Janelle Erickson of White Bear Lake Rotary told our club that Touching Tiny Lives (TTL) was founded in 2004 to serve infants and small children in Lesotho. The organization started with a single safe home far from the capital city. Babies and children were brought to the home because they would not survive if they had remained in their rural home areas.
Lesotho is a landlocked country totally surrounded by the nation of South Africa. There is a high prevalence of both poverty and HIV/AIDs, with the latter affecting an estimated 25% of the population. Infant mortality rates are very high, with approximately 10% of children dying before their 5th birthday.
Among the effects of poverty is malnutrition; 42% of children under 5 malnourished. Around 75% of the population lives in rural areas with very primitive infrastructure. In those rural areas, half of the population lives below poverty the line. Migrant labor is a major source of income, with many men traveling to Johannesburg or elsewhere in South Africa to work for 8-10 months at a time. While they bring back some of what they earn, they also bring back HIV/AIDS in many cases.
A few years after the organization was founded, TTL realized that an outreach program was needed to follow up children who had been treated in the safe home. Outreach is challenging because many of the rural areas do not have roads to make standard vehicle access possible.
In response to a question about the effects of HIV/AIDS, Janelle answered that the concept of “orphan” is unknown. Children who lose parents are taken into the homes of grandparents or other family members. Also in response to the AIDS issue, Janelle said that simple requirements such as taking a medication at the same time each day can be challenging in a place where clocks are basically unknown.
Jannelle told the club about White Bear Lake’s project to provide TTL with a vehicle needed for outreach to the rural villages where the organization visits children needing care; TTL also brings food and provides training to locals who act as health workers. The vehicle required is a 4-wheel drive SUV with a specialized frame that is made for the particular rigors of Africa and Australia only.
About the Speaker: Janelle Erickson is the Chair of White Bear Lake Rotary's International Committee.