Nurturing Orphans of Aids for Humanity

There are currently about 2.5 million orphans in South Africa, and many more children are vulnerable. About half of this number is because of the AIDS pandemic. Noah was born in 2000 from a need to take responsibility for these children. Our vision is to give them an opportunity to grow up into emotionally, psychologically and physically healthy adults.

Professional guidance and support

Noah is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO), but operates according to a corporate structure. This ensures managerial soundness in financial and day-to-day operations.

Our board of directors is made up of respected businesspeople, with years of experience in the corporate world. Noah’s head offices have a number of permanent employees, each dedicated to a particular field of operation.

The communities and Arks

At community levels, Arks are formed to provide a support structure for extended families caring for vulnerable children. Arks are made up of:

• a committee of community members,
• a core group of Noah volunteers, and
• an Ark Manager (appointed by the community).

An Ark Development Officer/ADO (from the Noah head office) supports each Ark. The ADOs, along with head office mentoring, provide Arks with support to develop sustainable practices and form networks within the broader community.

Arks do not have to be physical structures, but dedicated resource centres do exist. Many Arks also operate out of school classrooms and community facilities in order to have an identifiable base in the community.

Click here to view the organogram.