Phedisang is a Northern Sotho (Sepedi) word which means 'help them to live'. This organization strives to do just that by addressing the growing number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in South Africa. There are many factors contributing to this tragedy including the affects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic as well as poverty. It is not financially possible to build, equip and run hostels to accommodate and look after all of these children. Many orphan families have older siblings caring for younger siblings, and are therefore unable to attend school. The Foster Care Grant provided by the South African government is not being accessed because of the sad combination of bureaucracy and uneducated rural people.

The mission of Phedišang is to contribute to the basic care of orphans and vulnerable children by providing food, monitoring health and facilitating access to available government funding and care.

In setting out to achieve this, Phedišang is based on the following basic principles:

• Leaving the children where they and their families want them to be - with relatives in their villages.


• Using existing infrastructures to provide the children two well-balanced meals a day. Meals are provided 365 days a year.


• Monitoring the children's health and ensuring that they have access to the State health system including visits by a Clinic Sister (nurse) and access to nearby clinics as well as the local hospital service.


• Collecting all the required documents and having them processed so that the child receives prescribed Government grants on a monthly basis. Once foster carers are receiving grants, they become responsible for the payment of the R100= monthly fee to Phedišang, which releases donor money to fund another child.