All Buddhas take the mind of great compassion
as their substance
- from the Avatamsaka Sutra
The Khuphuka Project is an initiative of Dharmagiri outreach. We are a HIV and AIDS community outreach program serving the Mqatsheni tribal area falling within the Kwa Sani municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. This community faces huge problems including high HIV infection rates, high levels of unemployment, many orphans and ‘at risk’ children and associated poverty. There are large numbers of families close to starvation.
The Directors of the Khuphuka Project Matt York and Jacqueline Healy who work closely alongside Sister Abigail Ntleko (centre) who is the Chair Person of Khuphuka Project.
as their substance
- from the Avatamsaka Sutra
The Khuphuka Project is an initiative of Dharmagiri outreach. We are a HIV and AIDS community outreach program serving the Mqatsheni tribal area falling within the Kwa Sani municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. This community faces huge problems including high HIV infection rates, high levels of unemployment, many orphans and ‘at risk’ children and associated poverty. There are large numbers of families close to starvation.
The Directors of the Khuphuka Project Matt York and Jacqueline Healy who work closely alongside Sister Abigail Ntleko (centre) who is the Chair Person of Khuphuka Project.
The Khuphuka project operates throughout the 7 tribal wards within the Mqatsheni area and the two nearby areas of Kwapitela and Kwathunzi, and more recently in the adjoining area of Stepmore. There is currently no electricity or running water and poor quality roads mean that gaining access to some areas is dependent upon weather conditions. The initial target group has a combined population of 7000 people. (Information and advocacy services and HIV/AIDS awareness and youth work satellite services will also operate in other areas as the project develops). Statistics in 2008 show that 30% of patients presenting at the nearest clinic in Underberg are HIV+. Research indicates that infection rates in rural areas such as uMqatsheni can be dramatically higher (early statistics show that of our clients which know their status, 70% are HIV+).
The Khuphuka Project has developed a positive relationship with the tribal leaders at Mqatsheni who support the development of the project. We are purchasing land within the community to construct a Community Outreach Centre from which to deliver the services, work on which is planned for 2010. Until the completion of the centre the team are based in the uMqatsheni Tribal Authority building.
Services began on the ground in February 2009. The Khuphuka Project is directed by Jacqueline Healy and Matt York with Sister Abigail Ntleko as Chairperson of the steering committee.
Jacqueline Healy holds a law degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway and has a masters degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Padua, Italy. Over the last 10 years she has worked in the area of Human Rights focusing primarily on the area of asylum and migration. She has been Deputy Director of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) before coming to South Africa to co-direct the Khuphuka Project.
Abigail Ntleko is a widely respected nursing sister who spent decades co-ordinating local responses to the AIDS pandemic. She founded and continues to manage the Clouds of Hope children's home which currently houses 80 orphaned children. Her commitment to service and strength of spirit is an inspiration to all who meet her. Sister Abigail is being honoured with an award from the Dalai Lama in San Fransisco this April in recognition of her selfless work and compassion.
Matt York is a registered nurse and also spent years working in the fields of homelesness and mental health in the UK. He is the founder and current trustee of the Mandala Trust, a UK based NGO working with vulnerable children in Asia and Africa and also a coordinator of Dharmagiri Outreach. He has practiced and studied the Buddhist path in Europe, Asia and Africa and currently lives in Dharmagiri Buddhist Hermitage in KwaZulu Natal.
The Community Care workers, information and advocacy workers, child support worker, youth worker and community care co-ordinator have all been sourced from the local communities.
You can download a copy of our
Current Strategic Plan here
The Khuphuka Project has developed a positive relationship with the tribal leaders at Mqatsheni who support the development of the project. We are purchasing land within the community to construct a Community Outreach Centre from which to deliver the services, work on which is planned for 2010. Until the completion of the centre the team are based in the uMqatsheni Tribal Authority building.
Services began on the ground in February 2009. The Khuphuka Project is directed by Jacqueline Healy and Matt York with Sister Abigail Ntleko as Chairperson of the steering committee.
Jacqueline Healy holds a law degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway and has a masters degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Padua, Italy. Over the last 10 years she has worked in the area of Human Rights focusing primarily on the area of asylum and migration. She has been Deputy Director of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) before coming to South Africa to co-direct the Khuphuka Project.
Abigail Ntleko is a widely respected nursing sister who spent decades co-ordinating local responses to the AIDS pandemic. She founded and continues to manage the Clouds of Hope children's home which currently houses 80 orphaned children. Her commitment to service and strength of spirit is an inspiration to all who meet her. Sister Abigail is being honoured with an award from the Dalai Lama in San Fransisco this April in recognition of her selfless work and compassion.
Matt York is a registered nurse and also spent years working in the fields of homelesness and mental health in the UK. He is the founder and current trustee of the Mandala Trust, a UK based NGO working with vulnerable children in Asia and Africa and also a coordinator of Dharmagiri Outreach. He has practiced and studied the Buddhist path in Europe, Asia and Africa and currently lives in Dharmagiri Buddhist Hermitage in KwaZulu Natal.
The Community Care workers, information and advocacy workers, child support worker, youth worker and community care co-ordinator have all been sourced from the local communities.
You can download a copy of our
Current Strategic Plan here