Sue Anne

Sue Anne Cook is both the founder and the Programme Director of Vhutshilo Mountain School. She has lived in Venda for the past 32 years and has worked with different corporate companies. She is also a co-founder of the Centre for Positive Care, an NGO that support people living with HIV/AID. In 2002 she responded to concerns in the community about the growing number of AIDS orphans by starting a pre-school for orphans and vulnerable children. Her HIV+ VhaVenda foster child, Vhuhuwavho Nevhungoni,  who has lived with her for the past 14 years, is both her inspiration and her mentor, ensuring that she understands respects and responds appropriately to the needs and aspirations of children and youths living with HIV. She has a deep respect for the community she serves and an understanding of their needs, and most of all she is driven by a passion to ensure that the rights of all vulnerable children are met and that their futures are not  inhibited by either their disadvantaged backgrounds or  HIV+.status.

Sue Anne is a very giving and sharing person and empowering women is one of her goals. For the past 9 years she has been mentoring Khathu because the sustainability of the project is vitally important and she wants to ensure that the school and its outreach programme will continue.