Our pre-school program is well-known in the community for the high quality of care and education we provide to HIV+, orphans and vulnerable children. All pre-schoolers at Vhutshilo receive free transportation and two good meals per day and, and second-hand clothing and medical assistance are provided when needed. The medium of instruction is English, but an integral part of the learning program is to promote indigenous cultural practices (e.g., dancing and singing).

While our focus is to support HIV+ children, we also accept a restricted number of “healthy”, fee paying children to cross-subsidise their indigent class mates. We have actually had to turn away prospective paying students, which testifies to how well we have managed to mitigate stigma in our community. We are always looking to expand educational and social opportunities for the children we serve, so we accept material donations on a case-by-case basis. Below are a few specific items we are looking for at the moment.