Email: usainfo@starfishcharity.org
Canada
Email: canada@starfishcharity.org
Global supporters, if you live anywhere else
in the world, please contact the UK office.
www.starfishcharity.org